Invitation to school of Love!
Invitation to school of Love!
The seventh Sunday reading invites us to reflect on Christian Love. Do we make choices on a daily basis out of love? In the first reading from the first book of Samuel (26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23)narrates David’s love and respect for God’s authority. Israelites compared themselves to neighboring kingdoms and wished for a king. They approached Samuel, the last Judge, to ask God for a king, and God gave them Saul as their first king. We know the story of David and Goliath. David defeated Goliath and gained the people's admiration and King Saul's jealousy. Saul and his “three thousand picked men” went to kill David. But David and Abishai saw Saul and the soldiers asleep. Abishai whispered to David: “God has delivered your enemy into your grasp this day.” David said to Abishai, “Do not harm him, for who can lay hands on the LORD’s anointed and remain unpunished?” This passage is parallel to chapter 24, David’s first opportunity to kill Saul. David had cut off Soul’s skirt, then he repented and said, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, Lord’s anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is Lord’s anointed” (24:6). Both times David didn’t want to kill Saul because God anointed him as King of Israel. David is an image of Christ, a great example of loving and forgiving his enemy. David’s love for God led him to make the right choice.
The first reading leads us to Jesus' teaching in the Gospel of Luke (6:27-38) to love your enemies. It is a continuation of last Sunday’s Sermon on the Plain (Beatitudes), which is the perfect direction to follow the Ten Commandments. There are three different words for love in Greek – Philia is an affectionate love or friendship; Eros is an affectionate desire; and Agape is an unconditional/sacrificial love. Jesus taught us to love our enemies, and from the cross, he prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
In the Old Testament, we see retaliation: “Eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” (Exodus 21:24); “Anyone who inflicts a permanent injury on his or her neighbor shall receive the same in return” (Leviticus 24:19); “Do not show pity. Life for life, eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” Deuteronomy 9:21. Jesus tells us, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” (Luke 6:27). St. Thomas Aquinas wrote that love consists in two desires: one, a desire for the good, for the beloved person; and two, a desire for union with that person. Jesus invites us to desire the good of the other – LOVE and grow in our relationship with God.
Maintenance To Mission update: We have been talking about Maintenance to Mission for the last couple of years. Bishop started this process in 2020 with the creation of the Office of Evangelization and Missionary Discipleship. The first year was for the priests, and the second year was for priests, Deacons, and then the parish/cluster leadership team. At the same time, we organized an Evangelization Team. They went to a workshop and participated in different events. In 2023, the Bishop's Pastoral letter, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you,” opened for the entire parish/cluster/diocese. In the letter, the Bishop talks about Christendom and the Apostolic Mission. During Christendom, all who were born into Christian families received Baptism and other Sacraments. They all went together for Sunday Mass. In Apostolic Mission – as we read in the New Testament – there were no Christians on the day of Pentecost – they went out and proclaimed the Gospel. On the first day, 3000 people received the faith. We are slowly moving through that period. These days, even though children are born in a Christian family, it is not necessary for everyone to receive baptism. Everyone who received Sacraments does not go to Church. So, the Bishop is inviting us to live our baptismal call – sharing the faith, encouraging others to grow in faith, and inviting them to celebrate with us. The Bishop quotes Pope St. Paul VI and says, “The Church exists in order to evangelize.”
You might have read in the Catholic Herald from February 13, 2025 – about the release of a new plan on February 18. I was present at the February 18th meeting and discussion about the new plan. The next step is parish training, which will occur regarding parish planning and re-calibration in light of the mission. Before that, the evangelization team will have a workshop. You will be getting more information on the new plan. The new plan is not totally new, but most of the existing mission is focused on doing things in a renewed spirit. Catholic Herald will be a good source for more information. If you are not getting it, there will always be one at the entrance with extra copies. We will have more information coming in the bulletin. The evangelization team will be taking different steps. Please come and participate in those events and invite others. As part of the Eucharistic Revival Years, we talked about the idea of “Walk with One.” It is evangelization. It starts with prayer, befriending, and inviting. The final stage of the Maintenance to the Mission will be Parish Goal setting and Plans. When we hear the final stage, we think it is over. It is just the opposite – it is the starting point. Evangelization is an ongoing process. We need to remind ourselves every day that it is our baptismal call. We need to renew that every Sunday we gather for the Mass. As I always say, we are sent out to live out the mission at the end of every Mass.