All Saints’
The Weekly WWW.ALLSAINTSCARMEL.ORG
The Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany — February 23, 2014
Following the Light of Perfect Love –By Louis Powell
To love your enemy is a challenge. And it is not made any easier with Jesus’ examples of love: offering the other cheek to be struck, giving your cloak to the person who takes your coat, and going helping more when you are forced to help a little. Why would God want us to suffer more hurt than we must? But Jesus’ words are not about suffering. Jesus’ words are about loving. Jesus’ words are about seeing everyone as God sees them, especially those who hurt so much that they behave badly. Still, does Jesus’ really believe that we can “be perfect”? Only when we try to love perfectly and fail can we truly appreciate how special it is to be loved by God.
Upcoming Birthday Celebrations February 24 February 25 February 26 February 27 February 28 February 28 March 4 March 8
Nancy Collins John Stivers Schwartz Booth
Norah Strawser
Linda Bradley Sarah Felsinger Ellika Dwelle Ian McPhail
Watch over thy children, O Lord,
as their days increase; bless and guide them wherever they may be. Strengthen them when they stand; comfort them when discouraged or sorrowful; raise them up if they fall; and in their hearts may thy peace which passeth understanding abide all the days of their lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Only then can we realize that God’s love for us is truly unconditional. God loves us because we are. And God is. That is a joyful thing. And when we try to see and try to love others as God sees and loves them, then we can begin to imagine how God can love even us.
Scripture lessons for today
Leviticus 19:1-2,9-18 1 Corinthians 3:10-11,16-23 Matthew 5:38-48 Psalm 119:33-40
Scripture lessons for next week Exodus 24:12-18 2 Peter 1:16-21 Matthew 17:1-9 Psalm 2