Today I will be leading a hike in Fay Canyon@0900 see Divine Mercy Novena
Baruch, Chapter 6, Verse 22
Baruch, Chapter 6, Verse 22
Know,
therefore, that they are not gods; do not fear
them.
Today is the anniversary of the death of my spiritual father, St. Pope John Paul II, in 2005.
Heed the words of Saint John Paul
the Great in confronting the gods of this age: money, love,
self, happiness, equality and celebrity.
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (12:21).
Evil
is never defeated by evil; once that road is taken, rather than defeating evil, one will instead be defeated by evil.
Peace is the outcome of a long and
demanding battle which is only won when evil is defeated by good. Flee what is evil and hold fast to what is
good (cf. Rom 12:9). Peace is a good to be promoted with good:
it is a good for individuals, for families, for nations and for all humanity;
yet it is one which needs to be maintained and fostered by decisions and
actions inspired by good. "Repay no one evil for evil" (Rom
12:17). The one way out of the vicious circle of requiting evil for evil is "Do
not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Rom 12:21).
At its deepest level, evil is a tragic rejection of the demands of love.
Moral good, on the other hand, is born of love, shows itself as love and is
directed towards love. All this is particularly evident to Christians, who know
that their membership in the one mystical Body of Christ sets them in a
particular relationship not only with the Lord but also with their brothers and
sisters. The inner logic of Christian love, which in the Gospel is the living
source of moral goodness, leads even to the love of one's enemies: "If
your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to
drink" (Rom 12:20).[1]
Do not be afraid--This is not the time to be ashamed of the Gospel. It is the time to preach it from the rooftops. Do not be afraid to break out of the comfortable and routine styles of living, in order to take up the challenge of making Christ known in the modern "metropolis." In your hands, carry the Cross of Christ. On your lips, the words of Life. In your hearts, the Lord's saving grace. Saint John Paul II
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