I got to thinking tonight that we live in a world that increasingly demonizes the holy and deifies the demonic.
What do I mean?
Our culture deifies rebellion, promiscuity, violence, division, hate, suspicion, and the castigating of our ‘enemies’, real or imagined, all in a mad rush for the accrual of power, wealth, prestige, and pleasure. It pits us against each other as demonic beings who threaten each other’s joy and security.
Whilst doing this, it mocks prayer, patience, mercy, forgiveness, and selflessness as the traits of the mousy and weak. It revels in vengeance, and views justice as a matter of retribution. Our enemies, real or imagined, aren’t to be forgiven, but to be ruthlessly crushed. I see this from many who call themselves Catholics.
So the demonic runs free as we go after each other.
Yet, does not Christ teach mercy and forgiveness of our enemies? Does He not teach us to not see the enemy in the eyes of our brothers and sisters, but in the eyes of the demonic? Does He not teach us to stand our ground in humility and courage by turning the other cheek, not to return demonic interjection with more demonic interjections?
Yes, wrongs must be righted. The Gospel must be defended. Conversion, though, is never reached by the tip of a sword, but by the adherence to the holy.
There is plenty of room between the extremes of enabling sin and destroying the infidel.
Christ shows us this: Instead of talking smack about each other, (and Lord knows I do it too), perhaps taking that wasted time and energy, and redirecting it to prayer, kindly witness, courageous love, and a willingness to offer up fasting and abstinence for those doing harm might do much more than breeding division.
After all….isn’t that what Jesus witnessed from the Cross?
Originally posted to Facebook.
[See also: Why Are Catholics Leaving the Faith? This Brave Priest Reveals the Dangerous Culprit]
[See also: If a Man Wouldn’t Make a Good Husband & Dad, He Won’t Be a Good Priest Either]