Think Before You Hurt People

 Franklin Graham, a famous Evangelical preacher, gave one of the blessings for Donald Trump.  I couldn't believe he was so unconcerned about embarrassing and hurting former president Biden.  Graham is a man of God!  He was unabashedly mean. 

“Mr. President, in the last four years, there are times I’m sure you thought it was pretty dark,” Graham said.

 The next day, Bishop Marianne Budde, lectured the President and Vice President, right in front of their faces.  She has BIG cajónes!  I agree with her, not the president, on having mercy, but she was out of line.  She literally was holding them captive, while she lectured them.  Talk about a bully pulpit!!!!!

I know people have opinions, but expressing one's opinions has a place.  One shouldn't embarrass anyone.  How would you feel if someone did to you, what you are doing?  What's the matter with people?

Compassion Above Judgment

I can't get over this sermon by the pope, Saint Leo the Great.  He begins by quoting the Lord:

Unless your justice exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

St. Leo asks, "How can justice exceed?"  He then offers this as an answer, "...compassion is more than judgment."

The saint then explains that since we are made in the image and likeness of God, and to work towards perfection to be more like God, then:

With strict vengeance removed and the cessation of all punishment, the guilty man was restored to innocence, and the end of wickedness became the beginning of virtue.

Isn't this starting all over?  Giving someone another chance?  Would not the man work hard to stay away from wickedness?  After all, he would know the consequences. 

This would be the wisdom of the drunk, the voice of experience, the hope of the Christian.

Laugh till you Cry

Because I attended Sunday's Mass in the Hispanic Community, I had to really pay close attention to the Gospel, to understand it. The Gospel was about the Beatitudes. This is something that I've heard all my life and I'm sorry to say that it went in one ear and out the other. IOW, I never really meditated on it. But since it was in Spanish, the "Dichosos ustedes los que lloran ahora, porque al fin reiran;" forced me to concentrate.

"Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh."

Mmmmmmmm. What comes to mind?

At first, I thought of being so sad that you cry. You would cry when someone died. You'd cry over being hurt. But we also laugh so hard that you can cry. Well.....you can. And actually, that's what the beatitude means. When you react in a human way: sad or happy, cry or laugh, then you are blessed. You are blessed because God wants us to be compassionate. Compassion is being very human.

It is said that St. Dominic had the "Gift of Tears." Isn't that a beautiful way to say that he was very compassionate? We should all be so blessed.