Sorry but... #lovewins

If you think you either won or lost the fight for gay marriage rights, then you already lost... That's right...  you lost!  In the hearts of every human person, is the thrill of competition - of being the victor and being better or stronger than your opponent.  Whether it be as an Olympian competing for a gold medal, a soldier on the battlefield trying to eliminate the threat or a 4 year old racing to eat their eggs faster than dad - we all compete.  The problem with competition, is somebody loses creating division and animosity.  Reading posts on social media, I see so much fear, anger, resentment, hate, revenge and even rage.  Between church statues being beheaded, and Christians using hateful or pointed language to their homosexual brothers and sisters in Christ - Everyone has lost. 

I'm Catholic, so I blog from a Catholic prospective.  If you stand in strong support for one side or the other, I invite you to sit for a second and feel the emotions that run through you as you probably expect me to say something that'll just set you off.  If your emotions are anything other than love and joy, make sure you ask yourself why.  Where are those tensions and can you name them? 

The HUMAN RACE is under attack.  You can acknowledge it by any darkness, separation, anger that swarms inside your soul.  You're under attack whether you believe in the existence of God or not...  As a Christian, I have a name for it, I can define it, and I have a solution for it.  If you're not - I'm not sure how you will explain it except for calling it "life" or finding a way to justify it. 

Wake up!  This is not the time to fight, but to look inside and see what you're really made of.  Oooh the evil one loves chaos!  He sneaks around easily disguised behind all the emotions and takes hold of our hearts in ways even those very faithful can't see.  Pluck the splinter out of your own eye before worrying about your neighbor.  "In all your ways, submit to him and he will make your path straight" (proverbs 3:6)  "Love the Lord your God with all your heart mind soul and strength, and your neighbor as yourself" (Mt. 22)  If you feel like everything is a mess, and you're on the losing side, wave your little white flag, and turn straight to Jesus Christ and surrender your life to Him in an unbelievable way. 

We need stronger families - holy married men and women who raise their children with love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, kindness, faith and self control!  We need single holy men and women to lead the way in showing how we can LOVE one another --TRULY LOVE without any ties to lust or self gratification- to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world where married men and women can't because of their duty of raising their children.  We need stronger communities of faith - not everyone out in the streets casting stones at one another.  We need to be convicted of Jesus Christ, so much that we can't do anything but love Him and others more!  When we are truly in Christ we move beyond our fear, beyond our anger, beyond ourselves and encounter Him who calls for us to surrender to Him - to trust in Him. 

We are Catholic - UNIVERSAL - don't forget what that means.  All are welcomed at our table - the sinner and the saint.  The church may not be able to provide the incredible sacrament of marriage to the homosexual community but we can give them so much more - love, acceptance, comrade, and most importantly eternal salvation in Jesus Christ!  Are we going to chase them and all those who consider themselves on the "other side" away?  I have a better solution... Lets show them something they want to be a part of and won't want to live without!    God is Love - so truly #LoveWins!  YOU are a living witness to this!  Those who represent Jesus Christ and the Church have an incredibly important responsibility to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world.  How are you living out that responsibility?  Don't just stand there...  DO SOMETHING - But start with yourself.