Written by Traverse City Chaplain, Peggy Burns

A few weeks ago, the gospel reading from chapel was Matthew 5:38-48. It is the reading where we are told to love our enemies. In today’s world, it can be difficult to love our enemies. We encounter people with different opinions and it hurts us when their opinions don’t match ours. I hear the word fear used quite often recently, more than I have before. Even with everything going on in the world, Jesus has called us to love our enemies. It is hard and we may question how to do this. If you don’t know how to love your enemies, pray about it! Sometimes, we may not know the words to say, but just saying “Lord, I trust you” can be the words you need to say.

One of our residents gave me a copy of this, that was sent to her by friends and she asked that I share it this month.

“I said a prayer for you today. And I know God must have heard I felt the answer in my heart. Although He spoke no word, I didn’t ask for wealth or fame, I knew you wouldn’t mind, I asked Him to send treasures of a far more lasting kind. I asked that He’d be near you at the start of each new day, to grant you health and blessings and friends to share your way. I asked for happiness for you in all things great and small. But it was for His loving care I prayed the most of all.”

What might happen if we prayed this way for our enemies?