The Word Of Peace
Homiletic Reflections On Peacemaking

Deacon Robert M. Pallotti, D. Min.

5th Sunday of Easter, Cycle C

A New Heaven and New Earth

May 2001

My rule, in which I have always found satisfaction, is, never to turn aside in public affairs through views of private interest; but to go straight forward to doing what appears to be right at the time, leaving the consequences with Providence.

We must not in the course of public life expect immediate approbation and immediate grateful acknowledgment of our services. But let us persevere through abuse and every injury. The internal satisfaction of a good conscience is always present, and time will do us justice in the minds of the people, even those at present most prejudiced against us.

Benjamin Franklin uttered these words to the members of the Continental Congress as the fate of the cause for independence was being decided. These words of Franklin’s reflect the thread that runs through the Word of God this day. These words reflect the courage, tenacity, hope and love that are required of every person that has accepted the Lordship of Jesus Christ. At the center is love, the love that our Lord commands of his followers for each other and all they come in contact with. This love is more than a feeling of sentiment, though sentiment is included. Also, this love goes beyond our liking everyone. Will Rodgers once said, "I never met a man I didn’t like", someone once remarked, "Well, he obviously didn’t meet my brother." Yes, some people just seem to rub us the wrong way and some do great evil. Can we like someone like a Hitler, Stalin, a Timothy McVeigh? For many the answer would be no. So what is Jesus getting at?

The love that Jesus speaks of goes beyond our liking someone. It is the fundamental concern for the humanity of the person or persons we like and cannot like. It is the recognition that God dwells in all and even those we cannot bring ourselves to like or even those we would wish evil on. This seems like and impossible task. Without the grace of Christ it may very well be. But as we see in Acts God’s grace and love goes beyond the limitations that human beings would and do try to place on it! For many in Paul’s day among the Jewish people it was inconceivable that God would extend salvation to the gentiles! But God’s love cannot be locked up in a church, a synagogue or a people. God’s love is offered to all and is coming with a "new heaven and a new earth."

This new heaven and new earth has already begun. In the mystery of Jesus Christ, especially in his death and resurrection the Father has inaugurated the end time of cosmic transformation. The Church, especially since 1891 with Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum reminds us that the love for one another is one that extends to individuals and our society. Love has a political dimension. This means that Christian love and Christian holiness are simply attributes and actions of individuals but are also directed toward creating a social order and policies that reflect and enhance the dignity of every human person. This Christian love and holiness is directed toward the transformation of the person and the social order. But this requires a fundamental surrender to Jesus Christ. It is in this surrender that the "unlovable" are able to be loved by us. That love may be enfleshed in actions directed toward support or confrontation. To confront those responsible for injustice and violence is to act in love. In confronting the situation and people the Christian and Christian community offers a moment for correction for conversion from the evil to the good.

Such actions lay open an invitation that offers the choice for conversion rather than the choice directed toward liquidated those that do evil. This week we witnessed the ordeal of Timothy McVeah. Many wish to see him executed and many may be Catholics who believe this should happen because of the pain he caused. They believe this despite the Holy Father’s and the U.S. Bishops call for an end to the death penalty and our Lord’s prohibition of vengeance. Some argue we must kill the killers because that deters others from committing similar crimes. However, such reasoning doesn’t hold up and is not pertinent to Christians anyway. Christian love is tough love. It is tough on the Christian that would rather give into the lust for revenge and it is tough on the society that is told "thou shall not kill." Revenge may give one temporary emotional relief but it eats at the soul and moves a person one more step away from reflecting the divine compassion of Jesus Christ.

Some would say that it is just too hard to be a Christian. Well, maybe, if we depend on our own strength and reasoning. But if we, like the disciples of Jesus, and Paul and Barnabas and those that have accepted the Spirit of the Lord into their lives, surrender our will to the will of the Lord it is possible. After all, we have been called to pick up our cross. If we do that we are told that something will begin to the happen. The "new heaven and the new earth" will once again draw a little closer to us in our world. The old things will be begin to give way. Love will be the order of the day. Love that seeks to heal the hurts and to confront the hurters. Then the words of Revelation will be again made real and it will be said: Behold, the Lord makes all things new.

Deacon Robert M. Pallotti, D. Min.
Created October 6, 2001