Turn th e d iscus sion around - St Johns - Roman Catholic Church

Turn the discussion around
       seventh Sunday in ordinary time — February 20, 2022
This Sunday’s Gospel passage (cf. Lk 6:27-38) concerns a central point that characterizes
Christian life: love for enemies. Jesus’ words are clear: “I say to you that hear, Love your
enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse
you” (vv. 27-38). And this is not optional, it is a command. It is not for everyone, but for the
disciples, whom Jesus calls “you that hear”. He is well aware that loving enemies exceeds our
possibilities, but this is why he became man: not to leave us as we are, but to transform us into
men and women capable of a greater love, that of his Father and ours. This is the love that Jesus
gives to those who ‘hear him’. Thus it becomes possible! With him, thanks to his love, to his
Spirit, we are able to love even those who do not love us, even those who do us harm.

In this way, Jesus wants God’s love to triumph over hatred and rancour in every heart. The logic
of love, which culminates in Christ’s Cross, is a Christian’s badge and induces us to meet
everyone with the heart of brothers and sisters. But how is it possible to overcome human
instinct and the worldly law of retaliation? Jesus provides the answer in the same Gospel
passage: “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful ” (v. 36). Those who hear Jesus, who make
an effort to follow him even at a cost, become children of God, and begin to truly resemble the
Father who is in heaven. We become capable of things we never thought we could say or do, and
of which we would have been rather ashamed, but which now give us joy and peace instead. We
no longer need to be violent, with words and gestures: we discover that we are capable of
tenderness and goodness; and we sense that all of this comes not from ourselves but from him!
And thus we do not brag about it but are grateful for it.

There is nothing greater and more fruitful than love: it bestows all dignity to the person, while,
on the contrary, hatred and vengeance decrease it, marring the beauty of the creature made in
God’s image.

This command, to respond to insult and wrongdoing with love, has created a new culture in the
world: “a culture of mercy” — we need to learn this well! And properly practice this culture of
mercy — which “can set in motion a real cultural revolution ” (Apostolic Letter Misericordia et
Misera, 20). It is the revolution of love, in which the protagonists are the martyrs of all times.
And Jesus assures us that our behaviour, inspired by love for those who do us harm, will not be
in vain. He tells us: “forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you ” (vv. 37-
38). This is beautiful. God will give us something beautiful if we are generous, merciful. We must
forgive because God has forgiven us and always forgives us. If we do not forgive completely, we
cannot expect to be forgiven completely. However, if our hearts are open to mercy, if we seal
forgiveness with a brotherly embrace and secure the bonds of communion, we proclaim to the
world that it is possible to overcome evil with good. At times it is easier for us to remember the
harm they have done to us and not the good things; to the point that there are people who have
this habit and it becomes a sickness. They are “collectors of injustice”: they only remember the
bad things done. And this is not a path. We must do the opposite, Jesus says. Remember the
good things, and when someone comes with some gossip, and speaks ill of another, say: “Yes,
perhaps ... but he has this good quality... ”. Turn the discussion around. This is the revolution of
mercy.

May the Virgin Mary help us to let our heart be touched by this holy word of Jesus, burning like
fire, that it may transform us and make us able to do good without reciprocation, doing good
without reciprocation, witnessing everywhere to the victory of love.
                                                                           POPE FRANCIS, February 24, 2019

Invertir el discurso
          VIi Domingo DEL TIEMPO Ordinario — 20 DE FEBRERO, 2022
El Evangelio de este domingo (cf. Lc 6, 27-38) se refiere a un punto central y característico de la vida
cristiana: el amor por los enemigos. Las palabras de Jesús son claras: «Yo os digo a los que me
escucháis: Amad a vuestros enemigos, haced bien a los que os odian, bendecid a los que os maldigan,
rogad por los que os difamen» (versículos 27-28) ). Y esto no es una opción, es un mandato. No es
para todos, sino para los discípulos, que Jesús llama “a los que me escucháis”. Él sabe muy bien que
amar a los enemigos va más allá de nuestras posibilidades, pero para esto se hizo hombre: no para
dejarnos así como somos, sino para transformarnos en hombres y mujeres capaces de un amor más
grande, el de su Padre y el nuestro. Este es el amor que Jesús da a quienes lo “escuchan”. ¡Y entonces
se hace posible! Con él, gracias a su amor, a su Espíritu, también podemos amar a quienes no nos
aman, incluso a quienes nos hacen daño.

De este modo, Jesús quiere que en cada corazón el amor de Dios triunfe sobre el odio y el rencor. La
lógica del amor, que culmina en la Cruz de Cristo, es la señal distintiva del cristiano y nos lleva a salir
al encuentro de todos con un corazón de hermanos. Pero, ¿cómo es posible superar el instinto humano
y la ley mundana de la represalia? La respuesta la da Jesús en la misma página del Evangelio: «Sed
misericordiosos, como vuestro Padre es misericordioso» (vers. 36). Quien escucha a Jesús, quien se
esfuerza por seguirlo aunque cueste, se convierte en hijo de Dios y comienza a parecerse realmente al
Padre que está en el cielo. Nos volvemos capaces de cosas que nunca hubiéramos pensado que
podríamos decir o hacer, y de las cuales nos habríamos avergonzado, pero que ahora nos dan alegría y
paz. Ya no necesitamos ser violentos, con palabras y gestos; nos descubrimos capaces de ternura y
bondad; y sentimos que todo esto no viene de nosotros sino de Él, y por lo tanto no nos jactamos de
ello, sino que estamos agradecidos.

No hay nada más grande y más fecundo que el amor: confiere a la persona toda su dignidad, mientras
que, por el contrario, el odio y la venganza la disminuyen, desfigurando la belleza de la criatura hecha
a imagen de Dios.

Este mandato, de responder al insulto y al mal con el amor, ha generado una nueva cultura en el
mundo: la «cultura de la misericordia —¡debemos aprenderla bien! Y practicarla bien esta cultura de la
misericordia—, que da vida a una verdadera revolución» (Cart. Ap. Misericordia et misera, 20). Es la
revolución del amor, cuyos protagonistas son los mártires de todos los tiempos. Y Jesús nos asegura
que nuestro comportamiento, marcado por el amor por aquellos que nos han hecho daño, no será en
vano. Él dice: «Perdonad y seréis perdonados. Dad y se os dará [...] porque con la medida con que
midáis, se os medirá» (vers. 37-38). Esto es hermoso. Será algo hermoso que Dios nos dará si somos
generosos, misericordiosos. Debemos perdonar porque Dios nos ha perdonado y él siempre nos
perdona. Si no perdonamos completamente, no podemos pretender ser completamente perdonados.
En cambio, si nuestros corazones se abren a la misericordia, si el perdón se sella con un abrazo
fraternal y los lazos de comunión se fortalecen, proclamamos ante el mundo que es posible vencer el
mal con el bien. A veces es más fácil para nosotros recordar las injusticias que hemos sufrido y el mal
que nos han hecho y no las cosas buenas; hasta el punto de que hay personas que tienen este hábito
y se convierte en una enfermedad. Son “coleccionistas de injusticias”: solo recuerdan las cosas malas
que les han hecho. Y este no es el camino. Tenemos que hacer lo contrario, dice Jesús. Recordar las
cosas buenas, y cuando alguien viene con una habladuría y habla mal de otro, decir: “Sí, quizás... pero
tiene esto de bueno...”. Invertir el discurso. Esta es la revolución de la misericordia.

Que la Virgen María nos ayude a dejarnos tocar el corazón con esta santa palabra de Jesús, ardiente
como fuego, que nos transforma y nos hace capaces de hacer el bien sin querer nada a cambio, hacer
el bien sin querer nada a cambio, testimoniando en todas partes la victoria del amor.
                                                                       PAPA FRANCISCO 24 de febrero/ 2019

2022 World Day of Prayer Services – Kitchener –
                       Friday, March 4th

The Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada (www.wicc.org ) annual World Day of
Prayer will be celebrated in Kitchener on Friday, March 4th, 2022.
The program material this year was prepared by the Churches of England, Wales &
Northern Ireland, with the theme, "I Know the Plans I have for You"

Due to the continuing pandemic, we will mostly celebrate digitally this year, but with a
few small in-person services too. The Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada
(WICC) has prepared a 55 min. video for our use.

There are four ways that you can participate

1. Watch the video on Rogers Cable channel 20 on Friday, March 4th at
8:30 AM or 5 PM

2. Join a Zoom viewing session, followed by a discussion and prayer session hosted by
one of the following churches:
     St Matthews Lutheran Church: 11 AM (info@stmattskw.com )
     St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church: 7 PM
     (office.coordinator@standrewskw.com )
(please email the churches directly before March 3rd, to get the zoom link for the time
you are interested in)

3. Attend an in-person service at
     St George’s of Forest Hill Anglican Church - Friday, March 4th, 10 AM
     (or by livestream) (stgeorgefh@golden.net )
     St Mark’s Catholic Church – Friday, March 4th, 7 PM Mass
     with video following. (519-571-9200)
     St John the Evangelist Anglican Church – Saturday, March 5th, 11 AM
They ask that you register before due to COVID restrictions. The link for registration
can be found here: https://forms.gle/3kHmYZ7c3XL3CFjv6
If you have issues with the above link, call the office at 519-743-0228 or email
at office@stjohn316.com."
(Please contact the church to reserve a space due to Covid restrictions)

4. Go directly to www.wicc.org and view the video at any time; or join a nation-wide
Zoom on Saturday, March 12th at 1 PM EST (please pre-register for the Zoom)

All donations this year must be made directly to WICC at their website or mailed to:
Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada
47 Queen’s Park Crescent East
Toronto, ON M5S 2C3
                  St John’s Parish - Parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
                office@stjohnskitchener.ca — oficina@parroquiaguadalupe.ca
                           519 745 7855 — 85 Strange St., Kitchener