Today's Gospel is the demanding high point of the Lord's Sermon on the Mount. There are to be no exceptions to whom we are are to love. Listen to the Jesus: Love your enemies; offer no resistance to one who is evil; pray for those who persecute; go the extra mile; turn the other cheek; be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.
How can this be? We are sinners, are we not? We are imperfect. There are areas of life in which Jesus is not yet Lord. Thanks be to God, our God is patient. Our God is forgiving. Our God is love.
Paul tells us: We are God's temple and God's spirit is within us. The holiness and perfection lie deep within us from the moment of baptism. May we surrender to the love of God that is within us.
Love of enemies is the greatest test of love. Are we able to pray and reach out to people we don't like? To live the Gospel of love throws us back to God. We need to rely on grace. As God's people, we are to love as Jesus loves us.
On Saturday, we celebrated the funeral liturgy, the Mass of Resurrection, for Megan Garbach. We entrusted her to the fullness of God's eternal life. Our prayerful support goes to her loving parents, Ray and Kathy, and to the entire Garbach family.
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