“For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Luke something we all forget…Let me re-phrase that…I forget…..”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”…I read something yesterday that jumped out at me…You can not change people…You can only love them........Now don’t get me wrong….There is objective Truth, which means there is right and wrong…However, we can not argue anyone into doing the right thing…We have to love people as they are without comprising Truth or ourselves…With that said, we are to love them even if they are on the wrong side of Truth…And it is that kind of love, which we show them in time, that will create an opening for the Holy Spirit to work in their heart…..Love is what changes people…Not arguments…Not facts….Only love lived out through sacrifice…This was and is the way of Jesus Christ…Therefore this must be our way as well

Jesus never comprised but Jesus eat with sinners…Even his first 12 apostles did not “get it”…Yet Jesus did not give up on them…He remained their friends showing them the way by his example and using words to back-up his example…And in time they got it….This is how it works…..People need to “figure things out” on their own and sadly many people who live lives opposed to the Natural Law and the teachings of Christ only “dig in” when instructed in the Truth…Now, that does not mean we “keep our mouth shut”…However, actions speak much louder then words…We have to both live and speak in such a way that people will naturally question for themselves their own world view and behavior…This is the job of Catholics…We are to be in the world but not of the world…Knowing we too are sinners in need of God’s forgiveness and mercy

St Paul tells us in the first reading from Mass today something interesting….”Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. If anyone supposes he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if one loves God, one is known by him”…..A good reminder indeed!…None of us know everything and none of us know the mind of God…God works in mysterious ways…We are to trust that we all are “missing something” and also trust that God is at work….Also, St Paul reminds us as did St Luke in the Gospel today that love is the answer…If we love God we must love others…Not just the people who think like us or “do the right thing”….We must love everyone…This is hard and this requires grace…But if we want to be an instrument of change in the world…Words, facts, logical and even common sense will not do it…Only Love will

We are reminded to be merciful today just as our Father is merciful……To forgive and we will be forgiven…..To give and gifts will be given to us…..This requires sacrifice on our part…This even requires us to suffer for the sake of God and the Truth…This was the road that Jesus walked….And this must be the road we walk as well…..Knowing we too are sinners in need of God’s forgiveness and mercy

“For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you”