So To Speak

I was comiserating with someone who was very calmly and cordially describing some abusive online behavior. Suffice to say that a third party responded to my compassion by yelling in all caps that we are obligated to make allowances for the mentally ill and how dare I react with less compassion than Christ.
My dad was an abusive son of a gun. I have forgiven him because I understand. However that does not mean what he did to us is okay. It does not require me to permit abuse, or arrogance or superiority from anyone, especially on line. Nor will I fail to call out such behavior when I see or hear it.
I am old enough to know that silence begets worse behavior. Many males or even clerics have to respond to everything. I have learned the painful way to teach people how to treat me. Also, that just because I have a thought does ot mean I am called by God to share it. Usually my foul language stays in my mouth. Sometimes no. Even at 72 I am work in progress.
     I ask myself is this kind, courteous, just and loving?  (AA Big Book). Does it show that I practice justice, love mercy and walk humbly with my God?
   When I fail, it hurts!  Me and the person I injured.  But until I no longer need this body I must be careful and think seventy times seven whether I should speak at all. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Critical Eye: Only One Story

I have come to believe that there is only one story to be found in the best of fiction and in the best of spirituality.  That is the story of the Christ:  Birth, Death and Resurrection. For example, in the fiction of Louise Penny, in her series about Inspector Gamauche of the Surete in Quebec, popularly referred to as "the stories of Three Pines," the Inspector is the major hero, who is not only flawed, but enlightened.  As in most fiction, all the characters can be seen as aspects of the author, which makes me wish I personally knew Ms. Penny. One of the most admirable aspects of the Inspector is his willingness to walk through the fire to reach the truth, in himself and in others.  The village of Three Pines seems to represent heaven, in a very Celtic Way:  All ground is holy ground, and any ground can be heaven or hell, depending on the awareness of the truth of those who can perceive it.  It seems to exist both in time and outside of time.   T...
Read more

How Then Shall We Live?

Dear God help us.  We live in a world full of ugly, serrated, twisted truths we would rather not face. And a world full of beautiful, courageous, gentle tenderness we pray is stronger than the dark side. It seems to me that I am called to love, as tenderly and gently as possible.  I am expected by my Beloved to treat myself first of all with that gentle love I am shown.   When I am in physical pain, it wears on my patience.  Except when I ride it out on the breath of prayer.  Keep me so close, my dear love, that each heartbeat is from you and for you.   I place myself in your hands.  Let me there rest upon your heart, where I can hear each holy beat giving life and beauty to your world.  Let me not dwell on things too deep or too high or too complicated for me.  I am tired Lord.  Let me rest a while, holding your blessed children to your holy heart.   Heal us dear Christ.  Sing to us our new song.  We love you. In His deep peace, Rev. Patti+
Read more

Tough Day

I am in a lot of pain today.  The temptation is to go back to sleep.  However, I am up, I took my meds and am ready to say mass.  Back later. I have been thinking about communication.  It is so difficult just between two human beings.  We project our opinions and our thoughts.  We have to work so hard to be a loving, open and accepting presence for others.  And yet, if we don't, what hope is there for us?  How grateful we are when someone "gets" us. Having a culture in common helps so much.  Just joking across cultures is risky.  Loving across cultures is much moreso.   Specifically I think of how to heal our own country.  It can only be done by ourselves I think.  And only if we risk giving each other the benefit of the doubt. We all at least try to love our own.  How can we make that include those we are tempted to see as wrong?  I pray for all of us.  Let us make this time of suffering one that transforms us into a strong and gentle people.  Let us not become small and...
Read more