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PREAMBLE

MY MESSAGE AND SONG ARE IN THE VIDEO.  I HAD A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF THIS POST, BOTH PRODUCING IT AND UPLOADING IT. IN THE END, I HAD TO COMPRESS AND UPLOAD A MUCH SMALLER AND POORER-QUALITY VERSION THAN I WASTED 4 HOURS TRYING TO UPLOAD, AND IT WAS PRETTY CRAPPY PRODUCTION TO START WITH, SO THE QUALITY (ESPECIALLY VIDEO) IS INCREDIBLY BAD. HOWEVER, THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR, AND  IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, SO ACCEPT MY APOLOGIES AND IGNORE THE TECHNICAL QUALITY ISSUES.

ADDED NOTE:   FB hates this one and have done all kinds of things to make the video not work properly. My apologies for not running a “test” and doing the work-arounds before publishing. I think I’ve protected the video, and it should show now in an embedded media player on most platforms, but on phones you may need to hit a download link, then play it from your phone. Exasperating.

Church Services were cancelled this morning due to another snowstorm, so I’m including the second reading and the Gospel. The first was about how Saul could have killed David who was hunting him to put him to death, but spared his life.  The second reading (below) is about keeping our eyes on the real goal – and way to achieve it – and the third, the Gospel, mirrors the theme of “love of sister and brother” found in the first.

Truly, as the Apostle and Gospel writer John, the “beloved” disciple standing with our mother Mary at the foot of the cross as Jesus expired says so eloquently: if you do not love your neighbour who you can see, how can you say you love God who you can not see?

These are the words of the song in the video I wrote many years ago – for today!

HOLD ON

I can see
That you’re lonely and you’re tired
You’ve come so far, only to find
There’s nothing there to comfort your heart’s desire
You have walked faithfully
You’ve never broken your trust in me
Hold on my friend, hold on my friend
Someday you will be free

I can see
That you’re trying to find your way
You’ve come so far
Believing that if you just followed your heart
Things will be o.k.
Now you’re not sure who you should believe in
You’re not sure what you should do
Hold on my friend, hold on my friend
And to yourself be true

There’s a light in the dark burning brighter
And I know that you’re a fighter
Hold on my friend, hold on my friend
Someday your load will be lighter

I can see
That you’re lonely and you’re tired
You’ve come so far, only to find
There’s nothing there to comfort your heart’s desire
You have walked faithfully
You’ve never broken your trust in ll be free
Hold on my friend, hold on my friend
Someday you will be free




R The Lord is kind and merciful.

Reading II

1 Cor 15:45-49

Brothers and sisters:
It is written, The first man, Adam, became a living being,
the last Adam a life-giving spirit.
But the spiritual was not first;
rather the natural and then the spiritual.
The first man was from the earth, earthly;
the second man, from heaven.
As was the earthly one, so also are the earthly,
and as is the heavenly one, so also are the heavenly.
Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one,
we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.

Alleluia

Jn 13:34

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I give you a new commandment, says the Lord:
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 6:27-38

Jesus said to his disciples:
“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.
To the person who strikes you on one cheek,
offer the other one as well,
and from the person who takes your cloak,
do not withhold even your tunic.
Give to everyone who asks of you,
and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
For if you love those who love you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners do the same.
If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners,
and get back the same amount.
But rather, love your enemies and do good to them,
and lend expecting nothing back;
then your reward will be great
and you will be children of the Most High,
for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap.

For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

GOOD MESSAGE FOR TODAY…LOTS OF ENEMIES NEEDING OUR LOVE and Mercy….and WITNESS!