Yet our nation is now in the throes of a huge debate about policies and—more importantly—the treatment of other human beings looking for hope and safety. Our borders once offered hope and hospitality to the stranger. No more! The torch of Lady Liberty in New York harbor is as much a warning fire as it is a beacon of hope. I have heard people say, “Our hospitality has run out!” Hospitality to the stranger is so important to Jesus He made it a point to tell the parable of the Good Samaritan. The Good Samaritan didn’t just get the stranger to a safe place, he also told the innkeeper to do whatever was necessary for the man to get well and if it cost more than already given, he would pay when he returned to the area again. (Luke 10: 29-37)
Our nation is now also legalizing the horror of abortion in some states up to and even hours after the birth of a child! This is evil by every standard of every civilization since the beginning of time. There is never a good excuse for an abortion. Ever. To use it as a form of “birth control” or for racist motives is especially sinister.
In the Gospels, Jesus commissions His apostles and disciples to go out and spread His message. In every village and hamlet, they preach the Good News, heal the sick and drive out demons. Jesus instructs them to travel very light, relying on the people to feed and protect them. They are not to take staff or traveling bag. (Matthew 10, Mark 6:7-13, Luke 10:1-12)
Unfortunately, Jerusalem rejects the message, puts the Son of God to death, and seals its own fate, not the peace of Jerusalem, but its eventual destruction in the year 70AD! No wonder that, when Jesus arrives in Jerusalem for the last time, He weeps over the city's rejection, again using the image of God as a tenderhearted mother. (Luke 13: 34)
Our late Holy Father, St. John Paul II, reminded us that peace begins in the human heart. Peace will only come from those whose hearts are filled with God's love and obedience to His plan for the world.
On this Fourth of July, may we remind ourselves that, when we practice "justice for all," God will send us the peace for which we so long.
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