To love your enemy is a challenge. And it is not made any easier with Jesus’ examples of love: offering the other cheek to be struck, giving your cloak to the person who takes your coat, and going helping more when you are forced to help a little. Why would God want us to suffer more hurt than we must?

But Jesus’ words are not about suffering. Jesus’ words are about loving. Jesus’ words are about seeing everyone as God sees them, especially those who hurt so much that they behave badly. Still, does Jesus’ really believe that we can “be perfect”?

Only when we try to love perfectly and fail can we truly appreciate how special it is to be loved by God.

Only then can we realize that God’s love for us is truly unconditional. God loves us because we are. And God is. That is a joyful thing. And when we try to see and try to love others as God sees and loves them, then we can begin to imagine how God can love even us.

Scripture lessons for todayLeviticus 19:1-2,9-181 Corinthians 3:10-11,16-23Matthew 5:38-48Psalm 119:33-40

Scripture lessons for next weekExodus 24:12-182 Peter 1:16-21Matthew 17:1-9Psalm 2

Following the Light of Perfect Love–By Louis Powell

Upcoming Birthday CelebrationsFebruary 24 Nancy CollinsFebruary 25 John StiversFebruary 26 Schwartz BoothFebruary 27 Norah StrawserFebruary 28 Linda BradleyFebruary 28 Sarah FelsingerMarch 4 Ellika DwelleMarch 8 Ian McPhail

Watch over thy children, O Lord, as their days increase;

bless and guide them wherever they may be. Strengthen them when they stand;

comfort them when discouraged or sorrowful; raise them up if they fall; and in their hearts may thy peace

which passeth understanding abide all the days of their lives;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany — February 23, 2014

All Saints’WWW.ALLSAINTSCARMEL.ORGThe Weekly

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Unwarranted Love–By Rev. John BurkeMost people in this age have forgotten that the Code of Hammarabi when originally promulgated was viewed as excessively liberal and possibly socially destructive as it did nothing to discourage crime. After all, if the worst punishment you could endure, as a law breaker, was the same as the harm you inflicted, where was the prohibitive effect let alone meaningful punishment.

Jesus goes even further. Evil is not to be countered with evil, but, rather with totally unwarranted and unconditional love. Nothing could be more contrary to our natural inclinations. Our modern society demands that we prevent aggression by carrying a bigger stick than our enemies or even, if excessively threatened, to hit them before they have a chance to hit us.

This Sunday’s gospel admonition to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us is equated with being children of God and should probably be considered a prerequisite of membership in God’s kingdom. Only when we can forget ourselves sufficiently to really demonstrate love of our neighbors, can we hope to manifest the Light of Christ. Even as Christ was the Light of his world, so we too are called be his light bearers in our age, and by our light overcome the darkness of our age.

A New Mind and a New Heart –By Bill ReedThe radical call of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is unfolded in Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount. Just as Moses ascended Mount Sinai to receive and then proclaim God’s own Law, Jesus speaks the words of the New Law as He teaches from His mount. The Old Law spoke to a change of life and action, whereas the New Law, which is filled with grace, cuts deeper and to the heart, asking for a new mind and new heart, transformed by love. If the Ten Commandments say “You shall not kill,” Jesus tells us further we should not be angry, but if we are, we should rush to reconcile with our brother or sister before we worship. Jesus had no illusions about our broken minds and hearts; He knew we would be angry. But He nevertheless wanted to be clear that anger, outrage, self-righteousness and justice waiting to be vindicated do not characterize the new world He was bringing to birth. By word and example, He would make forgiveness, mercy, peace and reconciliation the hallmarks of the Kingdom. He further offers us the grace of His Holy Spirit because He knows that the death of the old self and the birth of the new, filled with love, cannot happen except in communion with Him.

All Saints’ Day School GalaPurchase your tickets online at:

http://goo.gl/EK36Pe

Visit our website to download or read a series of daily reflections, and prayers throughout Lent. This e-book has been prepared by the Society of St. Andrew. “Gleaning America’s fields ~ feeding America’s hungry”

http://www.allsaintscarmel.org/2014/02/end-hunger-2014-lenten-study/

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Love your Enemies –By Robin Denney

In the Gospel reading today Jesus says “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Who are your enemies? Who do you disagree deeply with? Who annoys you? Who makes you angry? What group of people are beyond your compassion? Criminals, murderers, pedophiles, terrorists, political parties, corrupt officials… I like to think that I don’t have enemies, but when I look at that list, I begin to squirm. Jesus calls us to love and to pray for them. That love and that prayer changes us. The more we think of them in prayer and love, the more we recognize the dignity of every human being, and the less we are able to stereotype. Our hearts are made soft, and we are able to listen, and to see injustices we could not see before. The act of praying and loving our enemies will eventually lead us to live our lives differently, and we will, in a very real way, begin to break the cycles of revenge that plague our world.

The the World into Change–By Robin Denney

On my very first week as a missionary in South Sudan I was interviewing one of the Bishops. He quoted from the Gospel reading we had today, and told me that Jesus’ message of “love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you,” is the only message in the world today that gives his conflict-torn country a hope for a future. It is the only message that can overcome the deep divides of hatred and revenge left by fifty years of war. He went on to explain that Jesus’ love is a radical love. It isn’t a love we possess ourselves, but a love that comes directly from Jesus that empowers us to love our enemy. Bishop Ezekiel inspired me that day to understand the Gospel in a different way. There are 2 billion Christians in the world, and if we were all to live our lives by this statement, the world would be a different place indeed. Each of us have a responsibility as we pray for world peace to also act in love and prayer in our own lives. Together we can make a difference; together we can love the world into change.

We give thanks to Steve Greebing, owner of the Carmel Coffee House & Roasting Company and From Scratch for his donation of six bistro tables that make our lower patio an attactive and hospitable space for visitors and members.

AnnouncementsToday: The Vestry now meets on the last Sunday of the month at 1:30,pm in the library.

Wednesday: Join us for Bible study from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. in Grant Hall as we explore Jesus’ life in a chronological study of the Gospels.

Wednesday: Christian yoga with Beth Lefebvre at 6:30 p.m. in Seccombe Hall.

Next Sunday: Evensong, a traditional Anglican service of music, prayer, and reflection, will be offered March 2 at 5:30 p.m.

Shrove Tuesday pancake supper—This year, our traditional supper will feature crêpes (they’re pancakes, too!) with a variety of sweet and savory fillings provided potluck-style by members, in addition to the typical side dishes and American pancakes that we’ve enjoyed in past years. Join us in Seccombe Hall at 5:30 p.m. on March 4.

Ash Wednesday is March 5. Services will be held at noon and 7:00 p.m. Bishop Mary will be our celebrant at the evening service.

Our annual Lenten soup suppers will begin on Wednesday, March 12. Dinner begins at 6:00 p.m., followed by Lenten presentations by Bishop Mary, Canon Jesus Reyes, Ed Fincke, Canon Brian Nordwick, Frank Graham, and others. A children’s program will be offered in the library. Don’t miss this Lenten opportunity for fellowship and spiritual growth!

New staff and new e-mail addresses—As we prepare to hire two part-time employees, Greg Troxell (who will be leaving All Saints’ staff on February 28) has created two distinct e-mail addresses for the new staff. For print, web, and advertising needs, please send e-mail to: communications@allsaintscarmel.org. For all business administration needs, use admin@allsaintscarmel.org.

Reclaiming the Gospel of Peace: An Episcopal gathering to challenge the epidemic of violence will take place in Oklahoma City April 9–11, 2014. Would you be interested in attending? A partial scholarship is available; contact the church office. More information is available at http://epiok.org/reclaiming-the-gospel-info.

Pastoral care transportation help—The pastoral care team is putting together a list of potential drivers for members who need help with transportation, such as for a medical appointment. If you’d be willing to occasionally give a fellow member a lift, please contact Susan Stanton via the office.

Sunday handout deadline—To be included in next Sunday’s handout, your announcement must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on the preceding Wednesday. Most special parish events are included in the announcements for three weeks before they occur. Contact Andrea Matters at andreamatters@gmail.com or 624-3090.

Highlighted Events and MeetingsFebruary 25 All Saints’ Singers

Rehearsal

February 26 Wednesday Bible Study

Yoga

Vestry Meeting

February 28 I-Help Dinner

March 1 Tom Brown’s requiem and reception

March 4 Shrove Tuesday Dinner

March 5 Wednesday Bible Study

Ash Wednesday Liturgies

March 8 ASDS Spring Auction “A Roaring Twenties Gala: The Magic of Dreams”

All Saints’ ParishDisciples Glorifying Christ and Serving Others