A Day of remembrance and forbearance. Some say, never forget the attack on NYC. Other's say, you have to forgive. The recent warfare of words about the Muslim site at "ground zero" is a good illustration of what forgiveness is and what it is not.
It is not about saying that it was okay that someone murdered intentionally thousands of innocent people. It is not even about forgetting what happened that day. Who can forget such a horrible day in human history. It is about remembering that many people and nations, ethnic and religious groups, people all over earth and through out human history have been the victims and perpetrators of horrific acts.
What the world needs now is not a self-centered love that days, "God bless America" but a compassion toward all people of earth from the pitt of hell that 9/11 reminds us of we can speak God's love for all people. When we can without prejudice but with open heartedness invite the Muslims and any other religious group and even the atheist group into a place a acceptance and embrace we are practicing the essence of the gospel. Jesus loved those who loved to hear him and those who killed him. He embraced the hatred of his enemies with love from and in his heart. This did not mean he liked it approved and or welcomed it. It did mean he saw beyond it to the hurt and aching heart of the perpetrator and offered that heart an understanding and compassion that was simply "open hearted".
This indeed will make us vulnerable to abuse and misuse as indeed Jesus received. It will also open our hearts to understand that our enemies are us not them. War will only cease when our hearts are not enraged by anger and fueled by fear. Compassion does not condemn of condone anyone or anything. Compassion lives the transforming power of love into the heart of the enemy.
9/11 is a call for us to shout, Forgive us our sins and forgive our enemies their sins against us. It is a call to pray, God bless our World with love and peace. Help us to live in peace and receive in love all peoples of earth.
About Me
- Don Paine
- I am a pastor and a clinical psychotherapist. My life's passion is defining healthiness from a human perspective and paralleling it to the holiness of God, divine perspective. Shifting perspectives creates a paradigm that is alongside of rather than over and against. The parakalein of God and the paradoxes of humanity are redefined. Humanity is all about winning and yet we are losing ground everywhere. Divinity is all about letting go of the desire to win and the fear of loss. The Divine embraces the world with loving care regardless of anything.
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