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I completely understand why the speaker reacted with such emotion when she felt she was being accused of hating the President. She is often accused of violating the tenets of the Catholic faith on issues like abortion and marriage. I suspect being accused of violating another core tenet of a faith, particularly one with which she and the Church agree, hit a nerve.
Pelosi’s apologetics — her defense of religious beliefs — are 100% correct. Jesus teaches us in Romans 13:8 to love everyone, even our enemies, in Matthew 5:44 to pray for people who persecute you, and in 1 Timothy 2:2 to pray for our governmental leaders.
While I don’t agree with the speaker’s conclusion on impeachment, I think throughout this process she has attempted to separate her personal feelings toward the President and focus on the culpability of his actions. She seems to be following the admonition of St. Augustine, which has been drummed into any Catholic school graduate, to love the sinner, but hate the sin.
I am sure she recognizes that hate and it reminds her what Catholic school teaches: hate has a degrading effect on the person hating, not just the person who is hated. It takes a profound psychological and physical toll. And most importantly, it separates one from God, who is love.
But Pelosi is surrounded by people, apparently driven by hatred of the president, who have pushed her for a year to impeach him.
Until recently she wisely resisted. She realized hatred for the cancer it is, eating away at her caucus, her party and the country. But now, she has relented to the mob. I am sure in her mind she blames the President for the situation she finds herself in, and she would have plenty of legitimate arguments for doing so. The President is anything but blameless. But she also knows that in the end she and her colleagues are responsible for their own behavior.
It is no wonder she responded so passionately to the accusation of hating the president.
I know what it is like to be accused by political opponents of hatred toward others. In my case not of any one person, but of millions of people I have never met. Like the speaker, I know what is in my heart and my commitment to live my faith with fidelity.
I know that mere denials of hatred without actions and words that are consistent with love and respect will rightly be treated with suspicion. Given her recent actions, the question to the speaker was a reasonable one. I hope in retrospect she realizes, as I do, that our words can tell a story not consistent with our heart and soul.
So, I agree with Pelosi. We must not hate each other, we are commanded to love. And moreover, we are commanded to pray for those with whom we disagree, not just for their benefit, but for ours, so we are not consumed by bitterness that results in calamity for us and the country.
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