The Hardest Homework

 Learning to love and pray for our enemies

10/27/2023

Mt 22:15-21 The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion, for you do not regard a person's status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?" Knowing their malice, Jesus said, "Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax." Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?" They replied, "Caesar's." At that he said to them, "Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."

I know the trouble in Israel and Gaza is weighing heavily on everyone’s hearts, and I want to shed a little light from our faith on that. But first to lighten the mood a little, let me share some humor. Three families sat down to eat dinner together. The hostess said to her young daughter, “Honey, would you say the blessing for us?”

The little girl hesitantly replied, “Uh, I don’t know. I don’t know what to say.” The mom responded, “Just say what you have heard Mommy say.” The little girl said, “Okay.” She closed her eyes, folded her hands, and said, “Dear God, why did I invite all these people over?” Amen.

I wonder if God has ever felt that way about all of us human beings, and said, “Dear Me, why did I ever create all these people, especially the Israelis and Palestinians who never stop fighting?” But I am convinced that God never regrets creating us. Why not? Well, for the same reason that good parents never stop loving their children, especially when they fight and cannot get along.

Several years ago my mom gave me some family homework. She asked me (probably because I am the priest) to make sure my brother, sister, and I always communicated, cared for each other, and loved each other. And by the way, that is the hardest homework assignment I have ever had!

In other words, my mom’s homework gave me a glimpse into God’s heart regarding human beings, that is, we are all his children and our homework is to make sur we communicate with each other, care for one another, and love each other unconditionally. This war in Israel and Gaza – indeed, every war – breaks God’s heart, just like seeing me and my siblings fighting breaks my mom’s heart.

Today, October 22, happens to be the feast day of Pope St. John Paul II. He is one of my saint-heroes, and I was blessed to actually meet him on several occasions, once even at a private Mass with only 24 people in his personal chapel. John Paul II made enormous contributions to the Church and to human society at large, for example, he played a critical role in the fall of Communism in 1989.

But on a very personal level, the pope-saint believed he was called to be a man of reconciliation, bringing people together. He even felt that being from Poland, a country located between the East and the West, was symbolic of his life and papacy. One of his landmark encyclicals was called Ut Unum Sint, meaning “That They May All Be One.”

That title is really words taken from Jesus’ prayer at the Last Supper in Jn 17:21. That is, Jesus prayed for the unity of his followers and ultimately, for the unity of the whole world. That was and is the desire of God the Father, just like it is the desire of every good parent. In a sense, that was the homework that the Father gave the Son, and which he completed on the Cross. Talk about the hardest homework ever!

My friends, may I give you the same homework that my mom gave me, and that God the Father gave his Son, Jesus? Pray for the peace, unity, and reconciliation among all God’s children, especially those who are fighting today, the Israelis and Palestinians. Have you ever noticed how when you pray for someone, you begin to see them differently, you see them almost like God sees them. Prayer helps us feel the love in the heart of God.

Now I am going to tell you something that I hope will not scandalize you, but it might. We are beginning our All Souls Novena, which is 9 days of Masses for the dead. We will write the names of our loved ones who have died on an envelope and make a donation, and place those envelopes on the altar.

This year, though, I am going to use two envelopes. One will be for my family and friends who have died. But the other one will be for all those who have died in the Israeli-Palestinian War. But I am also going to write “the Hamas terrorists” on the envelope, and pray for their peaceful repose. Why? Well, because no one needs our prayers more than they do. The terrorists need our prayers even more than our family and friends do.

And if you remember, this is exactly what Jesus did on the Cross, while his enemies were nailing his hands and feet to it. He prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34). In other words, with his dying breath, Jesus was finishing the homework his Father had given him to do, namely, “ut unum sint” that they may all be one. And that is not only the hardest homework we have, it is really the only homework we have.

Praised be Jesus Christ!