Quote of the Week

                In quite a few posts, I have talked of perfection.  My stand on the topic is as humans we will never be perfect.  This week’s Gospel reading gave me pause for we are called to be perfect.  “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  Matthew 4:48  Hum, I have some major work to do in the coming years.

                The verses preceding this call to perfection are part of a section entitled “Love of Enemies” and guides us in the direction we are to take to become like our Father.  Jesus state in verse 44, “But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you….”  This is far from easy.  In fact, I believe this is my biggest sin that keeps me stagnant in my journey to holiness.  In the last ten years, there are people who have hurt me deeply.  Some wounds are fairly fresh with scabs and others have left scars.  I feel tugs on the scabs from time to time and anger seeps out.  I vent the anger and pray for God to take it away.  Sometimes I pray for the people who have caused the damage but not as much as I am called to pray.

                Unfortunately there are three wounds that still bleed.  The name of two individuals fills me with such loathing because they hurt my husband.  I have not forgiven them and I stubbornly don’t want to.  Sitting here thinking of the third one, I realize I might be healing a bit more than I thought.  This person attacked my ability to be a good wife and mother.  How silly of me to not let God heal me.  I know I am a wonderful mom and wife.  However, I fear if I am tested by running into her at a store, I will fail and not be kind.

                In my case, I believe I struggle with forgiveness with people close to me and my family.  I trusted, respected, and befriended these people when they broke the trust.  If they had been average people, I could care less what they thought of me and mine.  But I trusted them.  They were my friends.  God doesn’t call us to trust or respect these people.  He also doesn’t call us to hang out with them.  Instead he calls us to forgive, love, and pray.  I need to add this to my prayer life.

                How about you?  Are you good at praying for those who have hurt you the most?  Like me, does this hinder your journey to holiness and perfection?

                Blessings to you all.