Jesus speaks of Persecution and forgiveness in the book of Matthew Chapter 5 verses:43-48

43″ You have heard the commandment, “you shall love your countryman but hate your enemy.”  44)”My command to you is: love your enemies, pray for your persecutors.” 45)”This will prove that you are sons of your heavenly Father, for his sun rises on the bad and the good, he rains on the just and the unjust. 46) If you love those who love you, what merit is there in that? “47)” And if you greet your brothers only, what is so praiseworthy about that?  Do not the pagans do as much?” 48)” In a word, you must be made perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Have you ever been persecuted?   It is not an easy thing to deal with!   Persecution Bites!   It cuts deeply and Our Lord knows that!   It is essential that we learn to forgive.   Forgiveness is equally as difficult!   To be ‘hurt’ so deeply and to know that salvation is only through a pure heart, one needs to  ask for help to forgive.   Jesus is the mediator between God and Man!  He is the Lord!   He suffered every sort of hurt.  Betrayal, Persecution, and abandonment.   Not to mention the physical abuse imposed.  He asks no more of us than what He has already incurred for us.   Very, Very difficult;  that is why He tells us to ask.   He says many, many times to ask.    However, very few do.   They carry anger, and grudges, and even hate with them.   The sins we all carry before we ask for forgiveness are similar to weights.  When the sins are layed down the burden is lifted and the soul is refreshed.   The Roman Catholic Church has ‘the sacrament of reconciliation, ‘often referred to as ‘confession’.  This ‘Sacrament’ is essential to peace of mind, and purity of heart.   When one confesses his sins, he is laying down a load.   The experience is real.   The Sacrament is real, and the forgiveness is real!

In Matthew Chapter 7  Our Lord speaks of ‘Avoiding Judgement and ‘The Power of Prayer”

About judgement He says in verse 1)“If you want to avoid judgment  stop passing judgment.2)    Your verdict on others will be the verdict passed on you.   The measure with which you measure will be used to measure you.” 3)Why look at the speck in your brother’s eye when you miss the plank in your own?”

Then in verses 7-10 He speaks on the ‘Power of Prayer’:

7)”Ask,and you will recieve. Seek and you will find. Knock and it will opened to you.   8)For the one who asks, recieves.   The one who seeks, finds.  The who knocks, enters.   9) Would one of you hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf 10)  or a poisonous snake when he asks for a fish?   11) If you with all your sins,  know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to anyone who asks him!”

On Reconciliation:

In the Book of Matthew Chapter 5 verses 23-26

23″If you bring your gift to the alter and there recall that your brothr has anything against you, 24) leave your gift at the alter, go first to be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.   25) Lose no time settle with your opponent while on your way to court with him.   Otherwise your opponent may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to the guard, who will throw you into prison.   26)I warn you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” 

In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, ‘the sinner’ is reflective of their offenses to God.   This opportunity, and time of reflection enables’ the sinner’ to come to terms with his or her offenses to God.   It is essential to be mindful of ones ‘short-comings’ so one may work daily to become more ‘Christ-like.’    Through the blood of the “Lamb of God” we are forgiven and made perfect.   Yet, in being reunited with Christ throught the sacrament of Reconciliation we attain perfection.   Perfection is a constant battle daily.   We must choose to become like Christ, and not ‘take Him for Granted!’   Many presume that knowing Jesus died for our sins is enough.   It is not enough.   We are to strive to become Christ through our actions and in our thoughts.  The Roman Catholic Church is the Church founded by Jesus Christ.   He appointed Peter as His first Pope.   The teachings of the church are vast and can no way be covered in a mere writing in an afternoon.   Yet it is the intent of this author to enlighten the reader of the teachings of the ‘Bride of Christ’.   The church.

In Ephsians Chapter 3 verses 13-18

Saint Paul speaks on the topic of: ALL UNITED IN CHRIST 

13)”But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near through the blood of Christ . 14) It is he who is our peace, and who made the two of us one by breaking down the barrier of hostility that kept us apart. 15) In his own flesh he abolished the law with its commands and precepts, to create in himself one new man from us who had been two and to make peace. 16) reconciling both of us to God in one body through his cross, which put that enmity to death, 17) He came and “announced the good news of peace to you who were far off, and to those who were near”; 18) through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.”