Tuesday – St. Vincent de Paul

Gospel – Luke9:51-56

Move On

St Peter’s Church, Capernaum

A boy was born to a couple after eleven years of marriage. They were a loving couple and the boy was the apple of their eyes. When the boy was around two years old, one morning the husband saw a medicine bottle open. He was late for work so he asked the wife to cap the bottle and keep it in the cupboard. The mother, preoccupied in the kitchen, totally forgot the matter.

The boy saw the bottle and playfully went to the bottle and, fascinated with its color, drank it all. It happened to be a poisonous medicine meant for adults in small dosages. When the child collapsed, the mother hurried him to the hospital, where sadly he died. The mother was stunned. She was terrified how to face her husband.

When the distraught father came to the hospital and saw the dead child, he looked at his wife and uttered just four words..  What do you think were the four words?

The husband just said “I Love You Darling”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is making His final journey to Jerusalem.  As He and the disciples pass near a Samaritan town, they are refused passage, in fact not even simple hospitality. The disciples are upset and ask Jesus to rain down fire on the village.  Jesus’ response?  Let it go!  Move on!  Don’t return their anger and hatred or rejection with that of your own!

Sometimes we spend time asking who is responsible or who to blame, whether in a relationship, in a job or with the people we know. We miss out some warmth in human relationships in giving each other support. After all, shouldn’t forgiving someone we love be the easiest thing in the world to do? Treasure what you have. Don’t multiply pain, anguish and suffering by holding on to forgiveness.

Instead of cursing those around us or letting our anger get the better of us, let us reach out to God in prayer and ask for the strength and wisdom to respond to the negative with love and compassion.

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