Thursday 17 July 2008

From "The Root of War Is Fear" by Thomas Merton.

It is not only our hatred of others that is dangerous but also and above all our hatred of ourselves: particularly that hatred of ourselves which is too deep and too powerful to be consciously faced. For it is this which makes us see our own evil in others and unable to see it in ourselves.

One of the exercises I have couple do in pre-marital counseling has to do with looking at images of people from their growing up years - everyone from parents to sibling to extended neighbors and even child-care folks. They are to grab hold of positive and negative images. Then we move through the deep connections of how we pick or do not pick the people with whom we intend to enter into a deeper relationship. Sometimes, older couples don't think they need to do this because they "know" who they are and what they need. NOT! When I think of why we are at war today, I often think of who we are. We do not like the aggression of others and the utter self-interest of others and the need to be secure at any cost even if it means attacking others. Well...this is us as much as it is them. So what do we hate about ourselves that drives us nuts for war and what makes us resist peace? We are do often pulled through the day by what we fear and how we can take control of the day rather than face the fears we have. At this moment, I'm terribly afraid of what is going on with my ruptured Achilles tendon and how I will recover. There are moments when I am so frightened that I have to settle back and take note of it otherwise I can get pretty picky - ask my wife.

Connection: Peace is such a good way to follow. And yet, during the day, war (in one shape or another) is our choice. It is not only good to identify the things we fear. It is also good to identify the feeling that move us to be fear-filled. It can be embarrassment or frustration or impotence in a situation or threat of loss -any kind of loss. We can all benefit from staying close to what we are feeling before entering any warfare.

Lord of Peace and Justice and Mercy, hold us and lead us through the many turns and bends of this day that can throw us into the powerful grasp of our fears. Then, help us rest and see a new way to be present. Amen.