19 February 2022 | 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time | Fr Gerard Aynsley

Today is the seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. Mass comes to us today from Mercy Parish – Whānau Aroha, Dunedin South. Our apologies there were a few technical glitches and sound is briefly distorted. How amazing and affirming. Each of us is God’s temple, the Spirit of God lives among us. And how scary, the implications are immense. Can I treat every other person I encounter as God’s temple? Recognise that God lives within them? Can I be as holy and perfect as God is, loving my neighbour and those I dislike as myself? This could seem overwhelming. Maybe we need to start small in our local ‘hood’, our sphere of influence. We live in a society where social media enables judgement and disparaging remarks to be instant if we perceive that something isn’t perfect, not up to standard. It’s easy to put down those that don’t think like we do, that don’t follow the rules. It is easy to share despair about what the world is coming to. But… if all are temples of God’s spirit we are called instead to have compassion for those that fall short. We can pray for those who think differently and for situations that are unjust, as well as working for justice. The Spirit of God lives in me, and you among us all, so therefore we can work to build a better world rather than focusing on its flaws. God sent Jesus not to condemn the world but to save it out of love. Permission to podcast / stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with