With great thanks to all who have prayed for Fr Dennis Mullen and offered spiritual bouquets, who participated in his mass, who were in the parade of cars, and helped set all this up – thank you. You made a great day for a priest who is celebrating 50 years of priesthood. He really enjoyed the day.
Here is link to our readings for the day: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/061620.cfm
Love Your Enemies
This is difficult to do. If anyone has hurt us, we want to retaliate, we want to find revenge. God’s teaching is different. The adage was an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. This was an attempt to establish justice. If someone did you wrong, you could do the same to him. Of course, if it’s an eye for an eye, it wouldn’t be long before we’re all blind. Let us understand this saying. People have sought justice since the beginning of time. We have a sense of equity built into our being. We have an understanding of equality.
God tells Elijah what the sin is that Ahab committed. He killed a man to take over his property. Interestingly, when confronted by Elijah, Ahab repents and seeks forgiveness. There is no justice for a lost life. But our God has infinite mercy and forgives Ahab. Now, if this was the end of the story, I think we would all feel that justice was not done. That this result is not fair. You’re right. And God doesn’t stop just here. But the rest of the story is chilling to say the least.
God says, “Por eso, no lo castigaré a él durante su vida, pero en vida de su hijo castigaré a su casa”. God is going to bring evil upon the house of Ahab’s son. For all of us who have children, I think this is a very frightening outcome. As parents, we all want the best for our children. Did we ever stop to think that our actions today can cause pain to our children tomorrow? Looking back at this story of Elijah and Ahab, knowing that evil will fall into the house of Ahab’s son, would we now say that justice has been served?
I advise people all the time, “Pray for your children, your grandchildren.” When we sin we must all know that our sin is never between God and me alone, but it reaches the future generation. Yes, pray for your children. Learn to love your enemies. Pray for your enemies too. Pray that your sin will never reach your children.
May God bless you, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Fr Ed Anderson
Email: fatheredanderson[at]gmail.com
Phone: 715.817.3736
St. Joseph Church – Rice Lake
Holy Trinity – Haugen
St. John the Evangelist – Birchwood
Our Lady of Lourdes – Dobie
