“The story of grace includes a broad range of characters - rich, poor, powerful, and powerless. For all of them, it is God's grace that tips the scale in their favor. In some ways these stories are our stories. For like the individuals who populate the pages of Scripture, we, too, need grace. But not just any grace. The grace of God.”

For grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them. - Saint Augustine: (354 –430: was a Roman African, early Christian theologian and philosopher) 

Gospel Text: (MT 5:43-48)

Jesus said to his disciples:
"You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."

We fail to understand fully the insight that Paul the Apostle had when he wrote in Romans 5:8: God proves his love for us that while we were still sinners, Jesus died for us. This insight gives us great personal consolation. God’s love and Jesus’ love is unconditional.

There are no human words that will persuade us to love our enemies that way Jesus loved his enemies and gave up his life for them. All we are left with right now is the invitation to love as Jesus loved us, not in theory but in practice. We need to be able to name our enemies and make the decision to love them.

It is only with God’s help that we can do this!