Beloved: where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity. These words are drawn from the Letter of Saint James. On this 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Lectionary offers a third of five passages over successive weeks from this book of Sacred Scripture.
Even as I am working on this article, some texts have been exchanged between a group of priest peers, regarding recent events in Springfield, Ohio—accusations leveled against Haitian immigrants. What most fuels misunderstanding and misinformation? I fear that all too often it is a distorted desire to have an advantage over someone.
We have recently received the latest edition of the Northeast Ohio Catholic magazine. The cover story relates an amazing account of a young man from the African country of Togo and his journey to the United States, fraught with deceit and abuse, that has nonetheless given way to freedom and marriage and family. The sufferings that Kwami Adoboe-Herrera endured could have resulted in bitterness and a desire for revenge. Instead, Kwami has chosen the path of mercy, reflecting the admonition of Saint James. To quote Kwami:
I don’t want to imprison myself by being angry at him, So, I decided to forgive him. I pray for him every single day. God wants me to forgive him. God has forgiven me for all my sins and, so, it is the right thing for me to forgive my abused for what he did to me.
Beloved, this is the kind of “gospel virus” we need to spread more widely over the Church and all of society.
I will dedicate the remainder of this column to reprinting a prayer that has been shared with me recently. I pray it will bring encouragement and hope to us—reminding us that we must only and always place our trust in the Lord and not in earthly princes:
Prayer for the Consecration of the Election to the Blessed Virgin Mary:
Mary Immaculate, living tabernacle of the Divinity, where the eternal Wisdom lies hidden to be adored and served by angels and men, Queen of heaven and of earth, beneath whose sway are subject all things that are lower than God, Patroness of the United States of America, sorrowful and mindful of our own sinfulness and the sins of our nation, we come to Thee, our refuge and hope.
Knowing that our country cannot be saved by our own works and mindful of how much our nation has departed from the ways of Thy Son, we humbly ask that Thou wouldst turn Thine eyes upon our country to bring about its conversion.
We consecrate to Thee the integrity of the upcoming election and its outcome, so that what is spiritually and morally best for the citizens of our country may be accomplished, and that all of those who are elected would govern according to the spiritual and moral principles which will bring our nation into conformity with the teachings of Thy Son.
Give grace to the citizens of this land so that they will choose leaders according to the Sacred Heart of Thy Son, that His glory may be made manifest, lest we be given the leaders we deserve.
Trusting in the providential care of God the Father and Thy maternal care, we have perfect confidence that Thou wilst take care of us and will not leave us forsaken. O Mary Immaculate, pray for us. Amen.
Let His Peace be with you,
Fr. Stephen
