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Love for Love: Responding to Desecration with Forgiveness and Prayers

In this homily  Fr. Jason Lewis, MIC, reflects on Martha’s recognition of Jesus as the Truth, the Love, and the Light. He teaches that the spiritual battle taking place in the world is ultimately fought within the human heart, where Mary seeks to form us in the love of Jesus. Fr. Lewis refers especially to the recent attacks and acts of desecration against sacred places and images in Medjugorje. He presents these offenses as attacks not only against churches or statues, but against Jesus, His Mother, and the faith of those who love them. He invites the faithful to allow their hearts to weep over these acts and to offer their sorrow as prayer and reparation. The Christian response must never be retaliation or violence. Instead, believers are called to answer hatred with love, desecration with reparation, and hostility with forgiveness. Although we may not be capable of responding this way through our own strength, the Holy Spirit living within us enables us to pray as Jesus did: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Fr. Lewis therefore asks the faithful to pray, fast, and offer sacrifices for the conversion of those responsible for the attacks. Rather than returning evil for evil, Christians are called to offer “love for love,” allowing Mary to shape their hearts into hearts that resemble the merciful Heart of Jesus.

 

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