Frank Laubach is one of my spiritual heroes. He served God from the early parts of the last century until his death in 1970.
One of Laubach’s practices was to focus on God’s presence. Often during his prayer time, he would place a picture of Jesus before him to remind himself that he was in the presence of the one who died, rose again, and gave him the opportunity to know God personally.
As we pray for both friends and enemies today, let’s consider how we focus our attention on God, who both hears and speaks to us during our prayer time.
Readings from today’s lectionary: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022825.cfm
Reading 1 – Sirach 6:5-17
A kind mouth multiplies friends and appeases enemies,
and gracious lips prompt friendly greetings.
A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter;
he who finds one finds a treasure.
A faithful friend is beyond price,
no sum can balance his worth.
A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy,
such as he who fears God finds;
For he who fears God behaves accordingly,
and his friend will be like himself. (Sirach 6:5, 14-17)
Verse 17 teaches us that the fear of the Lord governs how we treat our friends and enemies. The “fear of the Lord” is experienced by:
- Establishing a personal relationship with God,
- Humbly seeking His guidance,
- And consistently following His guidance.
If we engage with God in this manner, our actions towards others will naturally align with His principles and ensure the best outcome possible.
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 119:12, 16, 18, 27, 34, 35
The path to living in the fear of the Lord begins with a plea for God’s insight, so that our eyes may be opened to His wisdom.
Open my eyes, so that I may behold
wondrous things out of your law. (Psalm 119:18)
God’s law, a precious gift, illuminates the way to live in communion with Him and in peace with one another.
Alleluia – John 17:17
“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).
In His high priestly prayer, Jesus prayed that God would set us apart for His purposes through the truth, and stated that God’s word is entirely true.
We praise God for His truth and base our interactions with friends and enemies on His truth.
Gospel – Mark 10:1-12
Sadly, many discover that a spouse can be both their best friend and their enemy. When Jesus responded to questions about divorce, He revealed a common thread in the fracturing of husband-wife relationships.
But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you” (Mark 10:5).
A hard heart is determined to have its own way, regardless of the price.
Let us pray that God would soften our hearts today, enabling us to see and understand the perspectives of our friends, enemies, and especially those closest to us.
YouTube Discussion
Søren Kierkegaard famously referred to Abraham as the “Knight of Faith” and identified a contrasting group he called “Philistines.” On YouTube today, Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I are discussing the dynamic between the Knight of Faith and the Philistine.
Real Voices 