Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

Sunday Snippets is brought to you each week by RAnn at This, That and the Other Thing.

This week we continued the Vivaldi Gloria by listening to Et in Tera, Pax, Hominibus.  We also looked at the breathtaking painting, Peace, Be Still by Stephen Gjertson. Poetry Wednesday was Sonnet 30 by William Shakespeare.  I also featured a post by Fr. Stephen at Glory to God for all Things about Loving our Enemies.

I pray you all have a blessed week.

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

Sunday Snippets is brought to you each week by RAnn at This, That and the Other Thing.

This week we continued the Vivaldi Gloria by listening to Et in Tera, Pax, Hominibus.  We also looked at the breathtaking painting, Peace, Be Still by Stephen Gjertson. Poetry Wednesday was Sonnet 30 by William Shakespeare.  I also featured a post by Fr. Stephen at Glory to God for all Things about Loving our Enemies.

I pray you all have a blessed week.

What Kind of God Would Ask Love of Enemies?

As usual, Father Stephen from Glory to God for All Things, says it much better than I could.

Why did Jesus tell us to love our enemies?  Because that is who God is.

God is not the divine boss-from-hell.  He does not exercise a power trip over His creation from his lofty place in the sky.  Jesus did not come to burden us with the minutia of impossible-to-follow commandments--Love is the commandment that covers all others. Jesus came to show us God and to lead us to God.  That is the sole purpose of this life.

The world had gone so far astray from God that He sent His son, God Himself as the Church teaches, to show us what Love is.  Love is not taking revenge.  Love is dying to one's self for others. Love is mourning the sins of one's enemies rather than plotting revenge.

The kind of God who asks us to love our enemies is the God who, in His infinite mercy, loves us despite our own sin (literally "missing the mark"). He constantly calls us back, searching for us in the garden when we have hidden ourselves in shame.

Without love, the world makes no sense.  Without love, nothing works.  Love is all.

What Kind of God Would Ask Love of Enemies?

As usual, Father Stephen from Glory to God for All Things, says it much better than I could.

Why did Jesus tell us to love our enemies?  Because that is who God is.

God is not the divine boss-from-hell.  He does not exercise a power trip over His creation from his lofty place in the sky.  Jesus did not come to burden us with the minutia of impossible-to-follow commandments--Love is the commandment that covers all others. Jesus came to show us God and to lead us to God.  That is the sole purpose of this life.

The world had gone so far astray from God that He sent His son, God Himself as the Church teaches, to show us what Love is.  Love is not taking revenge.  Love is dying to one's self for others. Love is mourning the sins of one's enemies rather than plotting revenge.

The kind of God who asks us to love our enemies is the God who, in His infinite mercy, loves us despite our own sin (literally "missing the mark"). He constantly calls us back, searching for us in the garden when we have hidden ourselves in shame.

Without love, the world makes no sense.  Without love, nothing works.  Love is all.

Poetry Wednesday--William Shakespeare

On the occasion of the 50th birthday of a dear, old friend, today's Poetry Wednesday will be a reading of Shakespeare's Sonnet number 30.  Having turned 50 the day before, I understand now, much more than when I first read this sonnet in college, the feeling of  "wail(ing) my dear time's waste" and having my "losses restored" by the great gift of a friend who understands.

Poetry Wednesday--William Shakespeare

On the occasion of the 50th birthday of a dear, old friend, today's Poetry Wednesday will be a reading of Shakespeare's Sonnet number 30.  Having turned 50 the day before, I understand now, much more than when I first read this sonnet in college, the feeling of  "wail(ing) my dear time's waste" and having my "losses restored" by the great gift of a friend who understands.

Art and Beauty Tuesday--Stephen Gjertson

Today's Art and Beauty Tuesday is called Peace, Be Still by Stephen Gjertson.  It is a breathtaking painting showing Jesus calming the storm.  How apt this is as many parts of the U.S. deal with unseasonably severe storms and floods.

Jesus can calm our inner storms as well.  All we need to do is let go and let Him calm our turmoil.

As with many of the paintings I feature, this one is worth going to the original website and viewing it in a large size.