Make room on the refigerator

This past Sunday's Gospel presented a big challenge to us.  At Mass Father encouraged us to cut out the Gospel and post it on the refrigerator so we can mull it over throughout the day.  

You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

But I say to you, love your enemies

and pray for those who persecute you,

that you may be children of your heavenly Father,

for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,

and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.

Sometimes it is a Gospel we would like to ignore.  However, I thought about the fact that WE are someone's neighbor and we would like to be loved! Jesus gave us an example of how to love our neighbor by telling the story of the Good Samaritan who cared for the man he found severely injured along the road; the man had been beaten by robbers.   Let's think about that and consider how we might love our neighbor in that way.  Here are some very easy, do-able ideas: 

•  Keep a few greeting cards and some stamps in your desk drawer and once in a while send a note to someone you know who has been "injured" or who is suffering such as a friend who has cancer.  
• When you have a free minute pick up the phone and call someone you haven't been in touch with for a while, someone you love and/or someone who needs to hear your voice.  
• When you bake some cookies for the kids, make a few extra for an elderly or homebound person who could use your healing attention.  So many elderly in nursing homes sit in the lobby all day long hoping that someone would visit them.
• As you walk down the aisle of the supermarket, no matter how distracted or rushed you are, smile at the other rushed and distracted shopper and say hello. They might smile back!  
• Send a $10 gasoline card and a note to a family you know who is financially strapped. (You could do it anonymously)  It isn't much but they will be grateful for your kindness.  I am sure you can think of other ways to love your neighbor!

And if there is someone in your life whom you really find difficult to love, take a suggestion that a priest once gave me.  Ask the Lord:  "Lord, please give "Mary Jane" all the graces and gifts you want her to have."  God will do the rest.