Vincent van Gogh [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Matthew 5:43-48?English Standard Version (ESV)
Love Your Enemies
43??You have heard that it was said, ?You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.? 44?But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45?so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46?For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47?And if you greet only your brothers,[a] what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48?You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
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Saturdays during Lent have a grateful and a spiritually elevating tone to them.
Today we are reminded that God's new covenant is extended to us without any strings attached. God is for us even if we aren't for Him, even if we don't acknowledge Him. God loves each of us, even the evil and cruel, even the good and kind. The mean farmer finds his fields watered the same as the kind farmer.
It's almost as if God can't contain the rain, can't hold back His love, even if he wanted to.
It's bursting at the seams and overflowing to all of His creation.
In view of this all-saturating love, God calls us to love those even who do not love us.
For reflection...
Ask God to help you turn toward Him. Acknowledge you sometimes want to turn everywhere but Him. Allow your mind to soak in the truth that, no matter where you turn, you find God's love raining down and praise Him with gratefulness this Saturday. Ask Him to help you love like He loves.
