From a culture of written Law (Judaism), i always find it amazing that Christ never personally wrote anything ... except some scratchings in the sand with a stick when he confronted the mob about to stone a woman accused of adultery to death: the sins of those in judgement were reproduced in the sand in silence, made concrete for all to see and none to hear. The manner in which he lived his life is the Way. He asks us to follow him if we would know true life. To follow one must do something. To do anything one must make choices. By doing, we accept full responsibility of our own lives, to choose, change, and create love where there had before only been shadows and darkness. Of course Jesus spoke, but as a Teacher to those who would listen, who had ears. His words reinforced his deeds to reveal his truth.
Today St. John invites us to 'love not in word or speech, but in deed and truth' (1 Jn 3:18).
The physical world requires deeds. If wealth and war become gods, then people will work for wealth and prepare for war, or at least to prevent one. The richest rule. The strongest rule. The majority rules. Great men, kings, are entrusted with powers over our lives. History has shown us that while our species has done well as far as numbers, when greed and fear become our common denominator all we have reached inevitably collapses. History is the record of the winners and the great, but we know nothing of the meek who suffered. Words and speech are important, but when it comes to love, we have to put the weight of our physical being behind our pretty words and create something real and true.
Compassion is intimate. No amount of paper or memory on a hard drive can do what a helping hand can do. There is warmth, immediacy, touch, not to mention smell, sight, sound, all senses collaborating on love made real, or as real as the human mind requires to accept the gift offered.
This is tough to write for me because i know these words are not love. I have to get up and do something with my faith if i am to follow the Way. Praise is nice, but putting love into practise is our calling. Teaching is essential, but the teacher must physically live his life according to his lesson if he is words are to be believed. Love all. Serve all. Listen to words, but apply their instructions to life and then only judge when personal experience has been gained. Practise more and more and more until each moment of ones life becomes the lesson and no words are necessary. Be love. Be truth. The verb 'to be' must certainly be an active verb!
Deo gratias.
Today St. John invites us to 'love not in word or speech, but in deed and truth' (1 Jn 3:18).
The physical world requires deeds. If wealth and war become gods, then people will work for wealth and prepare for war, or at least to prevent one. The richest rule. The strongest rule. The majority rules. Great men, kings, are entrusted with powers over our lives. History has shown us that while our species has done well as far as numbers, when greed and fear become our common denominator all we have reached inevitably collapses. History is the record of the winners and the great, but we know nothing of the meek who suffered. Words and speech are important, but when it comes to love, we have to put the weight of our physical being behind our pretty words and create something real and true.
Compassion is intimate. No amount of paper or memory on a hard drive can do what a helping hand can do. There is warmth, immediacy, touch, not to mention smell, sight, sound, all senses collaborating on love made real, or as real as the human mind requires to accept the gift offered.
This is tough to write for me because i know these words are not love. I have to get up and do something with my faith if i am to follow the Way. Praise is nice, but putting love into practise is our calling. Teaching is essential, but the teacher must physically live his life according to his lesson if he is words are to be believed. Love all. Serve all. Listen to words, but apply their instructions to life and then only judge when personal experience has been gained. Practise more and more and more until each moment of ones life becomes the lesson and no words are necessary. Be love. Be truth. The verb 'to be' must certainly be an active verb!
Deo gratias.
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