For Hurting Hearts – Ours and God’s

But to you who are listening I say: 

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 
bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also.
If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 

Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you,

do not demand it back. 

Do to others as you would have them do to you. 

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? 

Even sinners love those who love them. 

 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? 

Even sinners do that. 

And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, 

what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, 

expecting to be repaid in full. 

But love your enemies, do good to them, 

and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. 

Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, 

because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. - Luke 6:27-36 (NIV)

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        As we are made in the image and likeness of God, can we do any less? Yes, we can and we do - so much less - as the past 24-hours’ news reaches us on this beautiful summer Sunday morning.

But we are called to be more than our mere mortal selves. We are called to “Be merciful, just as” our heavenly Parent is merciful to us in all our flaws.  We are called to be as perfect as the One who created and loves us – ALL of us.

For those whose lives were lost, and for those whose lives are forever changed, may you find the Love of the Creator, the Peace of the Redeemer, and the Consolation of the Holy Spirit.  Amen. 

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