bigots, beware!
"If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own; the reason it hates you is that you do not belong to the world. But I chose you out of the world." —John 15:19
The world, that is, the system which operates irrespective of Jesus' lordship, hates Jesus and His disciples (Jn 15:18). If the world hates us, it is a good sign that we are true disciples of Jesus and do not belong to the world (Jn 15:19).
The world's hatred of Jesus and Christians is expressed in many ways, especially in anti-Catholic bigotry. Prejudice against Catholics is as old as the Roman emperors, Nero and Domitian, and as recent as the secular media's flagellation of the entire Church for the sexual sins of a few Catholic leaders. It is interesting to note that the secular media would never treat blacks, Jews, or homosexuals as they do Catholics. This would be the height of bigotry. Yet throughout American history, bigotry against Catholics often doesn't count as bigotry.
The sins of the members of the Catholic Church need to be relentlessly pointed out and repented of. However, the world's media wants to do something more. Bigotry is a moneymaker. However, bigotry is a sin. To castigate a sinner and then to be bigoted against that person's race or church is to join the ranks of the sinners. Bigots promote the sins they use as ammunition in their smear campaigns. Bigots, beware!
Prayer: Father, make the Church so holy as to be worthily persecuted.
Promise: "Through all this, the congregations grew stronger in faith and daily increased in numbers." —Acts 16:5
Praise: St. Isidore treated poor humans and animals with the loving respect due God's beloved.
Reference: (For related teaching, order our tape Effects of Sin on audio AV 81-3 or video V-81.)
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, October 9, 2003
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 14, 2003