Rev. James Martin, S.J.: Praying for the Dead, for Peace and for Our Persecutors

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Rev. James Martin, S.J.Catholic priest and author, 'The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything'

GET UPDATES FROM Rev. James Martin, S.J.   Like 1k Praying for the Dead, for Peace and for Our Persecutors Posted: 04/20/2013 5:03 pm Read more Prayer And Meditation , Boston Bombing , Marathon Bombing Prayers , Prayers For Boston , Religion News
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In the wake of yesterday's dramatic, frightening, shocking, inspiring and violent events in Boston, which gripped the nation, there is a great deal for us to pray for. In fact, after so much fear, violence and tension yesterday, especially in Boston, and especially in Watertown, today is probably a good day for quiet, for contemplation and for prayer. And, again, there is much to pray for.

First, we continue to pray for the victims of the bombings last Monday--for Martin Richards, Krystle Campbell and Lingzi Lu--and for their families and friends, who are grieving their terrible losses. Let us pray that God may receive them all into eternal peace and may console their families and friends. We also pray for Sean Collier, the M.I.T. police officer killed in the line of duty last night. We continue pray for the many, many victims who were so cruelly injured in the bombings on Boylston Street, and who are still recovering from their wounds, for their doctors and nurses, and also for their families and friends, who will help them in their long recovery. May God give them all a spirit of courage, patience and determination. We pray for Richard Donohue, the police officer injured last night in the shootout with the two suspects. We also pray in thanksgiving for the many selfless acts of the Boston Police over the last week, and for all the law-enforcement agents, who risked their lives to keep others safe. Greater love has no person than the willingness to lay down his or her life for others. This may be their job, and it may be expected of them, but the vast majority of us will never have to risk our lives in our jobs--especially for people we have never met--so we are called to pray in thanksgiving for their generosity, courage and heroism. We pray for all the people of Boston, for their safety and for their peace of mind after this wrenching week. We pray for healing and reconciliation in Boston, in our country and in our world.

But there is more to pray for. Today's Gospel (Jn. 6:60-69) tells us that some of the disciples found Jesus's sayings "hard," like the discourse on the Bread of Life. As a result, they left him. Imagine someone having spent time with Jesus of Nazareth--face to face--and walking away. Imagine seeing Jesus heal the sick, still the sea and raise someone from the dead, and still leaving. But what he said was so hard for people to hear, so hard to accept, and so hard to put into practice, that they left him. Other sayings are also "hard" for us to hear today, like this one: "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

That may be the "hardest" of all the things that Jesus said. But it may be the most necessary. And while it may make sense in theory (as a way of fostering a loving world, as a way of spreading peace, as a way of breaking the cycle of vengeance), it is very hard, almost impossible, in practice. That is, in real life. For now, in the wake of the bombings and the violence in Boston, we are called--by Jesus--to pray for the two terrorists, and for all those who persecute us. I'm not saying that you have to do that first, or most, or even with the same fervor or emotion or passion with which you pray for innocent victims like Martin Richards, Krystle Campbell, Lingzi Lu or brave public servants like Officer Sean Collier. But at some point in this process Christians are called, by Jesus, to pray for those who persecute us, to love our enemies--and even to forgive them. This doesn't mean that we in any way condone what they did, or that we don't hope that they receive a just punishment, or that we don't do everything we can to capture criminals and bring them to swift justice. But we are called to do something more by Jesus: pray for them, love them, forgive them. As he said, if we pray only for those who do good to us, "what are you doing more than others"? Yes, it is hard. For me, it's almost impossible. But this is what we are asked to do.

When they read this part of the Gospel, some people say that Jesus didn't know what he was talking about. Jesus didn't know our world, people say. Or maybe he was just naive. So, therefore, they say, we can ignore this statement. And so some Christians dismiss this part of the Gospel. But if as a Christian you say this, then you must admit that you are saying, in essence, that the Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, God Incarnate, didn't know what he was talking about. Or that Jesus of Nazareth, who lived in an extremely violent time, when life was held cheap, didn't understand violence. Or that Jesus, who was himself the victim of a violent and unjust death, and who nonetheless forgave his executioners from the cross, didn't have the moral stature to ask us to do this hard thing. And if you refuse even to try to love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you, and forgive those who sin against you, then you are also saying that you are taking the first step in walking away from Jesus, just like some of the disciples did all those years ago. And where, I've always wondered, did they end up?

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Post to Facebook. Post to Blogger. Post to Twitter. Post to WordPress. Post to TypePad. Post to Tumblr. Post to Yahoo! Blogger login: Blogger password: Select blog: refresh list Remember me: Wordpress host: Wordpress login: Wordpress password: Remember me: TypePad host: TypePad login: TypePad password: Select blog: refresh list Remember me: Tumblr login: Tumblr password: Remember me: Community Notice:  We've made some changes to our badge program, including the addition
of our newest badge: Community Curator. View AllFavorites Recency |  Popularity MIKEinNYC950 Fans 3 hours ago ( 7:27 PM)If make-believe god really had all of the super powers ascribed to her she'd have prevented this.MIKEinNYC: If make-believe god really had all of the super powershttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/MIKEinNYC/praying-for-the-dead-for-_b_3124181_246727663.htmlHistory |Permalink |Share itThis comment has been down-ranked into oblivion. View comment You have not right to carry out this operation or Error this operation. Loading comments… HUFFPOST SUPER USERrealitytrumpsbullTwo 'alves of coconut!1986 Fans 3 hours ago ( 6:55 PM)The real 'blessing' will come when the faith community gives their benediction at the construction of the new state penitentiary, and supports throwing all the pot possession cases out of court, and working actively to make pot legal. Raise your hand to your fellow man? Go sit in jail/prison and think about it for some years. Get high? Don't eat all the pizza, man...realitytrumpsbull:

The real 'blessing' will come when the faith community giveshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/realitytrumpsbull/praying-for-the-dead-for-_b_3124181_246721946.htmlHistory |Permalink |Share itThis comment has been down-ranked into oblivion. View comment You have not right to carry out this operation or Error this operation. Loading comments… HUFFPOST SUPER USERRyrik86 Fans 3 hours ago ( 6:51 PM)While praying for one another is good thing, perhaps it would be even better to leave religions that divide people in such fundamental ways? The three Abrahamic religions have only set one people against another for thousands of years and only caused much bloodshed and hatred. The claims of exclusivity are a little absurd to say the least in all three of them. No other religion seemed to have made such categorical claims regarding its deity being the only one and the source of all creation. Its three books are incredibly easy to prove as absolutely irrational and conflicting with history and the way that we as a species came about. It's better to come together as humanity rather than let irrational, dark, and aggressive ideologies divide us in this day and age.Ryrik: While praying for one another is good thing, perhaps ithttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Ryrik/praying-for-the-dead-for-_b_3124181_246721165.htmlHistory |Permalink |Share itThis comment has been down-ranked into oblivion. View comment You have not right to carry out this operation or Error this operation. Loading comments… HUFFPOST SUPER USERHillbilly49Don't tell me you are a Christian; let me guess.8452 Fans 3 hours ago ( 6:43 PM)Americans need to stop praying for peace and start working hard to bring peace to the world.Hillbilly49:

Americans need to stop praying for peace and start working hardhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Hillbilly49/praying-for-the-dead-for-_b_3124181_246719794.htmlHistory |Permalink |Share itThis comment has been down-ranked into oblivion. View comment You have not right to carry out this operation or Error this operation. Loading comments… mrovin185 Fans   4 hours ago ( 6:03 PM)Embracing one's enemies is potentially suicidal. For people who insist on believing in an after-life, that might not be alarming. But for people who value life on earth first and foremost, shouldn't be 'loving' their enemies as a rule.mrovin1: Embracing one's enemies is potentially suicidal. For people who insisthttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/mrovin1/praying-for-the-dead-for-_b_3124181_246711999.htmlHistory |Permalink |Share itThis comment has been down-ranked into oblivion. View comment You have not right to carry out this operation or Error this operation. Loading comments… This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program Yorksgal'Conservative Christian' is a complete oxymoron.1573 Fans 4 hours ago ( 6:03 PM)There are good and bad in all religions. There are people from all religions who have taken something good and twisted it beyond belief.

In all of this I hope that everyone can find some peace, some reassurance and some understanding - whether it be through religion or just talking to others about what happened.

I don't really pray, but I will send light to the terrorist and hope that he will be fully honest and truthful with authorities. I send love and light to all those affected in Boston and elsewhere around the globe through violence. I try to practice peace and understanding each day and I try to pass that on.Yorksgal: There are good and bad in all religions. There arehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Yorksgal/praying-for-the-dead-for-_b_3124181_246711991.htmlHistory |Permalink |Share itThis comment has been down-ranked into oblivion. View comment You have not right to carry out this operation or Error this operation. Loading comments… Hischild2 Fans 4 hours ago ( 5:57 PM)Thank you, Fr. Martin, for this reminder. I cannot imagine how some of the disciples could have left Jesus after all they had seen. As Simon Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” It is hard to act on these words of Jesus, but how else will we ever have peace in this world if we don't forgive and stop the tit for tat responses. However, as you said, we do need justice.Hischild: Thank you, Fr. Martin, for this reminder. I cannot imaginehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Hischild/praying-for-the-dead-for-_b_3124181_246710818.htmlHistory |Permalink |Share itThis comment has been down-ranked into oblivion. View comment You have not right to carry out this operation or Error this operation. Loading comments…    new comment(s) on this entry — Click to refreshLoading comments… Most Popular Anonymous Calls For Internet Blackout To Protest CISPA Report: Miranda Rights Won't Be Read For Boston Bombing Suspect CAPTURED LOOK: Boston Marathon Suspects Appear In Photos Taken During Race Accused Bomber's In-Laws Release Statement Of Condolence Lauryn Hill Catches Another Bad Rap Doctor Describes Trying To Revive Boston Bombing Suspect Arkansas State Rep Sends Tactless Boston Tweet Busch Beer Heir Deals NRA Serious Blow Seriously, Ann? WATCH: Real-life Dancing Queen Is Making The Internet A Happier Place Bombing Suspect's Last Tweet: 'I'm A Stress Free Kind Of Guy' Unconfirmed Photo Of 'Suspect 2' Emerges On Facebook Boston Marathon Bombing Suspect Killed; Another At Large PHOTO: Nicki Minaj Becomes Talk Of Twitter With Sexy 'Idol' Look Boston Suspect One Dead Marathon Bombing Suspect Photos Released Something Got Harrison Ford Riled Up 'APPALLING': NY Post's 'New Low' Gunfire, Explosions Reported In Watertown Follow HuffPost Email Facebook Twitter Google Plus RSS Mobile HuffPost Daily Brief Religion Get top stories and blogs posts emailed to you each day.

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