A cheering letter for Pentecost week

A reader wrote me a few weeks back, but I’ve only now gotten to my mail:

I thought of you during the first reading at Mass this past Sunday, specifically the following words: “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles, ‘What are we to do, my brothers?’ Peter [said] to them, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.'”

I thought of you because that is exactly what I experienced on your blog one day. I wrote a comment on your blog that said, “If you want to have a fair hearing on immigration, you will not find it on this blog.” Or something to that effect. You responded that I was an enemy of the least ones, or something to that effect, and blocked me from commenting on your blog.

I do not write this email to fill you with guilt, but to tell you that your comment cut me to the heart. To my everlasting shame, I had purchased Ann Coulter’s book Adios America and was of several opinions based on the contents of that book. After your comment, however, I even texted a close friend and said that I was sick at heart for my prior opinions on immigration and deportation. Ever since then, I have been doing whatever I can to defend the immigrant community from injustice. Without your confrontation, I would have continued on my road. I shudder to think of where I might have willingly traveled. I often think that those of the Pharisees who became followers of Jesus were cut to the heart by His words before His death and resurrection.

Again, I do not mean to contradict your conscience or interfere with the Holy Spirit’s guidance in your life. I just needed you to know that story. Maybe I’ve told it to you before. If so, I’m sorry for being repetitive.

So thank you. Know of our continued prayers for you, my good man. Hang in there. God bless you through Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you for your sweet genuine note. I’m sorry I’ve been so slow to respond. You cheer my heart with your openness to the Holy Spirit and the least of these. It’s a rare commodity these days and I treasure it. God love you and bless you through our Lord Jesus Christ. Sorry I’ve been so short-fused. You are unblocked as soon I can figure out how. 🙂