Charity and Forgiveness

Today is the twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost. The gospel parable of the wicked servant reminds us of our responsibility to practice charity towards our brethren, particularly when it comes to forgiving. If we forgive others their failings, our heavenly Father will forgive ours; but if we do not forgive others, our Father will not forgive our failings either.

Saint Paul's epistle tells us that our fight is not against flesh and blood, but rather against principalities and powers. Satan wants to cause division by sowing discord amongst us. He does this when we succomb to fostering bitterness, hatred and an unwillingness to forgive one another from the heart. When one chooses not to forgive his brother, one gives that person power over oneself that is unhealthy.

Today let us make it our aim to love one another as Christ has loved us.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching.

Litany of the Passion

Jesus, unknown and despised, (Have mercy on me.)
Jesus, calumniated and persecuted,
Jesus, abandoned by men and tempted,
Jesus, betrayed and sold for a paltry sum,
Jesus, blamed, accused and unjustly condemned,
Jesus, clothed with a garment of opprobrium and shame,
Jesus, buffeted and mocked,
Jesus, dragged with a rope round Thy neck,
Jesus, scourged unto blood,
Jesus, reputed to be a fool and to be possessed by a devil,
Jesus, to whom Barabbas was preferred,
Jesus, shamefully stripped of Thy garments,
Jesus, crowned with thorns and saluted in derision,
Jesus, laden with the Cross, and disowned by Thy people,
Jesus, overwhelmed with insults, sorrow, and humiliations,
Jesus, sorrowful unto death,
Jesus, insulted, spat upon, beaten, outraged and scoffed at,
Jesus, hanged on the infamous tree in company with robbers,
Jesus, set at nought and deprived of honor before men,
Jesus, overwhelmed with all kinds of sorrow,

O Good Jesus, who has suffered an infinity of insults and humiliations for love of me, imprint deeply on my heart a great love and appreciation for them, and the desire to endure them willingly for Thee. Amen.

In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Christ had to Suffer

It was absolutely necessary for Christ to suffer. His passion was unavoidable. Christ always knew the reason He was born was to die on the Cross. He never avoided His destiny. The Cross is Christ's glorification. We too are called to glory in our own sufferings. Listen to the words of Saint Peter: "When a man can suffer injustice and endure hardship through his awareness of God's presence, this is the work of grace in him. It was for this you were called, since Christ suffered for you in just this way and left you an example, to have you follow in His footsteps. He did no wrong; no deceit was found in His mouth. When He was insulted, He returned no insult. When He was made to suffer, He did not counter with threats. Instead, He delivered Himself up to the One who judges justly. In His own body He brought your sins to the Cross, so that all of us, dead to sin, could live in accord with God's will. By His wounds you were healed. At one time you were straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd, the guardian of you souls."

In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Humility

No one makes us angry. Anger is our own emotional response to someone's behavior or to an event. It is easy to react to annoyances and disappointments with anger. It is much more difficult to react with understanding and empathy. It is very difficult not to respond to anger with even more anger. However, when we respond to anger with empathy and even love, we can often diffuse hatred and convert our enemies into friends.

Humility allows us to acknowledge we are God's creatures. We were created for Him and not for our own self-glorification. Humility allows us to acknowledge the dignity of all human beings. Humility is the best way to combat the angry passions of others. Through humility we can turn our enemies into friends. When we meditate upon the first decade of the Holy Rosary we ask God for the grace to be humble.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching