Pray For Your Enemies

Pray For Your Enemies

May the joy of the Lord be our strength dear Heartdwellers.

Yesterday was our second night as a community, to gather together at Mother Clare's to pray the Rosary as a group. As we were offering up our prayer intentions and praying the Rosary, you could strongly feel the comforting presence of Our Blessed Mother. I got the sense that a suffering was coming and that everything was going to be all right and I clearly heard the words....."Pray it forward."

Mother Mary began, "I know child that you are concerned about the situation, but my Son is concerned about the condition of this soul and that of his family." And here Blessed Mother is referring to a situation that recently came up and now the enemy is trying to stir things up against us.

Blessed Mother continued, "Have peace, my daughter, and unite yourself to my Son's heart, and that is to love your enemies and pray for them. Do good to those who intentionally and unintentionally try to do you harm. Maintain a posture of prayer and listen for my instructions. Be courageous and do not fear what looks to be an obstacle, but turn your gaze to my Son and meditate on how He did not cease to pray to His Heavenly Father for His enemies, and in this way you all will be victorious.

"You have been praying in the Spirit, continue to do so even more now for this is pleasing to the Lord. Does it not say in Matthew 5:43-48, "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and send rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more then others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect."

Mother Mary continued, "Let go of any bitterness or resentment towards them, when you do this your prayers will be so much more effective. Keep your focus on my Son and ask for your heart to be transformed. You have often asked me to borrow my heart so that you would understand His heart. I will help you achieve this be patience dear one. I know it is not always easy to love and pray for those who hurt the ones we love. It was extremely difficult to continue praying for those who were persecuting and crucifying my beloved Son, I had to join my heart with His to truly understand His great love for them. Keep your heart pure and your prayer intentions true, I will guide all of you who put aside your own feelings and comfort to pray for another, especially those who hurt you." And that was the end of her message.

I remember in sales training that we were taught to show our enemies the genuine respect that everyone deserves and learn to think of them with compassion. Believe me this takes practice, and in cultivating compassion, it does help to visualize our enemies as the innocent children they once were and somehow remain. Meet your enemies in your imagination always at eye level. Make every effort to come to know and understand them better, their hopes, their fears, concerns and aspirations. Search for common goals and try to explore together ways of reaching these goals. Do not cling to your own convictions, examine them in light of your enemies' convictions with all the sincerity you can muster. Do not judge people, but look closely at the effect of their actions. Are they building up or endangering the common good? Take a sober look at your enemies' goals and evaluate them with fairness.

In order to counteract your enemies effectively on a given issue, pray for them, this totally disarms the demons. Wherever possible, show your enemies kindness. Do them as much good as you can and do not be guided by human depositions, but by those of the Spirit.

Train yourselves in the way of God's peace. Your heart can be full of anguish and hurt, but can still overflow with love. Forgiveness, peace and love are key elements to overpowering enemies with the right attitude. Hatred and bitterness must die at the foot of the Cross. We must not approach the Cross with resentment in our hearts. Ask for the grace to love our enemies as our Lord Jesus and Mother Mary has shown us what pure love truly looks like.

God bless you dear Heartdwellers.