蜜芽传媒

Good Morning.聽One of my favourite parables is about a homeless demon. Realizing that there鈥檚 no place like home, it returns to the man it had previously possessed to find his soul cleaned and swept. It鈥檚 so overjoyed that it invites diabolical friends 鈥渕ore evil than itself鈥� to join it. Jesus concludes, 鈥渢he last state of that person is worse than the first.鈥�

This parable came to mind as I reflected on my homeland this morning, as we see once again how starkly it is divided. I鈥檝e long watched my fellow countrymen eagerly turn each other into demons. Republicans vilify Democrats 聽and vice-versa. In so doing, each side becomes the devil their opponents鈥� rhetoric invokes.

This morning, amidst uncertainty, some will be anticipating cleaning house, doing everything in their power to exorcise the supposed evil of their opponents. Meanwhile, the other side will wonder, thinking they might be homeless, still hoping also for their chance of power. Will what they experience invite something worse than before?

Such demons are no strangers here in the UK. Healthy democracies endure through the consent of the losers, so perhaps a renewed sense of citizenship begins with our refusing to villify our enemies. Christ offers a different choice: 鈥淟ove your enemies as yourself.鈥� How about we try his way for a change?

A prayer from the American Prayer Book: 鈥淥 God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect. Amen.鈥�