“My daughter, in this meditation, consider the love of neighbour. Is your love for your neighbour guided by My love? Do you pray for your enemies? Do you wish well to those who have, in one way or another, caused you sorrow or offended you? Know that whatever good you do to any soul, I accept it as if you had done it to Me”. Divine Mercy in My Soul # 1768
I sit here this morning looking at the news of the day. You all know I don’t like looking at the news, it’s always so depressing and often infuriating. But, it can be so difficult to avoid, news is everywhere all the time.
So, as I sit here I think of the biggest stories being driven by the news agenda. It stands out to me that for the past fifty or so years good men and women have stood peacefully against Roe V Wade and abortion. We have marched calmly and stood prayerful watches at abortion clinics. We stood up, staffed and funded life centers to give other options to ending a baby’s life.
Now, just days after the Supreme Court ruled abortion isn’t Constitutional and should go to the states, a spate of violence and a call for a summer of violent protests is being called for. Specific calls to protest against the Catholic Church, disrupt Masses and even calls to attack Catholic buildings and Catholics themselves. There have been notable arsons against Catholic Churches and Life Centers. A historic church in WV and a Catholic bookstore in Houston just in two days have been burned. A Life Center was vandalized with derogatory painted slanders and burned. I’m sure much more to come.
“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.” Leviticus 19:18
We are still called to turn the other cheek and love – love even the most hardened haters and sinner.
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21
Why do so many hate the Catholic Church? Let Jesus Himself answer, “And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.” John 3:19-21
Think of a time when your actions were met with anger and revilement. How did you react? Was your reaction one of holiness or backlash? Why should we endure these attacks? Again, I’ll let Jesus in His words explain…
““Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11-12
Next time, turn your cheek and offer heartfelt prayers. Everyday pray for those you read about in the news who ‘hate’ – you may be their only hope to find salvation and love.