The first biblical commandment, to love your neighbor, seems to be one of the most ignored in recent times, especially during the pandemic. Of course we also saw many acts of love and solidarity, but the excess of hatred was also noticeable. Relatives who no longer speak to each other because of differing opinions, attacks on the internet from all sides.
I wonder where the wisdom that those transformed in Christ should have gone. As children of God, we are called to respect, to love, to be light in the world and salt on Earth. Called to be peacemakers, after all, as it is written in Matthew 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
This does not mean that we should not take a stand, but rather, that the reactivity that is so rampant out there leads nowhere. The soft word deflects the anger and it is in this space of dialogue where we can all grow with each other and as the body of Christ. So if you want to live in a world where there is more love than hate, I invite you to pray this prayer with me. I leave here a passage especially for you today:
If anyone claims, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar, for he who does not love his brother whom he sees cannot love God whom he does not see.
1 John 4:20
Remember that you don’t have to repeat the prayer exactly as I’m going to leave it here, because each one of us has a specific way of communicating with the Lord. But if you want to follow me, it will be a pleasure, feel free to speak it in your own way.
Prayer
Beloved God, I thank you for your love and grace upon me and those who love you. I am very happy to serve you and every day I want to be more like Jesus Christ. I know that I have much to improve yet and that I do not always love as your scripture teaches us. I want to love my neighbor as I love myself, I want to have a heart full of kindness and bring peace wherever I go.
I see that the world fallen by sin is a place of hatred and I pray that more and more people will love their neighbor, that more and more people will have a true encounter with You. Help me to always respect people and I also ask for wisdom to exhort in love when necessary those I live with. I pray for an end to wars that hurt so many innocent people, for more love in homes, and for understanding.
I ask for families to be more and more united, armored by love, please Father, pour your grace on families and on the wronged. Bring peace to the nations and wisdom to all those who believe in You. My God, Yours is the power, the glory and the honor forever. It is in the name of Jesus that I pray, give thanks and ask that my words may reach the Lord like a sweet perfume!
Prayer of a mere servant of God
God bless you!
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