Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably heard that the Supreme Court legalized gay “marriage” yesterday. Social media was filled with people celebrating the ruling, using the hashtag #lovewins.
I, like many Christians, believe that marriage should only be between one man and one woman and that the legalization of same sex “marriage” is a grave error. However, we Christians should engage and respond to people who disagree with us with respect and, yes, love, in the way St. Paul describes it in the first letter to the Corinthians:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”
This passage is often read at weddings, but, married or not, we are all called to love every.single.person. in this way, the way Christ, the Bridegroom, loves His Bride, the Church. For a person as uncharitable and hard hearted as I am, that’s an extremely tall order. It’s so much easier for me to give a sharp response, to defend myself with ugly words, to hurt the other person as much as they’ve hurt me. In other words, doing the exact opposite of what Christ taught.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, …Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Let’s face it: we aren’t going to win souls for Christ with ugly words. Yes, we absolutely should correct those who are in error; it’s one of the works of mercy! And yes, we are allowed to defend ourselves when attacked. But nothing is accomplished when we heap anger upon anger, vengeance upon persecution. When that happens, the Enemy, the real enemy, has won.
Friends, we are blessed to have the true version of #lovewins: Christ on the Cross. Instead of giving in and letting forth anger, let’s challenge each other to show Christ’s sacrificial love to all our brothers and sisters, to show them that Love does indeed win.
“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy. …I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”