Happy New Year, everyone. I hope everyone’s holiday season was/is blessed and festive.

The Jubilee Year of Hope may be over, but the hope is not over.

We are a divided people. Whether it’s within the United-in-name-only-States, the Universal-by-way-of- geography-Church, or families where blood binds in the absence of love,  there are numerous examples of “this side” versus “that side”.

How exhausting.

Anything that is said, thought, or believed is met with immediate disagreement from somebody. Thank modern communication technology for that. (Which is worse: The fact that people can share their words of stances with an incalculable amount of people or that same said amount of people can react to them immediately?)

This disagreement can lead to frustration. This frustration can lead to anger. This anger can lead to hurt. You can take it from there and keep going as per your imaginations.

We have many different scenarios at play here. You have people who are 100 percent totally and absolutely right in what they believe, think, or say — whether based on fact or morality — and the resistance they are met with is wrong and dangerous and helps no one.

You also have people on two sides that are both “right,” but fail to see it and respond with damaging words and actions. Again, this helps no one.

More is the pity when you have two people engaged in a discussion (for about five seconds until it turns hateful) who are both wrong and are willing to die on their respective hills (most of the time proverbially, but in tragic instances, lives are lost over differences). Even if we give the benefit of the doubt that their hearts were in the right places despite their misguided perspectives, their energies spent on being incorrect could have been used for greater purposes. 

Seeking direction and appropriate actions

Whether the divides are as seemingly unimportant as those involving sports or are over more important matters concerning politics or life, we seem to have two options on how to respond and react — choose a “side” or say and do nothing and be hidden.

I suppose these both could reach a desired and good outcome. 

One can pick a side and prevail for good with the support and backing of others. One can also keep to themselves, avoid conflict, and pray for a good resolution within their own home, or keep their own “house” in order and serve as an example to others.

I think we can do better than avoiding others or indulging in damaging conflict.

To “do better,” we need courage, and that courage can come from the Almighty Father.

The first thing we can do is display the humility that we might be wrong in our thinking, or at least don’t see the full picture, and we need to learn more before our beliefs are fully formed.

From a Catholic and moral perspective, catechesis and apologetics can lead us to the resources and knowledge we seek.

We can find the answers to “What is right?” and “What is wrong?”. 

A strongly formed knowledge and embracing of God’s love and plan for us can spread into other areas in our lives — family discussions, the voting booth, commenting on social media (if you must), talking with friends, impromptu conversations at work, or wherever and whenever else we will be tested.

We also need the wisdom to know we are not going to solve all of the world’s problems. I have lived through many examples of presenting a fully formed argument to someone; fully explaining right and wrong, good and bad, and why and why not; but I didn’t change anyone’s mind.

When that happens to you, that’s on them, not you. You did the right thing. 

When that happens, don’t get mad, don’t hate, don’t fight back.

The most important thing we can do to heal the divides is to love.

What does it mean to love? It means to want what is best for those who — on some level — are your enemies, whether it is a temporary conflict or something much larger.

It doesn’t mean to want what’s best for them according to what they imperfectly want. It doesn’t mean to want what’s best for them according to what you unclearly think is best for them. It means to want for them what God wants for them.

How many people do you have in your life that you can honestly and confidently say you know what God wants for them?

If you are struggling to answer that question (I sure am), start with yourself. Pray to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that you know what HE wants for you. Following that, help others on their paths.

Does that sound like quite an impossible undertaking? Yes, it should, but that’s where we can all work together and support each other.

Looking forward

I want to think that we’re closer to being all in this together than we are to being permanently divided.

Each and every one of us are seeking love and happiness. We are just not very good at knowing what they are and how to get there.

Many people are turning away from a God they don’t know, but a God who loves them very much. Many people are turning away from neighbors that God has put into their lives for a reason.
 

We’ve had the Years of Faith and Hope. Let’s make 2026 and beyond the Years of Love.

If we let God love us — truly love us — the rest will follow according to His will. It might take a while, but we have to try. We have to do the right thing. 

Thank you for reading.

I’m praying for you.