My heart is struggling with the lightness of the Holiday season and the heaviness of the world, both personal and impersonal. On the national stage, there is hardly a chance for peace anywhere, with shootings, bombings, war, and threats of war. There is the war of words, with the politicians all vying for a job that one wonders why anyone would want…
Refugees, another concern, echoing the story of Mary and Joseph and No Room at the Inn. For the coming birth of the messiah…prophesied or otherwise, as the lynchpin of the Christmas story. No one seems to connect the dots, why are so many Christians celebrating the birth of Jesus, and yet putting no welcome mat out for the stranger. Christians, are not the only ones skirting the issue of hypocrisy. Muslims and Jews too, forgetting what their holy messengers actually said.
I am reminded of the two most visceral John Lennon songs, “Give Peace a Chance” and “Imagine”. Listening to those lyrics, and remembering how long ago they were written. How long ago the holy books were written and yet, here we are forgetting and just plain being disobedient to the thing we have sworn allegiance to.
The master Christian said only two commandments were necessary, Love thy lord God with all thy heart, and love thy neighbor as thyself. He also said if a man should have anything against his neighbor, do not bring thy gift to the altar, better to make peace with thy brother that thou knowest, than praise God whom thou does not knowest.
How long before we finally lay down our hatreds, prejudices, weapons, and truly follow the commandment to love our neighbor as our self and forgive them that curse us and despitefully use us and forgive 70x7…? It is much simpler than how we have been conducting ourselves. We would have more energy and resources for the children and the planet and the ocean, and the rest of the created things put here for all of us to be responsible for.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, or Bah Humbug!
Love and light
Satchi
Refugees, another concern, echoing the story of Mary and Joseph and No Room at the Inn. For the coming birth of the messiah…prophesied or otherwise, as the lynchpin of the Christmas story. No one seems to connect the dots, why are so many Christians celebrating the birth of Jesus, and yet putting no welcome mat out for the stranger. Christians, are not the only ones skirting the issue of hypocrisy. Muslims and Jews too, forgetting what their holy messengers actually said.
I am reminded of the two most visceral John Lennon songs, “Give Peace a Chance” and “Imagine”. Listening to those lyrics, and remembering how long ago they were written. How long ago the holy books were written and yet, here we are forgetting and just plain being disobedient to the thing we have sworn allegiance to.
The master Christian said only two commandments were necessary, Love thy lord God with all thy heart, and love thy neighbor as thyself. He also said if a man should have anything against his neighbor, do not bring thy gift to the altar, better to make peace with thy brother that thou knowest, than praise God whom thou does not knowest.
How long before we finally lay down our hatreds, prejudices, weapons, and truly follow the commandment to love our neighbor as our self and forgive them that curse us and despitefully use us and forgive 70x7…? It is much simpler than how we have been conducting ourselves. We would have more energy and resources for the children and the planet and the ocean, and the rest of the created things put here for all of us to be responsible for.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, or Bah Humbug!
Love and light
Satchi