Parish Bulletin Article: "What to Hate...": 10-1-17

This weekend I would like to focus on one word: hate.

Hate is a powerful word in our society, and it is important to discern how we Catholics could—or even should—use this word.

For instance, you may see some signs around town with a slogan: “Hate Has No Home Here.”  I was curious about these signs, I both spoke with several parishioners and community members, and I looked it up on their website (https://hatehasnohome.org/index.html):

“The Hate Has No Home Here movement is built around a simple idea: it’s easy to hate people we don’t know.  Posters and yard signs are just the beginning.  What starts as powerful, positive messaging continues in relationship-building, dialogue, and communal action. When neighbors of different races, religions, and nationalities move past indifference to investment in one another, we knock out the underpinnings of racism and intolerance, and make possible a better future for our communities.”

In my mind, this seems like a good movement on one level.  We Catholics should never hate any person.  God has created each person with life and dignity and could receive God’s love, mercy and compassion.  And none of us should judge or condemn during our journey with and to Jesus Christ.

But we Catholics have at least three levels we should hate.

First, we should hate Satan.  At the same time, many people in our culture do not even believe in Satan.  Satan and his minions are fighting a spiritual war against our souls.  As Jesus Christ did win the battle against Satan through his death and resurrection, we are continually in that war through our lives from today to our death.  Personally, I am glad that Jesus Christ will allow hate against Satan in our home in his Kingdom.

Second, we should also hate evil.  St. John wrote in Revelation 12:9: “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good….”   Yes, we do have differences between good versus bad, right versus wrong and holy versus evil in our Catholic Church.

And, third, we should hate our sins.  Again, many people in our culture do not even believe in sin.  Jesus saw that in his own time, and he had said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17).  Also, St. Paul wrote an excellent passage to the Romans and us (Romans 7:15): “I do not understand my own actions.  For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”

Finally, always remember that we have “bad hate” and “healthy hate.”  Think and pray how to encounter our mission from God in the many situations we face each day.

God Bless!