Grudge

“Where there is no love, put love - and you will draw out love.” (Saint John of the Cross).

The Sacrifice of Cain and Abel (Mariotto Albertinelli)

Saint John of the Cross said, “Where there is no love, put love - and you will draw out love.”

And I have been thinking about that in practical terms…

You see, it is one thing to think theoretically about love.  It is quite another to actually practice loving interactions with others.  It is quite another thing to practice the action and commitment of love by looking at another soul with love even when that other soul is treating you badly.

And this is so common in families.  How often do those who are closest to us – our partners, children, parents, siblings, cousins and friends – act in a way that does not demonstrate love (and in fact demonstrates the opposite of love)?  How often do those who we are closest to hurt our feelings with angry words and deeds?

And how easy it is to hold a grudge against those people.  How easy it is to consider their words harshly and fail to see the underlying message or intention?  How easy it is for one harsh word to be used to colour entire conversations and attitudes?  How easy it is to destroy a relationship with meanness…?

And Christ knows this, which is why He said…  “I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?...  You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48).

In 1993, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin was accused of improper conduct by a young man.  The media picked up on the story and the Cardinal later said that the three months that followed those accusations and investigations would have been unbearable to the Cardinal if it were not for his faith and the knowledge that he was innocent.  Later the accuser admitted that falsely accusing the Cardinal.  When his accuser was later dying of AIDS in hospital, the Cardinal visited him and when his accuser asked for forgiveness, the Cardinal forgave him without any hesitation – concerned only to help the man prepare for his death.

And I have been thinking about this example.  For where there was no love, love brought love.  And where there was no forgiveness, forgiveness brought peace.

And this is the calling of the Saints…  To bring love so as to draw out love.  And to stop the grudge – right there in its tracks.  For it is only when end the grudge that we can bring love.  And it is only when we bring the love that we will be pleasing as children of God.

And at the end of the day, what could possibly be more important than that?

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.