7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Love Your Enemies

playing video games. I love watching TV. I love baseball. I love Zumba. I love my job. I love my mom and dad. I love my brothers and sisters. I love my teacher. I love my neighbor. I love my pet animal. I love my church. I love God. I love myself. I love everyone I meet. I love flowers. And more! While these statements use the same word “love,” obviously the way love is expressed for a cup of coffee is different as when we express love to a person.

The Greek translation of the Bible (Septuagint) from which the English version is based uses not one but several Greek words to describe different kinds of love. Eros is for romantic love. Filia is for friendship. Storge is for family. Filautia is for self-love (which is different from narcissism). Xenia is for hospitality to strangers. Agape is for Godly love.

Agape love is what Jesus has shown in his life as an example for us. It’s sacrificial, other-centered, and unconditional. It’s the love that Jesus refers to when, in the gospel this Sunday, He commands us to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, pray for those who mistreat us, turn the other cheek, and do to others as we would have them do to us. How would Saint Paul describe this love? He tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7:
“Love [agape] is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous. It is not arrogant, 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. It does not rejoice over wrong doings but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

How is loving our enemies possible? It’s by letting the overflowing love of God to come through us because on our own we can’t do it. It’s by rising to the level of agape so that we can love people not because they’re likeable, but because God loves them. It’s by refusing to be blinded by negative emotions like hatred so we can see the opportunity of forgiveness, redemption, or transformation for everyone. By choosing to love this way, we can be more like Jesus in our words, actions, and reactions. And when this happens, we become partners with Christ in making our world a better place to live in.

Self Control

Patience, one characteristic of agape love, is not possible without self-control, one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. For many years, David, in the first reading today, was the victim of King Saul’s wrath due to jealousy. King Saul plotted to kill David. Yet when David had a chance to vindicate himself, he refused to be overcome by hatred and revenge. He spared the King’s life. David had the presence of mind to think through the situation and not let his emotions cloud his judgments. He remained patient and respectful.

It appears that our culture is becoming more accepting of impatience and displays of frustration as normal behavior. We don’t like waiting and not getting our way. We’ve come to the point that we’re not even ashamed to admit it. I’m not sure how we have ended up this way. What I know is that lack of patience or self-control is not spiritually nurturing. Nobody wants to be around people who flare up at the slightest provocation or irritation. Lack of patience or self-control may lead to emotional outbursts, temper tantrums, bullying, violence, and other destructive behaviors. So, the more we have a handle on our negative emotions and urges, the more stable our individual life and society will be. Having self-control may even help us manage our stress, which is key to living a good, healthy, and happy life.

Ministry Fair

The parish will have a ministry fair at all weekend Masses on March 8 and 9, 2025. This event gives everyone an opportunity to see what’s going on in our parish. Representatives from each ministry will be available to answer your questions or provide informational leaflets. Please meet with our ministers as they give witness to their journey of faith. As you do this, please consider joining one of our ministries. We need volunteers. Also, if you have any ideas for starting your own ministry at the parish, please let us know. We’re here to support you.

Annual Catholic Appeal

Please consider contributing to the Annual Catholic Appeal this week. Your donation would help the poor and needy outside of our parish. Beneficiaries include low-income parishes, parish-based initiatives, Archdiocesan ministries, spiritual renewal efforts, priest formation, scholarships, and Catholic Relief Services. Many of us face financial hardships. But by God’s grace, we cannot outdo God’s generosity especially when we do sacrificial giving. If you have already made your contribution by mail or through Give Central, thank you. For more information, go to annualcatholicappeal.com

Take care and keep up the good work!

Deacon Rod

Recognize God in Your Oridinary Moments - By Colleen Jurkiewicz Dorman

Mini Reflection: It saddens me that Christians have somehow gained this reputation as a people who judge, who condemn. Today’s Gospel is an invitation for us to consider how we engage with people who disagree with us — or maybe even actively dislike us.

Judgment and Love
I have a few family members and friends who are not practicing Catholics who say this to me from time to time. It’s always spoken in a teasing manner, with a wink and a shoulder shrug, usually to explain away some sort of minor misbehavior they feel guilty about.

It saddens me that Christians have somehow gained this reputation as a people who judge, who condemn. I think in part it stems from a misunderstanding on the part of unchurched people (and lots of churched ones, too) regarding what constitutes “judging.” It is absolutely not “judging” someone to disagree with a personal decision, whatever that decision may be, or to decline from participating in that decision. We all have functioning consciences; we are all supposed to discern the moral goodness of any action before we take it.

But it is judging someone if we allow their decisions to impact how we treat them.

Today’s Gospel is an invitation for us to consider how we engage with people who disagree with us — or maybe even actively dislike us. Much is said these days of the “culture wars.” I certainly don’t disagree that it can often feel like you’re fighting a war when you’re trying to live as the Church teaches. The forces against you often seem overwhelming and nefarious. And guess what? They are.

But we need to remember who the enemy really is. The enemy is not other children of God, even if they are children of God who are actively promoting ideas that are wrong. Perhaps these people are misguided and mistaken. Perhaps they are misled by the devil. Have we not all been misled by him at some point?

We must interact lovingly with people who think differently and live differently from us. The Christian life absolutely demands it.
©LPi

The Holy Father's Intentions for the Month of February

For vocations to the priesthood and religious life
Let us pray that the ecclesial community might welcome the desires and doubts of those young people who feel a call to serve Christ's mission in the priesthood and religious life.

Honor Our Military

Please take time to give thanks for those who have served and are serving in our military and to pray for the safety of those who may currently be in harm’s way. In a special way, we thank and pray for these parishioners and relatives of parishioners.
Dear God,
We pray in gratitude for all of those who have defended peace, virtue, and justice with honor. We pray especially for those who have suffered in mind and body from the ravages of war. May Your peace reign in our hearts and in our world. Amen.

He Who Sacrificed His Life
†JOHN A. STONIS, Grandson of John & Dorthy Stonis
†CHRISTOPHER ZIMNY

Those Still Serving
JAY MARTIN, Nephew of Becky and Tom Brennan
JESSICA CAMERON, Niece of the Cameron Family
JOHN PODCZASKI, Grandson of Genevieve Podczaski
STEVEN TUMBARELLO, Son of Sylvia & Vince Tumbarello
CRAIG BEHRENDT, Grand-nephew of Sister Mary Helen
DANIEL BELZER, Nephew of Dave & Bev Belzer
MICHAEL KELLY, Nephew of Kevin and Kathy Kelly
MATTHEW NEUBAUER, Nephew of Dan & Judy Neubauer
EUGENE WALL, Nephew of Suzanne Lessner
NAILL SWIDER, Grand-nephew of Alice Swider
BRYAN DUFF, Son of Julie Duff
RYAN BLOCHBERGER, Nephew of Mae Grady
TIMOTHY DWORKIN, Grandson of Barbara Bouska
ALEXIS GONZALES, Great-niece of Eden & Lyle Gonzales-Nemzin
JACK MAHON, JR., Son of Jack, Sr. & Eileen Mahon
MICHAEL FOLEY
JOHN FOLEY
PETER MULLER
DANIEL FRAYNA
JOSEPH GULLO
SANG HOON LEE
ANTHONY PALMERO
MORRIS COREY MCMAHON, Son of Chris & Julie McMahon
RYAN FONTILLAS
MICHAEL T. HEHN, Grandson of John & Dorthy Stonis

To add or remove someone, please send the person’s name and relationship (optional) to bulletin@stcatherinelaboure.com

Please Pray for Ukraine

For our sisters and brothers involved in or affected by the war and devastation in Ukraine-- the deceased, the injured, the frightened, the displaced, the fighters, the protesters, the leaders. May God give them solace, healing, comfort, and hearts and minds directed toward peace.
Donations can be made here:

Knights of Columbus: https://www.kofc.org/secure/en/donate/ukraine.html

Caritas: https://www.caritas.org/

Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese of Philidelphia: https://ukrarcheparchy.us

"May the Queen of Peace preserve the world from the madness of war" - Pope Francis

Neighbors of other Faiths
The Golden Rule

Excerpted from charterforcompassion.org/the-golden-rule-in-seven-major-religions
We may speak of great differences in religious beliefs and forms of worship around the world. Called by an endless number of names, all, however, recognize and worship a Supreme Being. And all religions, somewhere in their sacred literature, expound the fundamental philosophy of the Golden Rule.

Buddhism: Hurt not others with that which pains yourself.
~ Buddha, Undanavarga 5:18

Christianity: Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that all men should do to you, do ye even so to them.
~ Matthew 7:12

Confucianism: What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.
~ Confucius, Analects 15:23

Hinduism: Good people proceed while considering what is best for others is best for themselves.
~ Hitopadesa

Islamism: No one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
~ Mohammed, Traditions

Judaism: And thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
~ Leviticus 19:18

Zoroastrianism: Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others.
~ Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29