Preemptive War

I believe that war is not the answer, and that preemptive self-defense is a dangerous policy.

Unprovoked war is a tactic of an aggressor nation, even if you call it preemptive self-defense. It is a dangerous policy and it should not be a tactic of any country. The U.S. should be working to increase international cooperation, not to undermine it. Former President Jimmy Carter once said, "We will never learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children".

He also said, "War may sometimes be a necessary evil, but no matter how necessary, it is always an evil".

Suffering in Culture - Part 3

My wife organizes a weekly presentation at our Parish every Tuesday evening, called Spirituality Tuesday. This is a major excerpt from the presentation called Our Experience of Suffering in Culture and in Faith by Sherry Cassedy, which I found to be a beautifully written thought provoking explanation, and exceptionally relevant to our lives. Although my life’s story is different I am grateful to have been present at this presentation, because it so strongly represents my understanding of suffering. Some of it has been edited and some of it hasn’t, but this is her work alone.

Suffering plays an important role in most religions, regarding matters such as consolation; moral conduct; spiritual advancement through life hardships or through self-imposed trials; and ultimate destiny.  In the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, the first truth is that life is suffering; life includes pain, getting old, disease, and ultimately death. We also endure psychological suffering like loneliness frustration, fear, embarrassment, disappointment and anger. This is an irrefutable fact that cannot be denied. In the Buddhist understanding, suffering is caused by our craving and aversion, and the way leading to its cessation is the Noble Eightfold Path; being moral, focusing the mind on being fully aware of our thoughts and actions, and developing wisdom and compassion for others. The Hindu understanding of suffering holds that suffering follows naturally from negative behaviors in our current life or in a past life; what we call karma. One must accept suffering as a just consequence and as an opportunity for spiritual progress. How we respond to suffering will determine future karma.

The Christian understanding teaches that suffering is inevitable in this life, and it is through grace that we can respond in a way that allows for transformation; a movement through suffering to joy. With every form of suffering endured by man, and indeed the suffering of the whole world, there arises the question: Why? John Paul II talks about this as “the deepest need of the heart and the deep imperative of faith.”  Pope John Paul II was a beloved world spiritual leader and he was also a man who knew suffering. The Book of Job dispels the notion that suffering is punishment for individual sin or evil. Job was a just, good man, and his suffering is accepted as the suffering of the innocent and speaks to the mystery of suffering. John Paul delves into the mystery of suffering and the redemption of human suffering through Jesus’ suffering and death. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Pope John Paul also tells us that “Love is the fullest source of the answer to the question of the meaning of suffering.” As a result of Christ’s suffering, man exists on earth with the hope of eternal life, and although the victory over sin and death achieved by Christ does not abolish earthly suffering in human life, it does throw a new light upon suffering: The light of salvation. The beatitudes speak to the dimensions of human suffering and redemption of suffering, the movement through suffering and death to new life. Christ drew near to suffering and of course the Cross leads to the Resurrection: To new life.

Pass It On

I believe that Grace is our most important gift, that health is our most important possession, and that children are our most important legacy.

Muhammad once said that "None amoungst you can get into Paradise by virtue of his deeds alone, not even I, but that Allah should wrap me in his grace and mercy". The ancient Hindu sage Vasistha considered it to be the only way to transcend the bondage of lifetimes of karma. In Christianity, Jesus taught us that grace is the unmerited mercy God gave us by sending his son to die on the cross.

Health is the level of metabolic efficiency of a living organism. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury and pain. It is is not only a state or conditon, it is the resource for everyday life, and it includes a disposition to be generous and helpful. Don't be fooled by the idea that your legacy is some kind of bequest to your heirs. Your legacy is the love and respect that has been transmitted to your children.

Just as God's divine love and protection has been bestowed freely on us, who you are will live on in your children.

One Hundred Years

I believe that 100 years from now it won't make any difference.

Right now whatever is bothering you probably seems to be more important than anything else in your entire life. You need this, or you don't want to change that, or you have to make a difference somewhere. Step back from it for a moment and take another look, because it's simply not worth letting it affect your life negatively.

Believe me, 100 years from now it won't make any difference.

Suffering in Culture - Part 2

My wife organizes a weekly presentation at our Parish every Tuesday evening, called Spirituality Tuesday. This is a major excerpt from the presentation called Our Experience of Suffering in Culture and in Faith by Sherry Cassedy, which I found to be a beautifully written thought provoking explanation, and exceptionally relevant to our lives. Although my life’s story is different I am grateful to have been present at this presentation, because it so strongly represents my understanding of suffering. Some of it has been edited and some of it hasn’t, but this is her work alone.

We find meaning in suffering by making sense of our lives; by telling a story that makes sense of our past and present experiences. Whether we are aware of it or not, we each have an autobiography that we are constantly revising in light of new experiences. If something like an important death does not make sense, then it is "nonsense." Individuals and communities want to see the world in a way that makes sense, which is why suffering and death force us to see the world differently. When an individual sees the world differently, he or she constructs a new narrative, a new biography of themselves and/or of the cause of their suffering.

After the loss of a loved one, others say in relationship to our circumstances: “I can’t imagine how I could go on”. It’s easy to understand how they can’t imagine what their life would be, because it’s beyond their horizon. Suffering takes us beyond our understanding of ourselves to a new reality that we never imagined. It dispels all notions we have of ourselves and our story, so we find ways to go on, to reconstruct our lives with this new reality at the center as we reorganize our lives around it. We may not be able to see how this mystery is working in us, or imagine a new way of being in the world, but it’s important to recognize that we don’t have to decide everything or know everything. If we try too hard to figure it out, we lose a trusting open spirit. We must learn to trust the path, the next step.

Imagine taking a hike near where you live. The trail is not well marked and in places there is no trail at all. It feels like an adventure as you find your way along the trail; in some places lost altogether only to be found again, stretching out clearly before you. Occasionally, as you are walking and look up ahead all you can see is a seamless field of grass; no path at all, but when you look straight down you can see the path clearly. You may not know where the path is taking you, but you can see the next step. You can trust in the path even without knowing the destination. This can become a life-changing experience, as you learn to let go of knowing where you will be in in the future, simply focusing on the next step in your journey. Remaining a little closer to the present is to be able to breathe into the next moment, to take that next step one day at a time. It allows us to be more comfortable with the mystery, and it allows us to wonder in awe and even in surprise.

Chaos

I believe that everything is as it should be.

It's true that the daily paper would suggest otherwise, and if we look around us we see a world that is in chaos. This doesn't mean that we can't make an effort to make a difference, but where we want to be will never be where we are. Scientists are trying, lawyers are trying, volunteers are trying, preists are trying, and we must try too. When we do make a difference, things will (once again) be as they are meant to be.

Nevertheless, I believe that at this very moment everything is as it should be.

Dont Sweat

I believe that rule #1 is "don't sweat the small stuff", and that rule #2 is "it's all small stuff".

Essentially, nothing is worth the conflict necessary to have it your way. Whether your child wants the blue one or the green one should never be a point of contention. Whether your wife wants to eat Chinees food or Mexican food can't be worth an argument. Is insisting on mounting the toilet paper the "right way" how you want to be remembered? I hope not. Think about this for a moment, how is winning any argument going to make your life better? Don't try to kid yourself, other than to boost your ego it's not going to; period. Life is too short to let the small things get in the way of happiness.

Relax, take a deep breath, and let it go: It's simply not that important.