Love And Prayers

2 Corinthians 8:1-9
Psalm 146:2, 5-9
Matthew 5:43-48

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. - Matthew 5:44

After the demo of my lesson plan, my teacher started criticizing every step I took with gusto - blow after blow after blow. There was not one good thing she saw. Although she did not succeed in shattering my self-esteem, I felt a little peeved that she could not offer one word of encouragement.

The next class day, everything that the teacher said entered one ear and left the other. In one instance, I deliberately read something else quietly in my seat to keep from hearing what she was saying. I focused on my feelings - there was anger and hurt.

That night I prayed, I prayed for healing and, most of all, I prayed for my teacher. Before our next class I went to confession and settled with the Lord any grudge in my heart. But I also gave feedback to my teacher’s co-teacher in the class who was absent during my demo. I relayed to her that this teacher dealt with me the way she dealt with my two other classmates who had already stopped attending the class and had decided not to finish the course.

In our next class day, there was a marked change in my teacher’s attitude towards critiquing demo lessons! But most of all, I was able to smile at her again. The Lord’s formula for dealing with our “enemies” really works! Cristy G.

Reflection: Who needs prayer most? You or your enemies?

I pray for my enemies today, Lord. But most of all I pray for myself, that I may be able to pray with genuine love in my heart.

St. Romuald, abbot confessor, pray for us.