Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.

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 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.” LK 6:36-38

Today’s Gospel is taken from Luke’s Sermon on the Plain which is similar to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s Gospel. The section today’s Gospel is taken from is “Love of Enemies” and how to treat our neighbor. What speaks to my heart the most is that we are all sinners. We fail to do the Father’s Will by judging, condemning, being selfish, labeling, and sinning. I often see this in myself as a father trying to teach my own children to be holy. It’s hard. I sometimes get on them about something when I don’t model it well myself. It doesn’t mean that I stop disciplining with tough love, but I try to be mindful of how I am living what I am teaching them myself.

God will be the final judge of our lives. We are called to judge as fathers, mothers, teachers, judges, etc., but when we judge it must be based on God’s laws. He is love and mercy with justice. He has compassion (suffers with) on us, but He taught us sin has serious consequences.  His love and mercy are so great that He gave His only Son to die for us.  God’s love is more powerful than anything in the world!  This is why He is so radical to teach to even love our enemies.  This is crazy talk!  This is radical love!  God’s love overcomes everything and He wants to share it with you. 

We are called to recognize the love and mercy the Father has for us, so that we too can love and be merciful to others. Are you willing to lose your pride and think of others before yourself in all that you do today?

Today’s challenge: Try to live without judging today, what someone is wearing, how they look, how they talk, what they said, and if they say something that hurts or offends you, be ready to forgive. Love the unlovable in your world today.  Give expecting nothing in return. It’s hard being a Christian! Only with God’s grace can we fulfill what Jesus wants us to do in today’s Gospel and become “perfect (holy) like the heavenly Father is perfect”.

Be a servant, become a saint!
​#Christian YOLO