In my job I cannot show prejudice. If those who work with me or under me dislike me, or even hate me, I must be fair to them. It’s not because of workers rights, or peoples rights, it’s not because of unions or fear of intimidation, it is because I am a Catholic. It is because the bible says that I must be so.
We all know the person who says “ If that’s the game she want to play, I go do for she.” Or the man who says “Move from me! I is not yuh friend.” Even people who consider themselves Christian say hurtful things to other Christians just because they do not belong to their denomination.
What Jesus is saying is that he wants Mercy. So we beg for his mercy, but do we ourselves give mercy, even in circumstances where rules and policies demand action to be taken. One day I was stopped by a policeman. Neither myself nor my passenger had our seat belts on. My passenger would have received a ticket valued at $1000 and I would have received two tickets each valued at $1000. That is not a little bit of money, so I did what many men would do in such a circumstance. I begged for Mercy. We were let off with a caution and a speech about road safety. He got nothing in return, but I now make sure I put on my seat belt.
This mercy that God is asking for, this perfection that Jesus is propagating, cannot be had without the grace of God and the intervention of the Holy Spirit in our lives. So today and everyday pray to be a good witness for God’s love.
There is truth in what you say, often from the people who pride themselves on "tolerance". Arthur Schlesinger, the historian, said that anti-Catholicism was America's longest and most ingrained prejudice. But like the man said, what other institution has stood up to 2 thousand years of pillory and attack from all sides. You're right, the best thing to do is be a witness rather than argue points. I lost one of my oldest friends because he can't let go of this hatred for the Catholic Church.
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