Aftermath

You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. Matthew 5

“We are in the world now as Christs; in the mist of this storm…if we do not try to cast our fear by loving acts, if we do not imitate Christ literally, we shall succumb to hate or to despair.”

Hello everyone.

The words above were written in the midst of World War II by British artist, writer and visionary Caryll Houselander. It’s remarkable when you think about it: all around her rained death and destruction from Nazi bombs, yet she was able to write of love.

Remarkable and yet not surprising because Houselander was a remarkable woman. Born at the beginning of the last century in Bath, England, she lived through the horrors of two world wars. Brought up in a religious yet dysfunctional household, she left the Catholic Church during her teenage years only to return to it in her early 20’s. A formidable defender of the faith, she used her artistic abilities in the service of Christ. There is a very good possibility that she was autistic and those who knew her considered her eccentric, in part because of her off-kilter sense of humor and also because of three religious visions which transformed her faith. These visions convinced her that Christ was to be found in all people regardless of who or what they were.

“In every passerby, everywhere – Christ…He is in everyone – there can be no outcasts.”

Caryll Houselander

Houselander hated war but did her part in World War II, working at a First Aid Post and serving as a night fire spotter. In one of her most famous books, The War is the Passion, written during the war, she speaks of the antidote to fear and hate, even hatred for the enemy:

“The war compels us to face problems which we are apt to shelve in time of peace. One such problem is loving our enemies…to give way to hatred is a temptation for many people…there is a growing number of people who think it right to hate…of course, such a view is absolutely un-Christian…Christ’s teaching is unmistakable; not only is it forbidden to hate anyone, but we are commanded to love our enemies.”

Unlike many people she knew, Caryll chose not to hate the Germans who were trying to destroy her country.

And that brings me to the present day.

The storm that was the presidential election has broken over us.

The American electorate has made its decision to return Donald Trump to power. For half of the country, that is very good news. For the other half, in which I include myself, not so much. For a number of us the aftermath of the election has brought on feelings of anxiety, anger and yes, even hatred.

Emotions ran high during the election cycle which at times felt more like a civil war than a political contest. As Pogo said, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

But I for one do not wish to have any enemies. True, I’m saddened and disheartened and cannot imagine what kind of pain the next four years will bring. But I refuse to hate. With that being said, as a person of faith, I have the responsibility to oppose any policies which are unjust or cruel and to advocate for the vulnerable among us. I will do my best to channel my anger into action and do everything in love. I’ll let you know how it goes.

I think Rev. Michael Curry has put it best:

“The way of love will show us the right thing to do, every single time. It is moral and spiritual grounding—and a place of rest—amid the chaos that is often part of life. It’s how we stay decent in indecent times. Loving is not always easy, but like with muscles, we get stronger both with repetition and as the burden gets heavier.”

We each have a choice to make going forward. We all, regardless of party or religious affiliation, can choose to love or to hate. We have seen how hatred works. Maybe we could try love this time.

God bless you all.