When Hell is exposed

I love it when sometime during the day - Hell is exposed. That is, when the light of grace and love and peace and nonviolence of the Reign of God allows the Hell around to lose its many ways to keep hold of its power. It can be the simplicity of a rambunctious child who steps into a room and all of the sudden it seems as though the power of death has been asked to leave for there is no room left for such antics unless, of course, death is raised to new life by this joyous presence.

Hell is already in the room. It is not a place some folks are sent once they die. It is the power of death - division - jealousy - envy - violence that usually has control of the house. It is that tale into which we slide so easily in order to stay in control of life as we have it or want it. It is the lie we will tell about him or her or them quite often because we want the life they have. And yet, into that kind of a room comes laughter - joy - vulnerability - and an unbounded love that seems to be utterly naive until we experience its authenticity.

When Hell is exposed as it resides in the midst of us - it is not our task to drive it out. We are invited to act as though it cannot control our laughter and delight. We go so far so as to invite Hell to be embraced by that which Hell seems to always want to destroy. So rather than let Hell own the day we set another seat at the table of unbounded love. The world might change. We might not be the same ever again. And Hell, well, maybe it needs something like a rambunctious child to bring down the veil and lies and fears that keep the power of Hell alive among us.