NIGHT PRAYER: Sunday 2/23

 

On Sundays, Night Prayer takes its lead from some element of the day's liturgy: this evening, the gospel proclaimed at mass.  These may be the most demanding words Jesus ever spoke.  Take a minute to read and review below an excerpt from what we heard at mass. (You can read the complete passage here.)

Jesus said:
“Love your enemies, 

    do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, 

    pray for those who mistreat you...
Do to others 

    as you would have them do to you.
For if you love those who love you,
    what credit is that to you?
Even sinners love those who love them...
But rather, love your enemies

    and do good to them...
Be merciful, 

    just as your Father is merciful.
Stop judging 

    and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning 

    and you will not be condemned.
Forgive 

    and you will be forgiven..."

 

I'm still looking for another verse, Lord 

    - or maybe a footnote -

detailing what might be, 

    what must be, what should be

the situations and circumstances

    exempting, dispensing and excusing me

from the absurdity, the unfairness,

    well, the rigors 

of these foolish, unreasonable 

    demanding commands...

 

But I find no exclusionary clause here,

    no allowance for personal injury,

no exceptions for cause or convenience,

    no passes or coupons granting permission

to bypass or shortcut 

    your rules for love...

 

Each time I watch the news, Lord,

    I transgress your law of love.

I fail to do unto others

    as I'd have them do unto me.

Rather than pray for my enemies,

    I'm quick to curse and condemn them.

I'm always ready to judge and accuse

    - except when it comes to myself.

I pray for your mercy, 

    your pardon and peace,

but I'm slow to forgive the neighbor

    who trespasses against me...

 

Let your words, your rules and your law

    stretch me, Lord:

        beyond my pride and arrogance,

            my prejudice and bias;

        beyond my nasty judgments

            and my hasty condemnations;

        beyond my lonely selfishness

            and narrow-minded ways;

        beyond the bounds and limits

            of my uninformed opinions;

        beyond the small world I mistake

            to be the universe;

        beyond my blind acceptance

            of myself as always right;

        beyond my shameful hubris, Lord

            and to a self-acceptance

                of myself and of my sins

            in need of your sweet mercy 

                and your gracious, healing love...

 

Most of all, Lord,

    don't let me dismiss your words as

        absurd, unfair, 

            unreasonable or foolish

    but let them challenge me:

        to give of myself as you give to me,

        to forgive my neighbor as your forgive me,

        to love all others as you love me

        and to do unto others

            as I'd have them 

                do unto me...
    

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

    and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

 

Love Your Enemies by Kyle Sigmon

 

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