All of us who participate in our daily Eucharistic reflections are well aware of the significance of the date 9/11/2001.  We lived through a traumatic event in our country, and we carry it in our hearts.  Has it changed us?  If so, how?  Gratefully, we will never know how many people lived because of the action of forty people on the plane that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. We hold our tragedy always within ourselves, but it also fosters new generations by our example, hoping they begin to understand more fully—not “don’t hurt each other”, but “take care of each other” as best as we can, as the Eucharist nourishes and takes care of us.

Today in Colossians, Paul speaks of forgiving one another and bearing with one another.  He speaks of forgiving one another as the Lord has forgiven us.  Do we do what Paul taught?

In our gospel today, Luke gives us words from Jesus’s own mouth: love your enemies … bless those who curse you … do to others as you would have done to you.  Jesus teaches: Be Merciful…Stop Condemning…Stop judging…Give…for the measure with which you measure shall be measured out to you….  all positive actions.  Do we live by these instructions without trying to control them?

We remember the gifts of martyrs as well, and the many who today feed the hungry… clothe the naked…comfort the sorrowful…pray for the living and the dead.  We pray for those who do not hear Jesus, Paul, or the angels and saints in their daily lives.

Let us pray:

Father in heaven, Jesus walked the land of Israel, healing those in need and teaching all to understand your love, and encouraging everyone to share the gifts you gave us to use.  Help us to be receptive to Jesus speaking through us, to learn to listen for him speaking through others, and to be courageous enough to follow in his footsteps.  Amen.