Feb. 24th

Post date: Feb 25, 2019 5:45:42 PM

February 24, 2019 Homily by Fr. Karl Schray

Obviously, we are not expected to experience the same feelings

in our hearts toward a friend and toward someone who wishes us evil.

Truth be told, many difficulties arise in our spiritual life when we confuse willing with feeling or mixing up forgiving and forgetting.

In fact, Jesus presumes we recognize that an actual offense has been committed—

an actual hate, curse, strike, or taking has occurred. He does not say,

‘pretend that nothing has happened; feel the same way about everyone’.

We could never say: ‘I choose not to feel the pain of the rocks that are being thrown at me.’

Why would we expect it to be different in our spiritual life?

In those moments when an actual offense may cause initial reactions of

resentment or anger, even when the sound of someone’s voice

may cause us to bristle, we can make a simple, sincere act of the will:

“Lord Jesus, I surrender this situation again to you. I do not want these feelings of anger and bitterness.

I trust that you have permitted this difficulty in your wisdom; I acknowledge my powerlessness to control or fix this situation.

So, I turn to you, confident that beneath all my hurt and pain and emotional resentment you are here loving me and loving through me.

I unite myself and my own troubled heart to your perfect heart.” When we do this, we refuse to let negative thoughts and feelings be victorious over us, even when we lack control over their comings and goings. More importantly, our Lord is not a coach who only shouts from the sidelines: “Run faster, play harder, be Godly.” In fact, every word Jesus utters is a freeing, gentle, loving initiative to reshape us in his own image. When we act in accord with love, we are not simply being ethically upright.

Rather, we are becoming cooperators with God’s amazing grace.

Transforming hurt into prayer for the offender and ourselves

can make our very wounds become a means of healing.

Don’t forget—our religion is a religion that promotes love.

It counts everyone in—enemies included. No one is excluded.

That is not just theory, it must be put into action.

There are people in our parish who we have noticed have few

if any enemies because they are loving in their ways.

They have a kind tongue, they make excuses for people

and look for their good qualities. They don’t seem to envy others—

in fact, they encourage them. They are essentially givers—

they give of their time, their possessions, their sympathy and their support.

There was a young man who was very strong in his loving approach

to people. “Love one another”, he urged, “as I have loved you”.

He has had an enormous impact on our world. He’s the sole reason

why all of us are here today. Would you like him to be different?

He’s not just the author, he’s the product of his own Gospel;

he lived by the rules that he urges on us. Today, he’s inviting us to come on a long journey with him.

All of us have come a certain distance; he’s trying to move us on a little more. He’s reminding us that behaviors we tend to live by,

should be dug up and a different set of values, such as openness and

forgiveness and even love of enemies should be planted in their place.

He’s saying:

“You are following me so far; and I appreciate that— just come the extra mile.”