We live in a society where so many seek vengeance or revenge. We hear of teenagers taking out a gun and killing people at the McDonald’s in downtown Chicago; we hear of a drug deal gone wrong in front of the train station in downtown Jackson, with several victims hospitalized with severe wounds and others killed; we hear of a drive-by shooting near the governor’s mansion in downtown Jackson; we hear too often of a mass shooting by a teenager in a school. All these incidents have happened in the last couple of months. Why are people turning to violence? Why are people seeking to bring harm to others, to strangers or to those to whom they hold a grudge? What we see all too often are actions that are the opposite of Jesus’ message of loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us.
At our mission site in Saltillo, Mexico which Bishop Kopacz and I visited last week, we saw a lot of love and solidarity and healing, of people of God working together, united by their faith. This all happens in the midst of poverty and a very challenging reality. The fruits of what we saw last week was not something that happened by accident or by chance. Rather, 53 years ago, priests from our Diocese here in Mississippi started a mission ministry down in Mexico where many priests and lay people have been contributing ever since. We felt a spirit of love, healing, and solidarity down in the missions, not a message of hatred or anger or vengeance or revenge. Yet, we know that this is not easy. It is hard work. It is give and take. It is perseverance and commitment. It is forgiveness and working together and unity. May we hear this Gospel message today calling us to this same work in our daily lives and in our families.
No comments:
Post a Comment