Gospel Reflections for February 3 2019
Super Bowl Gospel
Today our country is divided into Rams and Patriots fans. East coast vs. West Coast teams compete for victory. Can you imagine the talk today as friends and families watch the game! I hope it is all good natured.
It was not so in the home town of Jesus as He finished His speech that we heard in last week’s Gospel. There He affirmed that He brought good news to the poor, healing to the sick, and liberty to the oppressed.
At first, the people of Nazareth liked those words. However, they slowly recognized that Jesus meant His promise of good news, healing, and liberty are for people everywhere, and even beyond the city limits of Nazareth! Well, they did not like that, and in today’s Gospel, they turn on Jesus, and even threaten His life!
In the ancient world, people were very loving, caring, and compassionate, but only for their own family, or their own village. When Jesus spoke a message of salvation for all, they did not like it.
We might take it for granted that God’s love is for everyone, but it was revolutionary then. Yet, Jesus was not afraid to deliver His good news of salvation available for all.
The Second Reading today is St. Paul’s famous letter about love. It is read at almost every wedding, and appropriately so.
Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, it is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, and it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
We want to grow in this kind of love every day. Never let a day go by that you do not spend some time in thinking how you can grow in the love that Jesus describes.
Our University Series offers over 70 classes this Lent, beginning March 7th. Each will help you grow in your knowledge of God’s love for you, and how you can love more as well. Our University Series catalogs are at all the doors of the Churches in our area of Whittier-Bellflower, as well as in Ventura County. You can also pre-register online for both areas at theuniversityseries.org.
The Super Bowl will be over soon, but our life continues so let’s learn to live and love as Jesus lived and loved.
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Peace be with you Father Dave. Thanks for all you do in spreading the word. We need a great Speaker for our upcoming Lent to speak to our Parish St Bernard in Bellflower. So how do I get you to Speak to our Parish.
Blessings
Mike 562-896-5055 text or call
Thanks for asking. The best way to start is to send an email to daveheney@gmail.com. We can take it from there.
Dear Father Dave,
Love is patient and kind, yes, so beautiful….
Interestingly, my husband and I had patience today when we “rolled up our sleeves” and ventured out into the cold rain for hours to try and prevent our house from flooding.
Our drains are old and quite likely not one-hundred percent effective anymore. They couldn’t handle the flow. Ron had set up pumps and hoses and we were filling and dumping (in the side yard) garbage pails with the gushing water running from the hoses.
Thank the good Lord, the house didn’t flood.
The ground is saturated, so I hope and pray that the next wave of storms tonight aren’t too bad.
Father Dave, be safe! And to all your readers … please don’t venture out if you don’t have to. We’re in the Westlake area and received several cautionary, emergency phone calls this morning because of the mudslides from the Woolsey fires.
God bless.
Kathleen
Thanks for all the helpful safety information! I remember well the flooding issues in that area.
Thank you, Fr. Dave for a great reflection on guiding us to value the important
things in life!
Super Bowls come and go, teams win and lose, but in the game for life our Lord
is the winner every time.
St Paul’s letter on love spells out what love is…worthy to be read and reflected on.
The University is offering wonderful sessions that we hope to avail of.