Loving Our Neighbor

My dear Friends in Christ,

On this 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time, our readings focus on holiness and loving our neighbor. The First Reading tells us not to bear grudges and gives us the Golden Rule. The Second Reading reminds us that all of us are God’s temples. And in the Gospel, Jesus tells us that we must love everyone, even our enemies. This is often difficult for us because when we get hurt we sometimes go into that “eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” mentality. Why should I pray for someone who hurt me? It’s easier to hold resentment toward that person than to pray for them. Our natural instinct is to want revenge rather than wanting to forgive. Prayer can be very powerful if you let it come from your heart. Forgiveness sets us free.

Today is Pledge Sunday for the Annual Catholic Appeal here in the Diocese of Trenton. Each year the Bishop seeks the support of all the members of the Diocese to further the work of our ministries. Please help Corpus Christi Parish achieve its goal of $50,000. Your donation, large or small will help build up and sustain our Church. I ask you to take a moment and truly reflect on any help you can give. We truly need everyone to participate. This year we again are striving to reach the Diocesan goal of $6.5 million. I am always grateful and moved by the level of support you give to our parish. I thank you for this support, and may God continue to bless you and your family.

May God Bless You All,

Father John