Â
If you have watched some of the news lately, you have seen the hatred of thousands of Muslims against our Holy Father, Pope Benedict.
Â
Is it surprising? No, it is not. Is it frightening and disturbing, seeing Muslims burn effigies of our beloved Pope and call for his murder? Yes, it is.
Â
How do we respond to such hatred and murderous violence? Should we fear Muslims and hate them in return, burning effigies of them and trying to murder them? No, for Jesus wants us instead to love them.
Â
We must love them as Jesus loved the scribes and Pharisees whom he called “children of the devil” and who murdered him, following their demonic father.
We must love them as Jesus loved us who, though our sins, are also responsible for his agony and death.
We must love them as Jesus loves all Muslims, giving his life for their sins.
Â
Jesus could stop all this hatred right now. He could stop it in the blink of an eye in any number of ways, but instead, he allows them to hate, to commit crimes, to hurt his Vicar, the Pope, and to hurt other Christians who have only done good to them. Jesus gently and powerfully calls for their conversion of heart, from hatred to love, and he wants his children, we Christians, to show Muslims the face of love, His Holy Face.
Â
Pray for Muslims–especially the silent ones who implicitly condone their co-religionists’ murders and hatred–and pray for our Holy Father, for the grace he needs from Jesus to stand firm in love and in truth.
