Giving Thanks For Friends And Others

St Matthew 5:43-48 | “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, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Division, antagonism, jealousy, rage, and revenge seem to dominate these days. Do the media contribute in any meaningful way to fostering a balanced perspective, a perspective that enables people to understand the issues without simplifying information into mere propaganda?

St John 13:34-35 | "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

With friends, if they be true friends, we become more ourselves. Our enemies, too, can help us become more ourselves. We humans are highly binary, i.e., preoccupied with pleasure seeking and avoiding pain. Realism - not optimism nor pessimism - helps us find a true way through the challenges.

And when we fail to honour our friendships?

Grace + Attitude = Gratitude

Forgiveness requires grace to enable in us the capacity for understanding and the ability to will the good of the other. God generously provides grace, not only to help us overcome our limitations but also to thrive and reach our creative potential. Let us make ourselves present to God, to seek His guidance and care.

1 John 4:10 | This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

In the Sacrament of Penance, once we have confessed our sins, we make an act of contrition.

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended thee, and I  detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.

This is the prayer of someone who loves God and neighbor. It reflects the heart of a person who is honest with himself or herself and truly seeks to live a life of love.

Those we feel closest to often bear the weight of our impatience or frustration. As the saying goes, we hurt the ones we love most. The comfort of a loving relationship, the familiarity of a close friendship, or the gentleness of a kind person can make them easy targets. We must find ways to handle our struggles without lashing out or becoming indifferent to those who deserve our best. The lingering effects of the Fall cloud our judgment, pushing us toward reaction instead of thoughtful action. Concupiscence truly feels like an irritating existential hangover.

In order to do our best for those whom we love (and those in most need of God's mercy), we must commit to a support plan wherein we dispose ourselves to God's grace.

• Frequent Prayer
• Daily Examination of Conscience
• Regular Confession
• Attendance at Mass and reception of the Holy Eucharist