ST. MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR FOUR

Here is # 13 : "The person who loves God cannot help loving every man as himself, even though he is grieved by the passions of those who are not yet purified. But when they amend their lives, his delight is indescribable and knows no bounds."

And #15 : "If we detect any trace of hatred in our hearts against any man whatsoever for committing any fault, we are utterly estranged from love for God, since love for God absolutely precludes us from hating any man."

Such a struggle we have with this one! We reserve the right to hate certain people, can list the reasons we are justified in hating them, and are even bold enough to defend our position to God himself.....Who says hatred is murder. We are to "Love the sinner but hate the sin." Perfect love does that. We are called to feel great compassion for someone who is ruining their soul by servitude to the passions. That is what God does, and so must we....in the likeness of God.... for that leaves no doubt as to who is our father! Hatred runs from " I dislike", (which gets translated "I hate") to "I REALLY DO HATE" !

I heard the latter sometimes in reference to our last president and often in references to our present president...from good Catholics! So, who is our father when we hate? Are we then "Utterly estranged from love for God"? Something to ponder.