We are hurt.  Everyday.  By friends.  By loved ones.  By politicians.  By priests and pastors.  By people that we put our trust in.  And likely, we hurt many of these same people.  Everyday.   We are human.  We err.  We make mistakes.  We are selfish.  We are prideful.  And … so is everyone else.

Today, the country is divided by walls not even built, by politicians and media.  I am not sure any of them know what is right.  Yet, we choose sides and are hurt by anyone who chooses differently.  We focus on issues and political parties rather than focusing on God.

Today, many are struggling in the Catholic Church over the abuse perpetrated by some priests and the cover up perpetrated by others.  The devil knows how to strike where it can do the most damage.  The Church is hurt by the people we put our trust in.

There is so much hurt in the world.  So much unforgiveness.

This week, Jesus placed two passages on my heart:

“Stop judging, that you may not be judged.  For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.  Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye?  You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.

Matthew 7:1-5

We all sin.  Yet, we all think that we can judge.  I certainly can judge that there is evil in the world.  I certainly can judge that there is sin.  But can I judge another person?  Can I judge their struggle with evil?  Their struggle with sin?  Can my sin stand up to my own judgment?  I know it cannot.  I need God’s judgment and God’s grace and mercy.  Only God can truly know our heart and our struggles.  Only God can judge the person.  We can judge the sin and evil, and we should judge to stop and prevent.  But only God can judge the person.  We are called to love, even when we are hurt.  Because God loves us, even when we hurt him.

God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.  In this is love brought to perfection among us, that we have confidence on the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.  We love because he first loved us.  If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is the commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

1 John 4:16-21

We may not be able to stop others from hurting us.  We are human and so are they.  But we can stop the “hurt” from hurting us.  We can love.  We can hate the sin, hate the evil and work to stop and prevent it.  But we can love the person and leave it to God to judge their soul.

Jesus,

Thank you for showing me your love.  I am not worthy.  I am sorry for the times that I have hurt you.  I am sorry for the times I have turned away.  Help me to love others even when they hurt me.  Help me to bring your peace to the world.