Love your enemies and pray for them,
and I want to start by saying –
I love Muslims and immigrants and
black lives and folks who are gender queer.
Of course, I do –
and I am trying to get credit
loving someone else’s named enemies,
when I am pretty sure Jesus
is asking me to do a hard thing.
Love Betsy Vos,
and pray that she sits down
among public school teachers and children
and truly listens to them.
Love Rick Perry,
and pray that his dancing with the stars
will teach him to walk faithfully
on the warming earth.
Love Mike Pompeo,
and pray that Christ hold out to him
the very print of the nails
and he turn away from torture.
Love Steven Mnuchin,
and pray that all the foreclosures
of his past teach him to
be secretary of a life-giving treasure.
Love Ben Carson,
and pray that he listen to
experts on housing
and memories of childhood.
Love Scott Pruitt,
and pray for his environment
inside and out.
Love James Mattis,
and pray that he never take pleasure
in shooting anyone.
Love Jeffrey Sessions and Steve Bannon,
Rex Tillerson, Jared Kushner,
and Donald Trump,
who feel to me
very much like enemies.
These are the ones who strike the face
of my grandchildren’s future.
Jesus says,
pray for them a cloak’s worth,
pray for them a second mile’s worth.
Pray for all of us
(for I don’t have a clue how to be perfect) —
a new heart.
Gifts in Open Hands 
Thank you. I’m much better at talking about this than doing. Your reminder to keep trying is important.
I find some hope in imagining that there was some little Christian widow praying, “dear Lord, open Saul of Tarsus’ eyes”
And of course we have the whole subversive piece of Jesus’ advice since walking a SECOND mile was civil disobedience! Prayer and resistance — our future for the next 4 years.
Well said, for it reminds me how easy it is to be magnanimous in circumstances that don’t directly affect me, how hard it is to even charitable with those who stand in opposition to me. Yes, Jesus does call us to the hard thing, but many of us have become conversant with finding the soft way around. Thanks for the wake-up call Maren.
Now if I can follow my scriptural advice!!!
Love your enemy! You are an awesome example! I am learning to practice G-d’s presence when I praythroughhistory. He is a merciful kind Justice, should we practice any less? Again, well done!
I wish there was a “love it” button for this post!
Thank you so much!
I needed this reminder.