United By Division - Will They Know Who You Are?

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unity in different hands joined togetherI sat in  Mass Sunday praying for Christian unity as Catholics have done this week for at least 100 years. The irony that this week, THIS week, we dedicate to prayer for unity struck me as I sang one of my favorite, old hymns, They Will Know We Are Christians.

This weekend Donald J. Trump was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States of America, and this weekend women marched on Washington DC and in cities all over the world in opposition to Trump. While opposing parties were ideologically far apart, too often their dominating messages were indistinguishable, filled with accusations, vulgarity, and ridicule.

United in Ugliness. United in Sin.


Both groups, in varying degrees, turned their backs on love and unity preferring instead to inflame and degrade. In varying degrees both engaged in six of the seven deadly sins this weekend alone as they chose to respond to what should have been the world's best example of a peaceful turnover of power with lust, greed, gluttony, envy, anger, and pride. Both groups ignored that peace stretches beyond physical violence and destruction of property to offering peace of mind and honest but respectful disagreement if required.

On the left, looting and rioting were the result of fringe participants unreproached by the majority who engaged in crass vulgarity unlike any the world has seen en masse to date. On the right disbelief and frustration led to finger pointing, name calling, and gloating. Messages both sides needed to get out were lost. Vandalism of American ideals and a betrayal of Christian calls to Love inflicted damage far worse than any insurance can cover.

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God Bless...

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