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| Fra Angelico, St Romuald |
Saint Romuald (d. 1027)
Readings of the day: RB 15 When the Alleluia Should Be Said
Mass: 1 K 21:17-29; Resp Ps 51; Mt 5:43-48
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
Jesus’ words to each and every one of us are difficult. I think of St Benedict’s words as well: ‘You are not to act in anger or nurse a grudge’ (RB 4:22-23). These commands, so contrary to our first inclination, so necessary for followers of Jesus who gives us a new commandment, ‘love one another as I have loved you.’ Jesus loves and forgives without exception, for ‘our heavenly Father makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.’
It would do us well, today, to think of our enemy—I think all of us have one—someone who has hurt us or wants to hurt us. The Mafia’s prayer is: ‘You’ll pay me back.’ The Christian prayer is: ‘Lord, give them your blessing, and teach me to love them.’ Let us think of one enemy, and pray for them. May the Lord to give us the grace to love them.
(Pope Francis, Homily, June 19, 2018)
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