euphemos

First Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 22

Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.

Saint Gregory the Great taught that there are three types of temptation. They are suggestion, delight, and consent.

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 79

When I was in kindergarten, I met my first bully. I don’t remember his name, but I remember getting punched when we were out on the playground. My teacher told my mom I needed to fight back. My mom told me to turn the other cheek. I spent the rest of the year avoiding the bully.

When I was in about the fourth grade, I met my second bully. John Paul picked on me, and picked on my sister, and picked on the other kids in the neighborhood. He lived waaaaay down the road, but made the two mile trip on his bike just to hassle us. Mostly, we tried to ignore him. One day, he stole the jump-rope my sister got for her birthday, and stood there making fun of her while she cried.

I beat the snot out of him. 

Today’s long gospel is… really long. The short version I just proclaimed is… short, but maybe not super clear. So, Let me explain… No, there is too much. Let me sum up:  Righteousness is not about just following rules of behavior. It is about our heart.