Editorial

We are called to bring love to a world where it often seems missing

It’s hard to love the world we live in.

We see nations at war overseas, resulting in the death of innocent civilians.

Religions are at odds, where one faith tradition wants to eliminate another faith tradition and is vocal about saying the other’s extermination is a priority.

Leaders in Central and South America continue to rule with iron fists—which are increasingly coming down hard on the Church—and do little to address the unhealthy political and economic situations that grip their countries.

And with November on the horizon, we cannot forget the partisan politics in the U.S. that are heating up and providing non-stop advertising, biased commentary and vitriolic rhetoric that leave many wondering where civility has gone in society.

It’s easy for us to say, “that’s the world we live in today,” but should that be our response? If it is, maybe we Christians are part of the problem.

As we see the chaos unfolding, are some responding by sheltering in a cocoon where they don’t allow outside things to influence their lives?

Are others responding by wearing blinders so they cannot see beyond what’s directly in front of them?

An exhaustive list with more reasons could be compiled, but we cannot forget: our faith teaches us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mt 22:39). And that tenet extends across political ideologies, cultures and faith traditions around the globe.

As the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops says on its website when addressing solidarity: “We are one  human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic and ideological differences. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be. Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in a shrinking world. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace.

“Pope Paul VI taught that ‘if you want peace, work for justice.’ The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict,” the bishops continued.

Violence and conflict have become too common, and we cannot forget the repercussions those situations have beyond their borders.

Loving our neighbor in committed loving service and fraternity has been a constant theme of Pope Francis for more than a decade now.

During an Angelus address in 2014, the Holy Father noted that “the whole of divine law can be summed up in our love for God and neighbor.”

These two commandents, he continued, “are, in fact, inseparable and complementary, two sides of the same coin. You cannot love God without loving your neighbor, and you cannot love your neighbor without loving God.”

Many, if not all of us, pray for peace in the world, for justice where injustice is prevalent on the globe, and for our nation’s leaders to be people of character who are committed to building a just society where all—from conception to natural death—are treated with dignity and respect. In these days and times, those petitions may seem unrealistic, but they must continue.

Sadly, there are some in society who feel called to judge others instead of praying for them. They allow political ideology to be their religion of choice. They, too, need our prayers.

We are called to be ministers of love, seeing Jesus in others and being Jesus to others, meant to go out in the world as agents of peace and reconciliation.

In the process, we pray that we, in our call to discipleship, become part of the solution.

—Mike Krokos