The world is a hard, glaring place. It's easy to look about and see only the tragedy… the despair…the black, ugly horror of humanity. Good news is seldom newsworthy. Our 24/7 news cycle world has the horror on half-hour repeat. War and retribution on constant repeat have become our "bread and circuses."
It would be so easy to join the raucous chorus sounding the dogmatic call to ever more horrific heights of horror in answer of horror. Where will it ever end? I must, in honesty, admit, that, on occasion, I give in to that impulse. I read about or see a new travesty and think the terrible thoughts we're always being told to think. But, that's not what my Faith teaches me. That's not what my study and understanding of Christ's message teaches me. As Christians, aren't we supposed to be the Voice of Peace?
I try to begin each day remembering: His Grace was gifted to me from His Mercy and Love and through no effort nor deed of my own. Having received such a Holy and perfect Gift, who am I to forget or deny that the very same grace, mercy and love is gifted to all souls everywhere.
I hope each day that I am a living example of His Grace and a true disciple of Christ, and that my choices remain founded in the Scriptures. More than that, I hope that I do not become so dogged in discipleship that I, like the Pharisees and Sadducees, lose sight of the intent of Christ's message and gift. I try to be a living reflection of the image of God, who is love.
The lessons I try always to carry with me are from scriptures such as the following:
NIV I Corinthians 13:1 "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
NIV John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
NIV Romans 12:17 "Do not repay anyone evil for evil."
I will do all I can to impart my understanding to my son and honestly and earnestly share my Faith with those who are open to hearing it. I don't claim to always uphold these goals. I am, after all, only one all too fallible human. I do and will continue to try. I will continue to be unashamedly Christian.
Pick up your own copy of my first book of poetry, entitled My Life In Poetry at D. Denise Dianaty
