A Prayer for Enemies

Praying for our enemies is hard. It even feels wrong. St. Thomas Aquinas tell us, "To love our enemies in general is a matter of precept, while to love them in the individual is not a matter of precept, except in the preparedness of the mind, so that a man must be prepared to love his enemy even in the individual and to help him in a case of necessity, or if his enemy should beg his forgiveness. But to love one's enemies absolutely in the individual, and to assist them, is an act of perfection" (II-II.Q.83.a8). He even goes on to say within the same article, "It is lawful to attack one's enemies, that they may be restrained from sin: and this is for their own good and for the good of others. Consequently it is even lawful in praying to ask that temporal evils be inflicted on our enemies in order that they may mend their ways. Thus prayer and deed will not be contrary to one another."

Let us pray:

Father, you send rain to fall on the righteous and the wicked.

Cast the wicked down who exalt themselves against your knowledge.

Deflate their ego, show them the ugliness of their souls.

Once humbled, captivate their minds to the obedience of Christ.

May they repent of their wicked ways and worship God.

May we open our hearts to these converts with patience.

Give us the strength and words to correct their ways if they stumble.

Give us courage to protect them from falling back into their wickedness.

We were once dead through sin, and through Christ, we are now sons of God.

Tear the wicked from their vainglory.

Grant our future brothers and sisters humility and repentance,

May we together be exalted by God, in the humility of Christ.

Amen.