Church of St. Mary at Clinton Heights

A few carefully chosen words of support can make an enormous difference to someone who is struggling. When the apostle Paul was under house arrest, he was sustained by the support of his friends. “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement,” he wrote in his letter to Philemon (v 7).

This afternoon, Punxsutawney Phil showed up in the rectory backyard and exclaimed, “Enough already!”  And a blessed relief followed: 44 degrees!

A golfer (obviously wearing rose-colored glasses) stopped Fr. David after a meeting at the country club and exclaimed, “Hey it’s March already; a few more weeks and we’ll be out teeing off!” to which Fr. David quipped, “Where?…the Ocean Club on Paradise Island?” 

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Mt 5:44).  Your “enemy” could be someone you find difficult to get along with.  Pray for that person and for a way to overcome any bad feelings or animosity that you may harbor.  At the very least, your heart will grow in its capacity for authentic love.

Think back upon this last week: were you the recipient of someone’s act of kindness?  Maybe someone held a door open for you, or shoveled a bit of a sidewalk for pedestrians.  For my part, I was the second car in a middle turn lane and wondered why the first car was taking so long to make the left turn before me…only to discover that he was allowing another car to attempt a left turn out of the parking lot before us.  Sure it took some extra time, but the kindness really mattered.

Now, as you recall that kindness, how do you feel as you let it sink in?  Hopefully your gratitude then rolls over into a desire to be personally generous in sharing your own act of kindness with another or others.  The Lord rewards a generous giver!

Saint Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, highlights for us the “fruit of the spirit”: “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, gentleness and self-control.” (Gal. 5:22-23)

Adopt one of the fruits of the spirit and do your best to live it out hour by hour and day by day.  May it become a new habit which grows within you.