Marjorie Taylor Green, Erika Kirk, and Donald Trump
I was deeply moved myself, but MTG was converted, by a ray of the Holy Spirit, while she listened to the funeral of Charlie Kirk. Erika Kirk spoke of her husband, his specific love for young men who are adrift, of the young man who suffered and died for us, and the young man who murdered her husband. With tears flowing, by some poetic-mystical intuition, she converged the four young men; paused; and said "I forgive that young man." Not long afterwards, DJT spoke. With his extraordinary candor he flatly stated: "Erika forgives her enemy. I do not. I hate my enemies." Marjorie realized: as a Christian, she could not emulate Trump. She had to forgive and love the enemy like Erika. Her life changed. Very soon she was out of politics: despised now by both the liberals and the MAGA mob. May God's grace continue to guide her!
Trump: An Icon of Hatred
The crisis of our time, as always, is less political than spiritual: an explosion of hatred.
Trump is the epitome, the embodiment, the "sacrament" of hatred. This has become obvious over the last year.
His flaming narcissism, his near total disconnect from any objective order of the good and the true, his impulsivity are not the biggest problem. Narcissism is normal, especially in politics, entertainment and even the priesthood; it can remain somewhat benign when countervailed in the person by affection, respect, compassion, prayer. No, the demon here is hatred. He is a man of immense, overwhelming, enslaving hatreds.
His populist power comes from the channeling of the rage and resentment of the underclass against the liberal, elitist hegemon.
He elicits immense hatred from his adversaries.
Moral conservatives like myself, thankful as he forcefully champions our concerns against our long term enemy, largely rationalize, minimize and dismiss the demonic powers he releases. Worse, we ourselves can be drawn into hatred of our political enemies.
He thrives on this mutuality in hatred. He is himself a force of nature, an extraordinarily powerful, influential, dynamic, even charismatic man. This reaches a preternatural level: he is something out of a Marvel comic. But it is even more: it is supernatural. He is literally "diabolic" in the etymological sense: to rupture or tear apart. He is rupturing our nation. Our families, friendships, Church and social fabric are being torn apart by the mimetic force of his hatred. The polarization he is causing is breathtaking! He is...we as a nation are...in need of exorcism. Literally.
Hatred
Like its opposite, love, hatred is a dense, deep human reality. It starts as a feeling...of distaste, disgust, revulsion. It can grow from being harmed, violated, oppressed as it penetrates more deeply into the heart as resentment, a permanent attitude or condition. It can arise out of envy: hatred of the one whose fullness reminds us of our own emptiness. It is characterized above all by contempt, the opposite of respect: view of the other as without any worth or value but deserving of hostility. It is, finally, ill will to the other: desire for and intent to destroy him.
Hate the Sin; Love the Sinner
More than any time in my lifespan I hear hatred on both sides of the divide. I myself am a double-hater. I can agree with both sides in their disgust. But then I remember what my mother always taught us: Hate the sin; love the sinner.
This is so simple. But not so easy to do. We hate evil: communism, Nazism, racism, pedophilia, human trafficking. But we are obliged to love the communist, the Nazi, the molester, the pimp.
When we refer to the other side as communist or fascist, we are generally expressing contempt, disgust, hatred. We are defining them, as a group, as deplorable.
The Catholic Heart
Hatred is fatal for the Catholic heart. This in two dimensions. First, destructive of the life of grace in the soul of the individual person. But secondly toxic for the communal person of the Church as a communion of love. From there it emanates out to poison society and the entire world.
It is hard to tell when feelings...anger, indignation, judgement...morph into sins of hatred. But for sure we need too countervail the movement into derangement in prayer and deliberateness in love.
We are invited to emulate Erika Kirk in her imitation of Christ.
To forgive, love and pray for our enemies: DJT, Joe Biden, Steve Miller, Tim Walz, Kamela Harris, JD Vance.
To detach somewhat from national politics and minimize it in relation to our immediate, concrete life of love in family, friendship, work and community.
To deliberately consider the good in our adversaries. To collaborate with our opponents in the good wherever practical.
To reach out across the divide...to listen respectfully, affectionately, humbly.
May God deliver us from demons of hatred and bless us ALL in humble, tender, reverent, mutual love!
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