Union

What place, what state, is the birthplace of two American presidents who

Served concurrent terms?

It's a tricky question.

Because once it dawns on you how America had 

Two concurrent presidents,

You'll still probably be wrong about where they were born.

The concurrent presidents were Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis.

A lot of people would say Abraham Lincoln was born in Illinois.

Fr Gene's car, parked out back here, used to have Illinois plates 

And they carried the state's popular slogan, Land of Lincoln.

If people associate Jefferson Davis with any state,

It's probably Mississippi or Virginia.

But both Abe and Jeff were originally from the same place.

Born just 8 months and 100 miles apart, in my home state—Kentucky.

Kentucky's state motto is United We Stand, Divided We Fall.

We often feel a natural unity, an affinity, when we meet someone 

And discover that we're from the same place.

But in the days of Lincoln and Davis we were deeply divided.

And we certainly did fall—into bloody, destructive, devastating civil war.

Today again, divisions in our country are deep and rancorous.

That Kentucky motto proclaims a stark warning—and an urgent mission.

And it’s just an echo of Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel.

Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste

And house will fall against house.

Someone has to drive out our demons.

Demons within us and among us, who stoke that division.

They can be driven out, as Jesus said,

Not by their own demonic, hateful tactics—but by the finger of God.

And now that Jesus has ascended back to Heaven, the task falls to us.

We are this world’s physically-present hands and fingers of God.

Jesus came into the world for the sake of unity.

For our 0neness with God, and oneness with each other.

He came to reconcile us to one another and to the Father.

He heals the wounds of sin and division.

He intercedes for us with our Father.

He’ll help us to be the blessed peacemakers.

Models of civility, respect, tolerance, and understanding.

Models of temperate tweets and posts and verbal comments.

Models demonstrating to the nation that we can all get along.

That as children of God,

We’re all from the same place.

Friday, 27th Week in Ordinary Time

Lk 11:15-26   Read this Scripture @usccb.org