Richard Meux Benson was the founding brother of the Society of St. John the Evangelist in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In a recent sermon Br. Curtis Almquist in talking about intercessory prayer, quoted Benson,
“In praying for others we learn really and truly to love them. As we approach God on their behalf we carry the thought of them into the very being of eternal Love, and as we go into the being of him who is eternal Love, so we learn to love whatever we take with us there.”
This approach removes any judgment I might have about how God ‘should’ respond to my prayer, or any thought that I might take on the role of God.
Br. Curtis goes on to say, “It is a tall order, to pray in such a way, but it is co-operating with what Jesus gave his life, praying for one another on earth as it shall be in heaven. Pray for your enemies. Bless, do not curse them. Pray for your enemies. If you were to ask, where to start? Start with three. Pray for three enemies. How long? Pray until you begin to sense the ice melting in your soul, the beginning of the flow of compassion. Keep it up. Love will come. Love will surely come.”
Who are my enemies? I don’t have big time enemies, but I do have people who annoy me and get in my way, people of whom I’m jealous. They are my enemies because they come between me and God. I will start with three.
“In praying for others we learn really and truly to love them. As we approach God on their behalf we carry the thought of them into the very being of eternal Love, and as we go into the being of him who is eternal Love, so we learn to love whatever we take with us there.”
This approach removes any judgment I might have about how God ‘should’ respond to my prayer, or any thought that I might take on the role of God.
Br. Curtis goes on to say, “It is a tall order, to pray in such a way, but it is co-operating with what Jesus gave his life, praying for one another on earth as it shall be in heaven. Pray for your enemies. Bless, do not curse them. Pray for your enemies. If you were to ask, where to start? Start with three. Pray for three enemies. How long? Pray until you begin to sense the ice melting in your soul, the beginning of the flow of compassion. Keep it up. Love will come. Love will surely come.”
Who are my enemies? I don’t have big time enemies, but I do have people who annoy me and get in my way, people of whom I’m jealous. They are my enemies because they come between me and God. I will start with three.
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