“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:27-38) That sounds simple enough! It’s the Golden Rule that we have heard over and over since childhood. But as we grow older we realize that it’s not that easy. In today’s Gospel we hear that it’s not enough to love those you love or even to be nice to your enemies. You have to treat your enemies well, too, just as we want to be treated, in the same way that our kind and loving God treats us. In the Gospel Acclamation Jesus tells us to ”love one another as I have loved you.” (John 13:34). He doesn’t mean for us to just love those who love us but to love our enemies, those who frequently drive us crazy like our neighbors or co-workers all the way up to those who think differently than we do like leaders of foreign countries or even those in our own government. He wants us to stop judging and condemning them and show mercy and kindness to them as God our father shows us mercy, “slow to anger and abounding in kindness.” He wants us to forgive them with compassion as He forgives us our sins not “according to our crimes” but with the compassion of a father. (Psalm 103: 8,10) As we sing “Donde Hay Amor y Caridad (Where Charity and Love Abound) for the Presentation of the Gifts, we see God’s love and forgiveness tangibly. Let us really hear the words of kindness and love and sacrifice. Verse 1. God loves us so much that he sent his only Son to suffer and die for us. Verse 2. Jesus showed us the greatest gift of love by laying down his life, the ultimate sacrifice. He did it not only for his friends but for his enemies, for everyone. So what are we asked to do in return? We are asked to pass it on, pass on God’s mercy, forgiveness, and love, to treat our enemies with kindness and charity. We are asked not to condemn but to forgive them, to view our differences from their perspective, to achieve understanding and then to love. In reality, we know it is not as simple as we thought, but how great will our reward be when we give of ourselves whether it be with our time or treasure without expecting anything in return! Kathleen Derr, choir member Here is the music for this weekend at the majority of the Masses https://bit.ly/3GwHB6b February 19 and 20 Hymns