First reading Deuteronomy 26:16-19
You will be a people consecrated to the Lord
Moses said to the people: ‘The Lord your God today commands you to observe these laws and customs; you must keep and observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.
‘You have today made this declaration about the Lord: that he will be your God, but only if you follow his ways, keep his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and listen to his voice. And the Lord has today made this declaration about you: that you will be his very own people as he promised you, but only if you keep all his commandments; then for praise and renown and honour he will set you high above all the nations he has made, and you will be a people consecrated to the Lord, as he promised.’
Responsorial Psalm 118(119):1-2,4-5,7-8
They are happy who follow God’s law!
They are happy whose life is blameless,
who follow God’s law!
They are happy who do his will,
seeking him with all their hearts.
You have laid down your precepts
to be obeyed with care.
May my footsteps be firm
to obey your statutes.
I will thank you with an upright heart
as I learn your decrees.
I will obey your statutes;
do not forsake me.
Gospel Matthew 5:43-48
Pray for those who persecute you
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’
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Loving like God loves
“…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. Jesus invites us to love others not as they deserve but as God loves them. A person’s mistakes do not change God’s love for them. God’s love is unconditional. Saint and sinner- He loves them. Today, Jesus calls us to love our friends and enemies unconditionally.
In this time of Lent, let us take up this call to love as God loves. It is not to wait for others to be good before we show our respect and kindness to them. Even if they hurt and hate us, our relationships with others must always be marked with love. In this time of prayer, let us bring to mind the people in our lives who have wronged us. We pray for them and ask God to give us the grace to release the power of love in us.
Reflective question:
Whom among those I consider as “enemies” can I love today?
Whom among those I consider as “enemies” can I love today?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
