Catholics in Camelot

Accepting the love-hate relationship with the world

John 15:18-21

 Jesus said to his disciples:  “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.”

             There will always be a love-hate relationship between Christians and the world.  Sometimes people will love us and sometimes they will hate us.  For example in 313 Emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.  We were riding high, everyone loved us, we were “the king of the world!”  Then a hundred years later, as the empire was crumbling, everyone blamed Christians and persecuted us.  St. Augustine wrote his famous work, “The City of God,” to defend the Church.  This happens again and again down through the centuries.  Here’s a more recent example here in the U.S.  Americans loved us when the Catholic Kennedys were in Camelot, but now everyone hates us as we defend counter-cultural values.

             In the gospel today Jesus tells us this topsy-turvey, love-hate relationship should come as no surprise.  He says, “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.  If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”  Jesus, too, experienced that love-hate relationship with the world.  Palm Sunday everyone cheers, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” They were ready to crown Jesus the king of the world. But five days later on Good Friday, the same crowd cries, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”  Our relationship with the world will always have these peaks and valleys.

             So, let me ask you: where are we today in that up-and-down relationship with the world: in the “loving time,” or in the “hating time”?  I believe we are in a transition period, going down from popularity and headed toward persecution.  Cardinal George of Chicago put it this way.  He said, “I am the Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago, and I will die in my bed.  My successor – the next Archbishop – will die in prison.  And his successor will die in his blood.”  That’s a pretty grim prediction, but it should come as no surprise if we take Jesus’ words seriously.

 You know, we Christians really shouldn’t worry about what the world thinks of us -- loving us, hating us or ignoring us -- we should just keep our eyes on Jesus.  Don’t get too excited if everyone loves you, and don’t be depressed if everyone despises you.  That’s what happened to Jesus.  We should be pleased as punch when that happens to us.

Praised be Jesus Christ!