The gospel for Tuesday of the 11th week in Ordinary Time is taken from Matthew 5th chapter 43, 48th verse. Jesus said to his disciples, you’ve heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father. For he makes the sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not tax collectors do the same.

And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not pagans do the same? So be perfect just as your Heavenly Father is perfect. A line of scripture that is taken out of context is always dangerous. But I can tell you, I’m sure that the line that we ended with be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect is something that I got in spades growing up as a Catholic. What God wants is perfection, no sinning and nothing is further from the truth.

What he wants is evolution, transformation, change that we become who God longs for us to be so we can establish his kingdom. Love is the key, not judgment. Please take a few moments to reflect on these words as you listen to the music. Now we’ll close with a prayer foreign the closing prayer. Father, you offer us first, which you are asking us to offer to one another, open our hearts so that we can receive your generosity, your love, your acceptance, so that in turn we will offer it to one another. And we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.