Feb 23, 2020

Post date: Feb 24, 2020 8:18:4 AM

Feb 23, 2020 Homily by Fr. Karl Schray

Hate poisons the heart; love purifies it.

Jesus says to us, ‘Love your enemies.’ It is not only

for the sake of the enemy that he says this but for our sake too.

The greatest gift we possess is the gift of love.

There is one thing that can destroy this gift, and that is hatred.

Two farmers, John and James, were good friends until a dispute arose

between them over a piece of land. Unable to settle the issue themselves,

they went to court over it. The court decided in favor of John.

James was bitter and put poison in John’s well, not a fatal dose

but enough to give it an obnoxious taste. John was very angry.

He was about to go by night and poison James’ well

when a stranger arrived at his house. On hearing the story,

the stranger agreed it was a nasty situation but did not agree with revenge.

The stranger said, ‘I have a better idea.’

His idea was to clean out the well and he offered to help.

It was a messy business and took them two whole days.

Then they ran clean water through the well several times.

The stranger took a cup of water and declared that it was clean.

However, John insisted that he could still taste the poison.

The stranger said, ‘Take it from me, the water is perfect,

but you will still taste the poison until you do one more thing.’

“What’s that?”, asked John.

‘You must forgive your neighbor.

You have got rid of the poison from the well,

but not the poison in your mind and heart.

Not until you let go of your bitterness, and forgiven your neighbor,

will the water taste right.’

That night John went over to his neighbor and made peace. When he

arrived home, he tasted the water again. This time it tasted good.

Hatred is a dangerous thing. It creates a legacy of bitterness,

hostility and resentment. Christ’s way is a better way.

It’s not an easy way—it’s a hard way that calls for strength.

G.K. Chesterton once said, “Christianity has not been tried and

found wanting; it has been found hard and left untried.”

When Abraham Lincoln was running for president there was a man

named Stanton, who never missed an opportunity to belittle and vilify him.

Yet when Lincoln won the election, he gave Stanton a post in his cabinet.

Why? Because he considered him the best man for the job.

And Lincoln was proved right. Stanton gave him loyal service.

Asked why he didn’t destroy his enemies, Lincoln responded,

‘Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?’

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

A very good intention for Lent.