In yesterday’s readings, we heard a lot about love and marriage. There is so much hate in this world, so much intolerance, but we as Catholic Christians are called to be love in this world. How do we do that when hate and dislike is so much easier? Some of the examples I will share are simple, but they are not easy.
Social Media
Before you post anything, take a moment to stop and pray. Is it really necessary for you to share with the Internet what you are about to post? Is it charitable? Will it point people towards Christ? If you are commenting on someone else’s post, stop and process through the same questions. When you are reading something, stop and pray. I promise you that 9 times out of 10 that person is not trying to attack you and is not trying to make you feel bad. I know for myself, I write and rewrite my written correspondence at least 3 times and run it by at least 2 people before sending it and inevitably the person is offended anyway because they added tone where there was none or felt attacked when that was not the intent. This leads to my next example.
Communication
Before you respond to someone, stop and pray. Pray for clarity and peace. When you are more calm, maybe go see the person face to face or call them to get a better understanding of where they are coming from. Even in your romantic relationships this can be helpful. For the last couple of years, my husband and I have had this revolving argument. He was thinking I was ignoring what he was saying and I was interpreting what he was saying differently than what he thought he was portraying. He finally changed his wording and my brain was able to process his frustration in a way that finally made sense to me. It was a long process, but because we were able to step back from the anger and frustration to say, “I don’t think I understand what you are trying to say, can we start at square one” we were able to communicate better and start the healing process. How many times has communication been the detriment of relationships? Try to set aside your pride and work to communicate and listen better. Your relationships will blossom with clarity and patience.
Public
This one is especially difficult. When we want that driver to get off the road, maybe pray that they have a blessed day and get home safely. When we are aggravated with the sales clerk, tell them thank you for working in such a thankless job that most people wouldn’t be able to handle. When the wait staff is slow and you should have had your food a long time ago, pray for patience for yourself and the other patrons and for understanding to accept that not all things come with instant gratification.
Yes, I know that these things are often easier said than done, but we are called to be like Jesus. He ruffled feathers to lead people toward better choices. If you truly believe in the faith you profess, then being the bigger person is part of the commitment. Can we commit to trying to be better humans this week? Can we bite our tongues, resist the debate, not post that post? Can we show Christ through our actions, our compassion, our gratitude, and our love this week? I believe we can. Let’s do it together and make our community a little bit better.
Have a happier, healthier, and more Christ-like week! See you in the Eucharist.
