St Gabriel The Archangel Parish recently issued the following announcement.

Why is it we are so quick to no"ce our neighbor’s offense, and so slow to admit our own?  Living the en"re Chris"an faith is going to bring us face to face with the not-so-pleasant parts of our character. If we’re honest, we’d much rather overturn tables, like Jesus in the Temple, than offer forgiveness, like Jesus on the cross. Yet countless centuries of wisdom points to the primacy of mercy over anger. The words from the Book of Sirach couldn’t be plainer: “Forgive your neighbor’s injusce; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven. Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the Lord?”

Jesus illuminates this expecta"on of his disciples, requiring us to forgive "me and again. But how often do I "Nourish anger" instead, feeding it my a@en"on and emo"onal energy? The more we hold on to our bi@erness, the more we become enslaved to it.The parable of the unforgiving servant is a lesson for all of us, especially if we forget the magnitude of God’s mercy towards us, and the priceless gi< of becoming His sons and daughters in bap"sm. How do we live forgiveness as individuals? As a community? As a society?

For many people, our social and poli"cal climate is bringing out the worst in us. Predictably, these conflicts compound the very real health and economic concerns that are at the forefront of our minds. When we are already stressed out and worried, our reserves of understanding and compassion begin to run low, par"cularly when we can’t express affec"on or re-charge in the ways that we normally would among family and friends.

To make ma@ers worse, there are those who play to our basest ins"ncts. Social media feeds us a customized stream of par"al truth, locking us into our pre-conceived biases. News reports jump breathlessly from one crisis to the next, dampening hope for a be@er tomorrow. Poli"cal leaders and even some clergy prey upon our fears, pain"ng our neighbors as enemies to be vanquished. Others exploit our differences to demolish any common ground; even listening to another person’s perspec"ve or experience is considered a betrayal.

In spite of this broken world – because of this broken world – we have to be be@er. We are called to bring the light of forgiveness, understanding, reconcilia"on.

Among other things, Catholics must bring a consistent witness to the sanc"ty of life into the public square. We examine social issues in the light of the Gospel, not simply our preferred poli"cal narra"ve. We are obliged to a@end to our own blind spots, to confront our personal sin, as well as social and ins"tu"onal injus"ces. Our faith does not fit neatly into any poli"cal party, nor should it.  

As we search together for answers – in ending our pandemic, in elimina"ng racial prejudice, in protec"ng the dignity of the unborn and the vulnerable, in confron"ng economic inequity, in caring for crea"on – we do so with regard for people as uniquely created and loved by God. Even when we disagree, may we banish anger and cul"vate goodwill. And may we be always ready to extend mercy, as mercy has been so richly given to us.

Original source can be found here.