Now The Silence

It is incomprehensible that anyone would want to kill, hurt, maim anyone let alone the LGBTQ community. Everyone I know who tries to speak is stunned by the enormity of the offense. Words don’t flow.

‘America the Beautiful’ is such because we focus on freedom of life and liberty.  We learn from each other.  The miracle of the constitution is that it allows us to recreate the meaning of democracy in each generation upholding basic principles that feed each generation.  But this type of behavior…?

The pundits will come up with fancy words to help ameliorate what has happened.  Words like deranged’, ‘terrorist’, ‘homophobic’.  This might make us all feel better. But the words are meaningless.  We don’t need explanations nor excuses nor defense of our Rights. We hunger to rediscover the simple basic human tenet of love for God and respect for each other.  They are pretty synonymous in many ways.

Jesus said: ’Peace I leave with you’. Peace to appreciate who “you” are. Peace to appreciate the distinctiveness of your neighbor.   Peace to share beneficial wisdom.  Peace to comprehend the difference between right and wrong.  Peace to comprehend that some ways of living are better than others. Peace to forgive the sins and shortcomings of neighbor. Peace to forgive yourself for your own shortcomings. Peace to live with yourself and the memories of past actions that you may want to erase from personal history. Peace to celebrate the wondrous gift of life. Peace opens up life opportunity.

Life opportunities change whenever we meet and talk with each other.  The world is transformed through a humble acceptance that we are all tenants on this planet.  It is loaned to us by God.

Some humility and sharing between us never hurts.  Thoughts, prayers, tears are with the LGBTQ community in Orlando as they sort through this horrid experience. May we discover the  commonalities between us so we can all appreciate each other in all our idiosyncrasies and differences.  Who knows. Perhaps you and I will change through the experience?

And for our elected leaders:  There is no reason that persons cannot have the right to bear arms. And there is no reason that a Congress elected by the people cannot come up with a gun control law that restricts access to these deadliest weapons to protect us all. 99.9% of us don’t want to walk around with arms to protect ourselves from our neighbor.  We want to enjoy our days with our neighbor!  America is the country that went to the moon and is exploring beyond the limits of space. We have the capacity to create a meaningful law and process.  Our elected leaders need the will to do it. And if they don’t want to do this. We don’t need them. We need leaders with a passion and commitment to serve the common good. To serve the people so we may live in peace.

Now the Silence.  Now the peace. Now the empty hands uplifted.

Now the kneeling. Now the plea. Now God’s arms in welcome….