Comments on: Sunday, 5/19/19 – What Kind of World Would It Be? https://www.acatholic.org/sunday-5-19-19-what-kind-of-world-would-it-be/ DAILY MASS READINGS AND REFLECTIONS @ ACATHOLIC.ORG Mon, 20 May 2019 00:56:35 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Anonymous https://www.acatholic.org/sunday-5-19-19-what-kind-of-world-would-it-be/#comment-15274 Mon, 20 May 2019 00:56:35 +0000 http://www.acatholic.org/?p=67214#comment-15274 Thank you very much and God bless you.

]]> By: Chris https://www.acatholic.org/sunday-5-19-19-what-kind-of-world-would-it-be/#comment-15273 Sun, 19 May 2019 18:02:52 +0000 http://www.acatholic.org/?p=67214#comment-15273 Joe, the title of your reflection “What kind of world would it be? Very catchy, caught my attention. I have often had that thought. I have tried to imagine a world without wars, strife of varying degrees from bullying to shooting people in religious houses.

A former boss would say to me when I complained about a co-worker “if we lived in a perfect world …!”. Jesus didn’t live in a perfect world and neither do we. Yes, our first reaction when betrayed is to do something about the problem we are facing. We don’t immediately think – let’s be kind, courteous, don’t strike back. As a 72 year old, I can tell you it has taken me years to learn not to react. This same former boss once said to me that whenever this particular co-worker irritated me I let her “get her hook into me and I tugged”. Those words stuck with me for the rest of my working days. As a Christian in the Catholic church, I listened to homilies on ‘love your neighbour as yourself’, ‘love others as I have loved you’. I am in the twilight of my life and it is still difficult to do. The story about the little girl is heartwarming. If every single person in the world had learned at that early age to respond as that little girl – what a wonderful world that would be? WOW, what kind of world would that be?

It is a long weekend in Canada where we are celebrating Victoria Day. Blessings to all. Have a great weekend, long or short.

]]> By: A https://www.acatholic.org/sunday-5-19-19-what-kind-of-world-would-it-be/#comment-15272 Sun, 19 May 2019 15:45:33 +0000 http://www.acatholic.org/?p=67214#comment-15272 I *would* like to know how the story ends. Is she still being bullied? As someone who was previously bullied, I struggle with how to teach my kids to stand up for themselves and how to reconcile it with Christian teaching. The best advice I got from my family was to hit a guy that had been bullying me. I even got specific advice as to where to hit him (on the nose, so it would hurt). Guess when the bullying finally stopped? So as much as I’m not in support of violence, I kind of am. I don’t want my kids to be bullied for as long as I was. Wherever I went, and we moved a lot, I was bullied. I didn’t have my great-uncle to give me the hitting advice earlier, but when I had him around, that’s the advice that worked. Worst advice: ignore it. Let it roll off your back like a duck.

]]> By: J https://www.acatholic.org/sunday-5-19-19-what-kind-of-world-would-it-be/#comment-15271 Sun, 19 May 2019 13:14:15 +0000 http://www.acatholic.org/?p=67214#comment-15271 Joe, thank you. Just met with some friends yesterday. One friend who I don’t see anymore on a regular basis made some subtle verbal attacks. I at least had the grace (thanks to God) not to respond but thought to myself “I’m going to make a point not to spend time with her in any way”. After reading your reflection I know she needs prayers (add we’r all do) and my friendship love. Thank you for helping to open my eyes.

]]> By: Anonymous https://www.acatholic.org/sunday-5-19-19-what-kind-of-world-would-it-be/#comment-15270 Sun, 19 May 2019 13:06:46 +0000 http://www.acatholic.org/?p=67214#comment-15270 Thank you Joe! Your reflection blessed me. I was bullied as a little girl and wish I would have responded this way. Instead it hurt my feelings, my confidence, it embarrassed me, and later on I bullied someone else. It’s a dangerous cycle that happens all too often.
Praying now for my grandchildren, that they will have the heart of Jesus to fight back with love. ❤️

]]> By: Anonymous https://www.acatholic.org/sunday-5-19-19-what-kind-of-world-would-it-be/#comment-15269 Sun, 19 May 2019 11:36:27 +0000 http://www.acatholic.org/?p=67214#comment-15269 Great message for all of us. The simplest act from a young girl teaches and reminds us of the most basic christian principle. Being Catholic is one thing. Putting it all to work is another. Thank you Joe

]]> By: Anonymous https://www.acatholic.org/sunday-5-19-19-what-kind-of-world-would-it-be/#comment-15268 Sun, 19 May 2019 11:23:17 +0000 http://www.acatholic.org/?p=67214#comment-15268 Too much Joe…But I often think we think about stuff and analyze and contemplate things too much. Too much sometimes that we don’t just act. I think many times, we get in our own way. We may read the readings, and of course, there may be two or three or four or more different meanings we can take from them on any given day. But I think most times, it is so simple.

]]> By: Leslie Judd https://www.acatholic.org/sunday-5-19-19-what-kind-of-world-would-it-be/#comment-15267 Sun, 19 May 2019 09:39:00 +0000 http://www.acatholic.org/?p=67214#comment-15267 Your piece really gets to the heart of the matter of being Christian, clear, no holds barred: the ultimate thing we need to do (love our neighbour) and the ultimate challenge (loving neighbours who aren’t nice to you). Jesus calls on us to “be perfect”. To achieve perfection in anything in life requires constant effort, commitment, sacrifice, humility. “Loving our neighbour” no matter what is the effort, commitment, sacrifice, humility we need to deploy in the task of becoming perfect.

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