Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The heart of the Gospel according to the evangelist Saint Luke is found in Chapter 6, the Sermon on the Plain. Here Luke sets out the core teachings of the Christian faith. Jesus speaks to the crowd and a large number of His Disciples about the love of enemies, “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” These are hard sayings and difficult teachings to put into practice. Jesus follows this admonition with the maxim, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” The Golden Rule invited us to put into practice the virtues of the Kingdom: kindness, gentleness, and peace.
This week I will be away from the parish for my annual retreat. I will remember you in my prayers and ask that we continue to pray for one another and for the renewal of the Church.
In Christ,
Fr. Thomas