Saint Francis Parish and Outreach

I know that some people are getting tired of hearing me preach about love. They think that love is too weak or too woke of a concept. And to listen to those in power in the United States, love is supposed to be reserved for our closest family and friends.

This Sunday, we have a Gospel passage that makes it obvious to everyone that we are to love one another. Jesus wanted it to be so clear that he called it a command. He commanded us to love one another.

Unlike those who claim to be Christians in our world today, Jesus did not put an asterisk next to that command. He did not say:

Love only your friends
Love only those who look like you
Love only those who are the same religion as you
Love only those who speak the same language as you
Love only those who have the same skin color as you

We cannot continue to claim to be Christians and ignore the simple truths of Jesus’ messages. In a world full of hatred and darkness, we must be willing to stand up for love. We must be willing to show love to everyone we meet.

I pray you will join us on this journey to follow the teachings of the Christ.

Pax et Bonum,

Bishop Greer

This Sunday we hear the lesson from Jesus concerning what the greatest commandment is. This Scribe comes to him wanting to know what the greatest commandment is. And Jesus tells him that the first is to love God will all your heart, soul, mind, strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.

We as Christians have a serious problem with these commandments. Christians today spend so much time attacking one another or attacking those who they view as different from themselves. We spend so much time looking for things to be angry about and people to dislike.

Jesus’ message is more important today than ever before. It is necessary for us to go back to his message and start to love one another. We should be loving to everyone, regardless of their faith, race, gender, sexual orientation, and social status.

When our time comes to stand before God, we will not be judged on how many Bibles we owned, how many people we beat into submission, or how often we sat in the pew of the church. We will instead be judged on how we treated one another, how well be helped those most in need, and whether or not we accepted the Divine in everyone we met.

How will you be judged? Will you be found faithful or wanting?

Maybe it is time to join us for Sunday Mass to start your journey toward faithful living of the Gospel of Jesus!

Pax et Bonum,

Bishop Greer

Command: Love one another

Are we loving our neighbor?