Today’s Sermon in a Nutshell:

Today’s Sermon in a Nutshell:

When we look at the front pages of newspapers or view the evening news, it’s not always easy to remember that Christ came into the world to redeem it. There is so much evil around us, that it seemingly swallows-up what little good there is. This leads some people to ignore the problem by minimizing evil, while others over-exaggerate it. Then there are those who use the false axiom that if God exists, there should be no evil; and if evil exists, there is no God. The fact is, of course, that God has always existed, but because man succumbed to temptation in the Garden, so does evil.

Sadly, this is the world in which we, as the Church, must live; and not only live, but are called upon to evangelize and bear witness to Christ: doing good in the face of evil. Therefore, in order to accomplish such a momentous task, we need to fight against all forms of evil, hatred, and hostility; never retaliating or repaying evil for evil’s sake, but readily turning the other cheek with meekness and humility as our Lord taught. No one is ever helped or healed by hurting others. Healing is a product of love.

Although doing good in the face of evil isn’t always easy and perhaps leads us to sometimes question God’s rationale, keep in mind our own parenting methods. A small child cannot understand why his parents say "No!" when he pleads for something he is better off without, or doesn’t  understand why he is told to do things he doesn’t want to do, or why he is punished for doing things he likes to do. Someday, however, he will know why his parents treated him the way they did…and that it was based upon love. Thus, for now, we must simply accept and trust in God’s divine reasoning because, as our Heavenly Father, He knows best. 

Fr. John