Loving Our Enemies

I guess what I'm wondering is this: how come when some people, thinking in a fundamental or literal manner, want to understand scripture "literally", how come it's not the part about loving our enemies that they want to argue for ? Sometimes I think it would be easier to give up a tooth (not an eye so much) than to forgive someone who has wronged me or someone I love.

Jesus packs a lot into this weekend's Gospel, another passage from the Sermon on the Mount. Lots to chew on: offer no resistance to one who is evil, turn the other cheek, give to the one who wants to borrow, and pray for those who persecute you. And ends with: Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Who can possibly live like this? That is a very tall order!
I wonder how I listen to this passage and not feel like I've failed before I even begin?

Sometimes I can be good at parts of this passage. Occasionally I can turn the other cheek. I try hard to forgive, to not hold a grudge, but I'm not always successful. You would think it would be easier than it is to pray for your enemies...I'm surprised just how difficult I find this one.

So, I'm not sure really where this leaves me. Jesus says God allows the sun to shine on the good and the bad. Some days I'm the 'good', but honestly, some days I'm probably the 'bad'. Not terrible mind you, but not my best self. I've got a lot of growing edges.

Maybe what helps me understand this scripture are words like compassion and respect. Those are the gifts that I should be able to offer others, and I surely hope that when I'm not being my best self, that's the way others will treat me. When I struggle with the idea of perfection I have to remember that in his original telling Jesus didn't mean that neurotic perfection that can so mark my struggles, but rather a more cultural (for him, in his world) understanding meaning to be impartial, to leave nothing out, to hold all people in a loving way. Still not simple, but at least in this sense perfect doesn't actually mean perfect as we understand it today. I can let go of that one!

So, as you listen to the readings this weekend, what word gives you comfort? What makes you squirm? Spend a moment or two there and ask God what God is trying to reveal to you today.
And enjoy the sunshine that warms us all.

Light and Love

 So many images from this weekends scripture jump off the page for me. There are the strong words of Isaiah...share your bread with the hungry, give of your own want to the poor. Only when we do that will we be taken from the land of gloom into the light. (there it is again--that image of light!)

Paul's words in Corinthians that seem to show another side of that mighty man. I so often see him as a tower of strength and defender of faith. In this reading he seems oh so very human, speaking of feeling weak and scared. I certainly can identify with that!

The Gospel we've heard so often, that we are called to be salt and light to the world. To add our particular flavor--our Christian/Catholic values to the world we live in. To share with others the very light of the love of Jesus. Not through our words but by the example of how we live our lives. How we treat others. How we stand for what we believe in, what we hope for.

Our words without our actions can sometimes just be hypocrisy. We need to put legs on our beliefs. We need to DO the good deeds we talk so easily about, the things we pray for.

As I was thinking about this past week, I saw, in these photos, people who are light to me. Who share their goodness every day just by the way they move through the world. The mom and son who are part of an amazing family that add so much to our parish, by their example of steadfast love.

The woman who truly is the heart of the parish and how she cares endlessly for all of us.

The staff I have the joy of sharing each week with, who strive to bring the light of Christ's love to each person they meet.

They parish young adults who are gearing up to be prayer leaders in small groups during Lent this year. Their desire to share their faith with others is breath-taking to me.

So, where do we go from here? What do we do with all this? I have this idea stuck in my head that I need to make a PBnJ sandwich and give it to the next street person I see. I feel like I have to DO something for someone else this week...

How do YOU feel after you pray with these readings? What are you being called to do? Let's try together to make our faith more than just words this week. Let's put our faith in action.