We are living in a time of widespread upheaval—a time that calls for new beginnings and reimagined coalitions and paradigms. Inherently, new beginnings are disorienting and anguishing. They build on the wreckage of what has been—yet without the stability of what shall be. As our familiar reference points dissolve, how do we find our way through the darkness into new beginnings?
As I listen to our community, these days, I hear a wide spectrum of feelings. The unifying feature is their intensity—and I resonate with all of them. From confusion, doubt, anxiety, fear, and anger to confidence, trust, hope and gratitude, our community is living in a liminal space. Our relationships are fractured by our politics, and people feel vulnerable and fragile.
It is into this time and place that we hear the provocative call of Christ from the Sixth Chapter of Luke’s Gospel: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
Wow! As we experience various stages of deep grief, fear, or confusion, how do we understand this challenge to love those who are causing this deep pain?
Reflecting on this Gospel in Luke, Pope Francis states directly, it is “evident that the Gospel is a new message that is difficult to carry forward… Of course, being Christian isn’t easy and we cannot become Christian with our own strength; we need the grace of God.”
Our faith calls us to bring justice and healing to our world. Pope Francis states, Jesus “is well aware that loving enemies exceeds our possibilities, but this is why he became man: not to leave us as we are, but to transform us into men and women capable of a greater love, that of his Father and ours. This is the love that Jesus gives to those who ‘hear him.’ Thus, it becomes possible! With him, thanks to his love, to his Spirit, we are able to love even those who do not love us, even those who do us harm.”
I find comfort in these words. And I yearn for ways to grow in this radical love of God and neighbor. What practices and actions help me in this transformation?
As I maneuver the minefields of these days, I am reminded of the consistent wisdom of our spiritual leaders. St. Vincent de Paul speaks about the need for absolute balance between prayer and action in his life. He writes, the more he embraced the discipline of prayer, the greater his ability to act in love. Fr. Richard Rohr speaks about the essential need for both prayer and action in the rhythm of life. Advocating for the integration of action and contemplation, he writes, “those who pray from the heart actually live in a very different world. I like to say it’s a Christ-soaked world, a world where matter is inspirited, and spirit is embodied.”
Our God is a merciful God. Our God is an active God. Our God is present here, today, in this moment. As we commit and recommit to time in prayer, we grow in our ability to know and trust God’s love. Always seeking spiritual progress, not perfection, we begin to get glimpses of ways to overcome the human instinct of retaliation and hatred.
In the book, The Human Condition, Fr. Thomas Keating reminds us God approaches us from many different perspectives, including through pain and suffering. Individually and collectively, we are called to be present to the triggers that bring grief, brokenness, or powerlessness to our lives. And as we listen, we are transformed and find healing.
With an ultimate trust that God is present in this moment—even this stressful, chaotic moment—may we begin to find the courage to love, to do good, to bless, and to pray for those who are the hardest people to accept. Leaning into this love, we can act boldly and transform our society—together.
Janice Andersen
Director of Christian Life