theROCK

Love Your Enemies

I recently found myself sitting in Eucharistic Adoration thinking about how weird this practice must look to someone who isn’t Catholic. A bunch of people sitting around a bedazzled piece of bread on a pedestal thinking it was God. How weird! But I believe it. I know it! First and foremost because Jesus told me He was in there. He says it at the Last Supper. It’s recorded in all four Gospels; one of the only things they all agree on. I believe in His presence in the Eucharist and I adore His presence in the Eucharist because I know Him and I trust Him and if He said it, it must be true.

So why don’t I take that approach with everything else He said?

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

When I read this line (and this whole Gospel), I can immediately think of people who fall into these categories; people who make my blood boil, my eyes roll, and my fist shake. Loving my enemies is so easy to do in the abstract. Okay Jesus, sure thing! But then when that driver has the audacity to drive the speed limit in the left-most lane of the highway, suddenly it’s more challenging to love that enemy. Or when the news is on and the pundits’ anger starts making my anger rise at people I don’t even know.

I think our culture thrives on creating enemies. Hatred and anger are very “in” right now. A common enemy is the number one way to unite a group of people, according to my AP World History teacher. And we are so very good at finding enemies—people to blame for the problems we have.

But Jesus didn’t leave wiggle room. Just like our stance on the Eucharist is black and white—it’s not a symbol, He really is there—so too our stance on our enemies, on those who hate us and persecute us, is crystal clear—love them. Bless them. Do kind things for them. Pray for them. Give them even more than what they take and ask for nothing in return. THIS is what makes us different from the rest of the world. THIS is what separates Christians.

Remember the saying “They’ll know we are Christians by our love?” Well I see a lot more hate than love in our world these days; sometimes even our global Church. Which makes me wonder, would others define how I live my faith more by who I hate, or more by how I love?

He's got This

Apologies to my mom in heaven and sister in Vernon who will roll their eyes as the word “got” is used thirteen times in this reflection.

Walking through the school hallway, you hear some interesting phrases. One that caught my attention was “I got this.” This phrase was more popular when our son was in grade school, complete with an inflection at the end. A few years ago, our campus access road was named “you got this.” On the softball field, a fly ball is met with “I got it.” We are proud; don’t need anyone to help us. We got this. Right?

Wrong!

While it may be true that you and I think we “got it,” the truth is we don’t “got this” and we don’t need to get it alone. The Good News is God’s got it and He provides everything we need to get it.

Fast forward to the Mass of Remembrance, a beautiful part of the grieving process. How else can you explain it? Families coming together to put their trust in God after losing a loved one. Having participated as a grieving family the past two years with the loss of my mom in 2023 and mother-in-law in 2024, it became quite clear. We don’t got it. God does.

All of us have or know people who have challenges or are suffering . . . medical issues, mental health, relationships, finances, and a host of other things. I am not saying doctors don’t play a part (lest the Pastor get upset with me), and we certainly have an important role in dealing with our own issues and those of someone we love or simply know. God puts the people we need right in front of us. Sometimes we are the person who is called to be the support and guidance needed for another.

What can we do? Pray. Pray WITH others...right then and right there. Be Christ to someone in that moment. Don’t worry, He will give you what you need in the moment.

Lean in. “Let go and Let God.” Give it to Him fully and without reservation. Listen to Him. While we “got a little,” He’s got it all. All we need to do is ask Him and trust Him. One day we hope to understand His reasons for all that occurs in our lives, the blessings and the challenges. For now, just know . . . He’s Got This.

We Are Gifts from God

I have been described as a high-motor guy, although some mornings the oil doesn’t seem to get to the joints as quickly as needed. Conversations and projects requiring my attention are plentiful. My wife needs to remind me to eat when I get deep into a home project. To quote Professor Hinkle, “busy, busy, busy.” Strangely, I enjoy the pace.

Oh I relax, I’m known to watch a movie on the couch with my eyes closed. One of our joys is sitting at our backyard fire pit, especially after floating the day away in the pool. Sometimes there is conversation and other times just quiet. It is an opportunity to be alone in our thoughts or “just be.” Electronics are set aside and we observe birds singing to each other, an evening sky, and the wind in the trees.

Then it hits you. Everything, and I mean every person, place, thing, even our own lives, are gifts from God. Why does He give us these gifts? How do we use them?

The “why” is easy to answer. It is because He loves us, unconditionally, regardless of how we answer the “how” question.

God placed us here to be a gift to others. No pressure. We have a great example in Jesus. Love, listen, forgive, guide, and support. Focus less on what we don’t have. Thank God daily for what we have already received, even the minor things.

Be a gift to others, often in small, everyday ways. Spend time with an elderly parent or a friend in need. Listen to understand and not to reply. Let someone merge in traffic or go before you in a line. Hold a door open. Smile. For in giving we receive. Don’t worry, God has equipped us and will walk with us as we become gifts that keep on giving (and receiving).

Our mission statement says it . . . we are called to Be Christ each for the sake of all. Let’s get to work.