Colossians 3:12-17
Psalm 150:1-6
Luke 6:27-38
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THE DISTINCTIVE MARK OF A CHRISTIAN
"To you who hear Me, I say: love your enemies." —Luke 6:27
What if your family was a victim of a terrorist attack? What if someone robbed and beat you? Jesus tells us to treat terrorists, murderers, rapists, and robbers in a certain way. Jesus commands us to:
- love our enemies (Lk 6:27),
- “do good to those who hate” us (Lk 6:27),
- “bless those who curse” us (Lk 6:28),
- “pray for those who maltreat” us (Lk 6:28),
- even remain vulnerable to our enemies (Lk 6:29),
- give to them (Lk 6:30),
- do to them as we would have them do to us (Lk 6:31),
- lend to them “without expecting repayment” (Lk 6:35), and
- be clothed in mercy and forgiveness toward all people, especially our enemies (see Col 3:12-13; Lk 6:36-37).
If we do so, we will heap burning coals of love on our enemies (Rm 12:20; see Lk 15:20ff).
To those not baptized into Jesus, His commands seem unjust, preposterous, and impossible; but Jesus died on the cross for His enemies. He literally practiced what He preached. He taught us to pray that we are forgiven as we forgive our enemies (Mt 6:12), and He promises us grace sufficient to forgive and love our enemies immediately and totally. By Jesus’ grace, receive and perform the miracle of forgiveness and of love for all your enemies.
Prayer: Father, give me a forgiveness and love inexplicable except in the light of Jesus.
Promise: "Over all these virtues put on love, which binds the rest together and makes them perfect. Christ's peace must reign in your hearts." —Col 3:14-15
Praise: Al, a non-Catholic, happened to stop in to a Catholic Church the same evening a Eucharistic procession was occurring. As the monstrance neared the pew where he had sat, an awe came upon him and he dropped to his knees in worship. He converted to Catholicism soon afterward.
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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant the "Nihil Obstat" ("Permission to Publish") for "One Bread, One Body."
"In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from August 1, 2025, through September 30, 2025. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio January 8, 2025"
The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.
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