Devotional Thought of the Day:

²¹  “You have heard that people were told in the past, ‘Do not commit murder; anyone who does will be brought to trial.’ ²² But now I tell you: if you are angry with your brother you will be brought to trial, if you call your brother ‘You good-for-nothing!’ you will be brought before the Council, and if you call your brother a worthless fool you will be in danger of going to the fire of hell.
Matthew 5:21-22 (TEV)

⁹ Love must be completely sincere. Hate what is evil, hold on to what is good. ¹⁰ Love one another warmly as Christians, and be eager to show respect for one another. ¹¹ Work hard and do not be lazy. Serve the Lord with a heart full of devotion. ¹² Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times. ¹³ Share your belongings with your needy fellow Christians, and open your homes to strangers. ¹⁴ Ask God to bless those who persecute you—yes, ask him to bless, not to curse. ¹⁵  Be happy with those who are happy, weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Have the same concern for everyone. Do not be proud, but accept humble duties. Do not think of yourselves as wise.
Romans 12:9-16 (TEV)

866         Violence is not a good method for convincing anyone… Even less is it so in the apostolate.

The answer to the title is simple to say, but very difficult to implement in our lives.

I am teaching a man, preparing him to serve more at church. He’s currently reading about the reformation and how violent it was. Catholics burning those who would attempt to break away, Henry ordering the death of many, Calvin and Zwingli and Luther were prone to violence as well.

It wasn’t right then, and the more subtle versions that exist today in the church are not righteous or holy either. Jesus, of course, anticipated our thoughts, actions, and words, when He laid out the understanding of sinning in Matthew’s gospel.

Pretty blunt, call your “enemy” or adversary names, deride their character and you are in danger of going to hell.

Even if their action would remove what the world considers your “rights”.

You are still to love them. You are still to be concerned about their life and their salvation. You are to ask God to bless them, rather than curse them. Do not take any violent action, wish that they get what they deserve.

This isn’t easy, in fact, it requires great faith. It requires us to look past what is “ours” to what is God’s.

We are.

We are His responsibility, and we are the way His love becomes known to a broken world that needs it. That mission, the reason that God is patient with us is more important than getting angry. And to remember that, when people are making decisions that cause you stress and anxiety when politicians are polarizing when you are dealing with violent threats yourself, requires great trust in God.

And that trust, that dependence, that faith requires us to know He is with us, to know His attitude toward us, to know His love for us, and to know that nothing can separate us from His love.

Knowing that… we can love them, and that love may be the very thing that allows them to see Jesus love for them revealed.

But it all comes back to walking with God…


Lord, send Your Spirit to strengthen us, to draw us so close to You that your love drives out all anxiety, all stress. Lord, help us to know you are with us. In Jesus name. AMEN!

Escriva, Josemaria. Furrow (Kindle Locations 3549-3550). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.