Brian’s Reflection: Thursday, September 5, 2008


A dove got caught in the rafters last night.
I had quite a time trying to get her out.
She hit her head several times in panic.
Only when she was stunned was I able to care for her.

In the paper there was a quote from a sage:
"Human nature was originally one and we were whole,
And the desire and pursuit of the whole is called love".
……….

in this world, the pursuit of love and compassion
is not without pain and confusion.

- Deng Ming-Dao, Taoist


I realize that I am “weary”. No, not just weary from the day. Weary dealing with the human communities I have been part of, most of whom have professed a belief in the Gospel of Peace and Justice, but who seem not to grasp the essence of that Gospel. It was epitomized for me today when a person I had considered a close friend - a person whom I had thought had come to understand that we are all alike and all deserve “liberty and justice for all” as Americans; that we are all loved equally by God; that being a follower of the Christ commits us not “bearing false witness against our neighbour” and lying about them - had apparently joined a group that wishes to deny equality in American society and before God. I was deeply, deeply saddened. Oh no; it did not change my understanding of myself as God’s Beloved. Nor did I, following Dom Miguel Ruiz’s excellent teaching, take it “personally”. I was just deeply saddened that someone could profess to “know Christ”, and to know me, and think this way.

It reminded me that many of us are like Deng’s dove. We are trapped in fearful, narrow, rigid, self-protective boxes, often imposed on us by our culture or by false senses of loyalty to family or “church” or politics, which stunt our ability or our openness to the magnificent power of God’s freeing love and truth.

But: so be it. That is Life.

Jesus came to replace the fearful, panicking doves of our souls, battering ourselves against the rafters of our fear and ignorance, with the dove of peace and of truth and of justice. As the sage said: "Human nature was originally one and we were whole, And the desire and pursuit of the whole is called love".

Love is hard when we reject each other out of our fear of the “other”. We are called to be “whole” and one with each other and with “God” - especially those who profess to be followers of the Gospel.

Brian+ “The pursuit of love and compassion is not without pain and confusion.”





Brian Orrock McHugh
519 W. Taylor St., SPC 334
Santa Maria CA 93458
orrock1946@comcast. net
520.705.5678
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