Now, let me be clear.

My goal is not to be hated.  My goal is to walk-lockstep in Gospel Truths.

The hate is just an indicator that I’m doing what is right.  Just refer to the Gospel of St. John, Chapter 15, verses 17-19.

That’s right.  I included verse 17.

It reads, according to my Douay-Rheims, “These things that I command you, that you love one another.”

Jesus commands that we love one another.  Did you read that?  HE COMMANDS IT!!!

Don’t ever, ever gloss over the inestimable importance of that directive.  The 1-A, if you will, of everything… EVERY… THING that encapsulates the mandate of the Chrisitan.

Just 10 simple words – “These things that I command you, that you love one another.”

Jesus COMMANDS it!

My.  Goodness.  Do we truly understand the weight of those words?  I don’t.  I’m trying.  Hard.  But I don’t.  And Lord have mercy on me as I try to fully grasp the beauty of those words from the Word Made Flesh.

I am commanded, COMMANDED!, to LOVE each and every one of those pitiable souls on Twitter who are wishing evil to fall upon me.

And I do.  I do love them.  I do not like how they have chosen to conduct themselves, but I love them.  Oh Crucified Christ, give me your Sacred Heart that I may know TRUE love.

So.  Where does that leave me?

It leaves me with the task that I am joyfully taking up.  To live my life in accordance with God’s will.  And God does not want me to “win friends and influence people” AT THE EXPENSE of his Commandments.  I will continue to champion the beauty of marriage… and life.  Come hell, high-water, or even silence from friends and family members.

If the world hates us, remember that He was hated before us.

We are commanded to love.  And we are commanded to pick up our cross, DAILY.

Step… step… lock-step…