Jesus speaks on 9/11

I wondered what to write on this sad anniversary then I went to Mass and after hearing what Jesus says to us today, there is nothing more that needs to be said.

Gospel
Lk 6:27-38
Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

Amen.



Loving Our Enemies ~ Saint Caesarius of Arles

You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and you must love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

My brothers and sisters, to widen our hearts we need not depend upon ourselves. Ask God to help you love one another - to love everyone without exception, not just your friends but enemies as well; not because they are your brothers and sisters in Christ, but so that they may be. Pray that you may always have a warm fraternal love for other people, both those who have become your bothers and sisters, and for your enemies that they may become such. Whenever you love brothers and sisters you love friends, for they are already with you, joined to you in Catholic unity. If they live virtuously you love them as people who have been changed from enemies into brothers and sisters. But suppose you love people who do not yet believe in Christ, or if they do, yet believe as the devil believes - they believe in Christ but still do not love Him. You must love just the same, you must love even people like that, you must love them as brothers and sisters. They are not such yet, but you must love them so that they may become such through your kindness. All our love, then, must be fraternal.

If you have Quicktime player, here is a beautiful song by Lloyd Stone done a cappella called "This Is My Home."

Here are the lyrics:

THIS IS MY SONG
This is my song, O God of all the nations,
A song of peace for lands afar and mine.
This is my home, the country where my heart is;
Here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine;
But other hearts in other lands are beating
With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

My country's skies are bluer than the ocean,
And sunlight beams on clover-leaf and pine.
But other lands have sunlight too and clover,
And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.
Oh, hear my song, O God of all the nations,
A song of peace for their land and for mine.


Sr. Marie, please pray for us as we pray for peace. Please spiritually bring all God's children home to Mary's House where we can honor Mary, Mother of Jesus, and pray side by side in peace. Thank you Sr. Marie for safeguarding and preserving this precious gift of Mary's House for these times.

+JMJ+