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<\/a><\/p>\nPresident Jimmy Carter started his Bible Study asking those present to raise their hands once they grasped the theme of the Scripture passage he was about to read.\u00a0 He began, \u201cbeloved, let us love one another, because love is of God.\u201d\u00a0 He looked up as his lips stretched forming a gentle smile, his eyes sparkled just a bit as he looked out into the congregation.\u00a0 A few hands rose.\u00a0 He continued, \u201ceveryone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.\u00a0 Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.\u201d\u00a0 At this point most hands were up in the air.\u00a0 He nodded toward one of the faithful and her answer was loud and clear, \u201clove.\u201d\u00a0 The President asked what we must do to receive God\u2019s love.\u00a0 He chuckled as almost everyone responded \u201clove others.\u201d\u00a0 He corrected the congregation with a kind, soothing voice, \u201cnothing, because God loves us first.\u201d<\/p>\n
After the Bible Study, Bishop Hartmayer and I remained for the Sunday morning service at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia led by Pastor Tony Lowden.\u00a0 He preached on the love that God continuously shows us despite our frequent indifference.\u00a0 He pointed to the life of the prophet Hosea who was asked by God to marry Gomer, an unfaithful prostitute.\u00a0 Pastor Tony explained that the pain Hosea felt every time his wife was unfaithful did not even come close to the pain we cause God when we turn away from His love.<\/p>\n
President Carter asked, \u201cwho here has someone he or she dislikes or hates?\u201d\u00a0 He raised his hand a bit to let us know this was not a rhetorical question.\u00a0 Many hands went up.\u00a0 He then continued, \u201cand who would want to be reconciled to that person?\u201d\u00a0 Most hands remained raised.\u00a0 Carter followed up with a very quick remark that got a chuckle from us, \u201cwell, do it.\u201d\u00a0 After a prolonged pause he suggested, \u201cinvite them to have coffee with you and be reconciled.\u201d\u00a0 The President shared how he reached out to the person who took his debate briefing papers in 1980 giving Ronald Regan a clear advantage at the presidential debate.\u00a0 They were reconciled many years after the incident.\u00a0 In his advanced age, frailty, and peaceful demeanor, President Carter shared that he believes there is no one with whom he needs to be reconciled.\u00a0 At that very moment reconciliation seemed to me easy to achieve.<\/p>\n
As I prepared with Bishop Hartmayer to celebrate Mass later that same day, I was deeply struck when the back door of the church opened and there was President Carter walking in with a tremendous joyful smile on his face.\u00a0 \u201cGood evening,\u201d he said as I shook his hand and said, \u201cgood evening Mr. President.\u201d\u00a0 Even though there was a secret service agent standing behind him, I was struck by his unassuming and gentle presence.\u00a0 I was reminded that it is possible to have disagreements and run ins with others, but above all is charity and reconciliation.\u00a0 Division and bitterness never lead to the conversion of hearts, but love, kindness, and gentleness do.\u00a0 God has loved us first, so what right do I have not to love others first?<\/p>\n
Picture is mine, all rights reserved.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
President Jimmy Carter started his Bible Study asking those present to raise their hands once they grasped the theme of the Scripture passage he was about to read.\u00a0 He began, \u201cbeloved, let us love one another, because love is of God.\u201d\u00a0 He looked up as his lips stretched forming a gentle smile, his eyes sparkled […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2533,"featured_media":4719,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[217],"tags":[1059,19,30,1053,1062,1056,1050],"class_list":["post-4716","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-bible-study","tag-bishop-hartmayer","tag-catholic","tag-jimmy-carter","tag-maranatha-baptist","tag-plains-georgia","tag-president-carter"],"yoast_head":"\n
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