Labeling

 

Are you “gay”?  Are you “straight”?  Are you “Pro-life” or “Pro-choice?” Are you a “Democrat”?  Are you a “Republican”?   I am not any of those things. They define some of my beliefs, but my beliefs should not “label” me.  I refuse to be labeled anymore.  Labeling has led to hate.  We have allowed ourselves to be labeled.  Ideals and material objects can be labeled, but PEOPLE must not be labeled.  Labeling allows something to be reduced to irrelevancy or hatred in our lives.  If you want to know what I believe, click here.

 

In my opinion, what defines a human being is how we treat other human beings.  We must try to be tolerant, but not permissive; open-minded, but not gullible; to be nice, but not taken for granted;  to be patient without limit; to treat everyone else with respect, and expect respect in return;  to forgive others and extend mercy to those who would hurt us or our loved ones, but also expect justice (not ‘revenge’). Of course, being human, I fall way too short way too often in many of these areas myself.  I can only hope to overcome these deficiencies through the love and mercy of Jesus Christ.

I wasn’t sure exactly how to write this post today without offending anyone.  It seems everybody has chosen a side on every issue these days and they have closed their minds to opposition to such a degree that intolerance and hate are no longer just “buzzwords” but a way of life in this country.  Believe it or not, God created us with one trait that is common to all, but unique to each—our souls; and he gifted every soul with an unlimited capacity to love one another as He loves us.  Whether we accept His gift is up to us.  Have you ever refused a gift given in love?  How did you feel?  Like you lost a friend?  Grieved, perhaps?

 

At Mass this morning, St. Paul’s letter to the Epheisans (Chapter 4, Verse 30 through Chapter 5, Verse 2) summed it up better than I will ever be able to:

Brothers and sisters:

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption. All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice.

And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.

So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.

Amen, Paul, Amen.