Embrace the Civilization of Love

11-04-2018Weekly ReflectionFr. John Sims Baker

In our country these days, we are met by the news of intentional evil acts of violence on an almost daily basis. In the same week, for example, of the killings at the synagogue in Pittsburgh, there were also shootings at a grocery store in Kentucky and an arrest in the case of the pipe bombs mailed to politicians.

Evil is the only word for such acts. Furthermore, these acts do not come from nowhere. In each of these cases, and dozens more like them, the perpetrators had immersed themselves in evil for some time. They had thought evil thoughts and spoken evil words which led to their evil acts. Our culture tolerates and even celebrates evil thoughts, words, and images in a way that would have been inconceivable in the past. Tolerance for evil leads to more evil.

This progression of evil can happen in our own lives, even if in less dramatic ways. On a large scale, the toleration of evil will destroy our culture. Beginning in our own lives and homes, we must reject the culture of death and embrace the civilization of love.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8

Faithfully,

Fr. Baker

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