Prayer for Enemies
May 14
1 min read
Updated: Oct 3
"Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44) is one of the most demanding commands of the Gospel. Jesus lived it on the Cross, and Christians have been praying for their enemies ever since, in private prayer and in the liturgy.
This traditional collect asks God to give our enemies true peace and charity and to forgive their sins. It doesn't require us to feel warmly toward them; it simply puts them into God's hands and asks for their good. Pray it when you are wronged, in a family rift or workplace conflict, in times of war and division, or daily for anyone you find hard to love.
The Prayer
O God, the lover and guardian of peace and charity, grant unto all our enemies true peace and charity; and of Thy mercy, forgive them all their sins and errors. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Sources: Traditional prayer for enemies; classic manuals, public domain.
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