We stand against violence and hatred, but we should not become violence and hatred

 Over the last week it has been possible to witness the things that can divide us.  It has also drawn much commentary which seeks to understand what is happening and the potential fallout for the rest of the world. During the week I have been revisiting my reflection on Jacques Philippe’s book on the Beatitudes, The Eight Doors. In it, he talks about when choosing a response between force and love we should always choose love. This is not because we are doormats but because we seek to recognise the dignity of each person and it is only by loving what we consider unlovable that we can restore and reconcile the other. As we know hate breeds hate and violence breeds violence. As Odette Churchill noted after her incarceration at Ravensbrook it is easy to see how the parasite of evil can transfer between hosts to infect the whole world. While we are called to stand against violence and hatred, we should not become violence and hatred.

The three parables for this weekend start with the words the Kingdom of God is like. This continues to draw on the image of the Sower that we heard from last week but also shows the reality of how an enemy will sow darnel in the field. This is often the contradiction that we see in our world today where people are quick to sow the words of hatred, suspicion, and division. Words that seek peace, hope and charity are often lost in the crowd. This is where we need to have a discerning heart because the voice of Jesus and the voice of the enemy can seem similar but are distinct.

The word of Jesus will show itself in the fruits it produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control whereas the fruits of the evil one lead hatred, despair, conflict, impatience, cruelty, malice, betrayal, lack of self-restraint and harshness. When we become aware of these conflicting voices in our lives there is a tendency to try and root them out. Yet it is through faithful listening that God is present and helps us to recognise the different voices. We are called to follow the voice of Jesus who will bring us to life and live it to the full.

As St Paul says to the Romans the Spirit comes to help us in our weakness. Our prayer is not about finding the right words but a heartfelt desire to encounter the mind and heart of God. We see this in the Gospel that even the smallest act of kindness can provide shelter and comfort to others and can provide the leaven that produce a way of being present for the good of others.

How then can we live Christian lives in times of uncertainty and fear? It is easy to see how we can be caught up in a polemic which only increases tensions and divides people one against another. It can be seen too easily in racism, nationalism or sexism. The ability to take sides seems to be somehow too easy. Rather than seek to build bridges it is easier to build walls. These shuts people out not just in manmade structures but also in the barbed wire we wind around our hearts which stop others from coming too close.

So, when we look at the readings for this weekend there is a sense of a search that distinguishes power and authority. Wisdom helps us to witness how God’s Holy Spirit guides us to make good choices not just for ourselves but for the common good. A virtuous person seeks to discover an equanimity that seeks to grow in a healthy and lifegiving relationship with another person. What we see is not an attitude of retribution that seeks to judge or harshness on the other person. Rather it seeks to face the truth with faith, hope and love. In this way we do not allow one evil to breed new evils.