Homily, November 24, 2024
From The Pastor
“You have heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father…” Matthew 5:43-45.
This is a familiar and widely known saying, and the way of life for Jesus. I was confused and perplexed to read that a widely traveled Catholic writer, teacher, and homilist has heard from pastors of all denominations that they are afraid to preach on this passage fearing a backlash from their congregations. Given the heightened political and social tensions in recent years, strengthened by fears the pandemic created, it is not hard to understand this hesitation. We are all aware of the increase in harsh judgements, fear, and hate of one side against the other, each claiming the other side is wrong.
The social impact on Church and society is undeniable. People are less at peace, more anxious about the future, and fearful to socially engage outside their personal circle of friends. We have become a we-against-them culture. In the way of Jesus, a house divided cannot stand.
This kind of society is not healthy. Minds and hearts are stressed. People look for places of respite and find trouble finding them. Many begin to wonder about the evidence and the reality of God. Where is God? Why is God not adding his voice and direction? The evidence of these dispositions are not hard to see. Our souls tell us they are present and bearing their effect.
A proven source of human decline in the quality of life is seen in the loss of hope. Without hope life becomes dull without imagination or motivation. A loss of hope can come through boredom, monotony, drudgery, or the weight of never getting ahead. Hope is also lost against the weight of fear, hate, and a steady rhythm of social and political divisions. Relationships weaken, people are more inclined to disengage; to become more defensive against those we perceive as taking away what I value, believe in, or have worked hard for. People can begin to cling to gospel values in rigidly, holding defensive moral rightness that creates another layer of me against those who do not think like me. To consider loving one’s enemy in this scenario feels heretical.
Today is the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Jesus is our hope and promise in uncertain times of social and spiritual confusion. This feast was initiated by Pope Pius XI in 1925 at the end of World War I. The purpose was to push back the forces of hate, fear, and suspicion caused by the trauma of war, communism, and wavering faith. At the end of the liturgical year, this feast reminds and restores us in the promise and truth of Jesus as Lord and Christ. Hate and fear are defeated in the truth of Christ’s love.
With bold and lively faith in the conviction of Divine Love given to us in the Lord Jesus, we can rebuild hope and goodness through mature expressions of love. God is real. God is present, and God is active within and among us. We must allow these truths to become more than words. If we hold these only as comforting spiritual words, Jesus will never be real enough. Jesus will never feel like the truth and life he professes to be. It begins with our faith in God as the essence of love, trusting in the mystery of the Incarnation of God in the person of Jesus revealed through his death and Resurrection.
To embrace Jesus as God, fully human and fully Divine holds that in perfect love Jesus surrendered to his death on the Cross to defeat the lies, deception, and chaos of evil. The Christian truth is either all true or none of it is true. Who could make this story up? Jesus is real. We are forgiven. We are redeemed in the power of love expressed and poured out by Jesus to set us free. To live this truth is to love our enemies and pray for those who are against us. It means we forgive others as we are forgiven, even as we persist in the works of justice. To ignore love of neighbor makes the Christian name impotent and meaningless.
The challenge and the call is not only to admire Jesus, but to imitate him. When Jesus called us to love our enemies, he was not kidding. He did this very thing for each of us when we were dead in sin. Jesus forgave those who hated him and put him on that Cross. “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” That includes you and me. To not forgive binds love. It binds the unforgiver and the unforgiven. Love comes to a halt. Peace is lost.
In the Sovereignty and authority of Christ we are saved. Grasp hope. Put hope into action with gratitude in the promise of your salvation. Work to bring peace to the world. Pray for your enemies. Do not bind yourself in judgment and anger. God’s love for you is personal and alive. Do not waste that love. Share it. Give it away with love, mercy, and forgiveness, tolerance, and acceptance. You will become a light in the darkness bringing hope to others. Thank you for allowing me to preach the love and mercy of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Father John Esper
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