Pardon My French

Have you heard the one about the space alien that showed up on Earth one day stating that he had a message that is the secret to saving all humanity?  It was in a cartoon post on Facebook today shared by a fellow chemist and Facebook friend of mine.  Please pardon my French, but here is the succinct message:

“Greetings Humans.  I bring the secret to saving humanity.  Stop being such assholes to each other!”

It struck me that, in a somewhat softer yet equally forceful language, this was the message that accompanied Jesus when he landed on Earth over two-thousand years ago.  It was preached over a period of three years during Christ’s public ministry.  We didn’t hear the message then, and we are not hearing the message now.

We observe those on the left and those on the right and what each side says about the other.  Regardless of which group begins the process, hate is flies back and forth.  One side is perceived as being racist, and the other side is not shy about letting us know about this perception by spewing out their own hateful messages.  Hate for hate.  Lies for lies.  Name-calling for name-calling.  Back and forth constantly.  One news outlet is perceived as being on one side and another is perceived as being on the other side.  One political party is perceived as being on one side while the other is on the other side.  Nobody seems to say or hear anything respectful anymore.

But wait!  Today in the Catholic Church is the feast of St. John, the famous apostle and evangelist of Sacred Scripture.  He was a Gospel writer; he wrote several letters that are included in the Bible, and he also is believed to have written the Book of Revelation.  One of his major themes was LOVE.  Imagine that!  We are to LOVE our enemies!  Those on the left are supposed to love those on the right.  Those on the right are supposed to love those on the left.  Yes, we are to stop being a%&$#@%s to each other.  Today it appears in a cartoon.  If that will do the trick, well fine.  If God inspired the writing of Sacred Scripture, which is what Christians believe, then this message is one directly from God!  If you don’t believe in God, well I say try harder.  God was the alien that first uttered this message. 

I suggest you read the Gospel of John, Chapter 17, and also the first letter of John, the entire letter, in the Bible and see if you get the message of love from our Creator.  And I promise, John does not have to say “pardon my French.”