Love God, Love Others, Share the Good News!

This Week's Letter From Father

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time C

February 23, 2025

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In our Gospel reading (Luke 6: 27-38) Jesus continues His Sermon on the Plain. He gives 15

challenging commands to help the disciples and us mature spiritually in order to cultivate inner

goodness and a gracious way of living our lives.

I will only comment on a few of these commands.

The commandment to love our enemies, those who hate and mistreat us, is a call to forgive them.

Being consumed by anger, hatred or holding grudges, whether justified or not, jeopardizes our

physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. Forgiveness doesn't mean that the wounds inflicted

on us will disappear. Only by forgiving, are we able to open our hearts to joy and let go of the hurt

inflicted on us. By clinging to anger, resentments, grudges and hatred, we perpetuate the state of

imprisonment by those who hurt us. We should not give them power over our life. We have to

liberate ourselves from their bondage.

“If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also” (6:29). According to Barbara E. Reed, OP

and Shelly Matthews: “Offering the other cheek is an act of provocation: it challenges aggressors

to reflect on their action and change their course in relation to the other.”

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love

them … If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you. Even

sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again” (6:32; 34).

Jesus’ fellow Israelites, lived according to the reciprocity ethic. Robert J. Karris, OFM explains:

“The one who received some good was obliged to reciprocate. Such reciprocation does not

engender ‘thanks’ (charis) because it stems from obligation. Only when ‘does good’

(agathopoiein, the Lukan way of stressing the concrete, active nature of love) even though one

has not been given anything and only when one expects nothing in return, does one get -quite

unexpectedly- not only ‘thanks’ but also reward from God.”

The golden rule “Do to others what you would have them do to you” (6:31) is not the first one ever

pronounced in the history of the world. In the Old Testament we find various principles of treating

others. “Do not say ‘I will do to others as they have done to me; I will pay them back for what they

have done’” (Proverbs 24:29). “What you hate, do not do to anyone “(Tobit 4:15). “Love your

neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). “You are to love those who were foreigners, for you

yourselves were foreigners in Egypt” (Deuteronomy 10:19).

Jesus’ contemporary, Rabbi Hillel the Elder said: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow.”

Similar maxims, we find in the history of philosophy. Isocrates (436-338 BCE) the Greek

rhetorician, said: “Do not do to others that angers you when they do it to you”. “Treat your

inferiors as you would be treated by your betters” (Seneca 4 BC-65 AD).

The rules which ask people to treat others as they would wish to be treated are found in all cultures and religions. “Whatever is disagreeable to yourself, do not do unto others” (Buddhism). “Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you” (Confucianism). “Do not do unto others that which would cause you pain if done to you” (Hinduism).

In today’s Gospel reading Jesus asks us to be gracious towards others just as God is gracious to us. We are to be forgiving, nonjudgmental and compassionate because God has been that way with us.

                                                                           ……

I was honored to baptize Drew Louise Doran, Mason Alexander Schmitt and Harrison Michael Wagoner.

Two years ago I officiated at the Holy Matrimony of Drew’s parents, Mary and Christopher. What a joy it was for me to see them bring their first child and beautiful daughter for baptism.

In previous years I baptized Harrison’s two brothers, George and Henry. As a matter of fact, on my first Sunday here, Henry was the first child I baptized at St. Egbert.

Mason’s parents, Nicole and Matt, are my neighbors. I see them often running or bicycling in the

neighborhood.

What makes me happy is that all these lovely families come to Church every Sunday. May God bless you and the Blessed Mother watch over you always.

Valentine’s Day is a day to love people and God. Thank you, Fifth Graders, for the beautifully painted

Valentine’s Day cards. I had a great time reading the cards you gave me. May Jesus be with you always.

Thank you, Chris Kline, for a delicious curry vegan soup. You kindness is greatly appreciated.

Thank you, Bill and Anna Marie, for inviting me to a delicious lunch. We have known each other for many years. It was so good to see you and spend precious time with you. I am happy that your family and grandkids are doing so well. Thank you also for the delicious nut roll. Enjoy your trip to Turkey.

Thank you Michele Roberts for inviting me to a very savory lunch. The cheesecake was also spectacular. I share your fascination with Tokyo. What a fantastic city with Shinjuku, Roppongi, Shibuya, Gonzalo, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Senso-Ji Temple, Meiji Shrine, Asakusa, Akihabara, Ginza, kaiseki- a traditional multi-course dinner, and wasabi ice cream. Even beautiful Mt. Fuji, an hour drive from the capital, can be seen on a sunny day from Tokyo. You were very fortunate to be able to live in this city.

Pope Francis condemns US deportations. In his letter to the American bishops, published on 11 February, he says: “The act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution, or serious deterioration of the environment, damages the dignity of many men, women, and entire families, and places them in a state of particular vulnerability and defenseless … The rightly formed conscience cannot fail to make a critical judgment and express its disagreement with any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality … What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly.”

As you are aware, Pope Francis is in the hospital. Please lift up your prayers to God for his recovery.

With continued blessings,

Fr. Ryszard

Welcome Message

Greetings in Christ Jesus!

Whether you are just visiting for a short while, have moved here and are joining our parish, or are returning to your Catholic Faith, on behalf of our parish community, we welcome you to St. Egbert Catholic Church and the beautiful Crystal Coast of North Carolina.

When Jesus was asked which of all the commandments was the greatest, he replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the great, and first commandment. And a second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” These two Commandments form the foundation of our mission to Love God, Love Neighbor, and to Share the Good News.