I'm seeing this multilingual sign on front lawns in some places these days. May it signal brighter days ahead. "Hate Has No Home Here." Perhaps it reflects that folks are frustrated and tired of the bitterness that has long afflicted us as a nation, and which seems to have found fresh support and expression more recently. This country has a real black/brown problem. I feel a tremendous disappointment when I detect it among Christians.
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. This I command you, to love one another. John 15: 9-17
I believe that all Christians (myself very much included) like to keep an eye on the back door — an escape route from one or another of the high bar of Jesus' expectations. I've had people say to me, "Oh Father, I don't hate anyone," as if hate means, "I want you dead." But that's not the definition of hate. Hate is simply strong feelings against the other. There's a lot of hate around these days.
Catholics often place a statue of the Virgin Mary on their front lawns. Why not? But might I suggest getting one of these Hate Has No Home Here signs and putting it on the lawn (next to Virgin Mary if she is already there). I mean, Mary is the one who gave us the One who says stop the hate. What a witness! Imagine, every Catholic home in the nation announcing — For our part, no more hate.
