Notes from a homegoing service
12 hours ago, I was sitting in the auditorium of Petra International Ministries, attending the homegoing service for Cora Mae Raiford and her oldest son, Kenneth Joseph Raiford. I wrote about it for "My Homewood."
I did not say this there: I am challenged by the reminder that we...no, that I...must love.
That loving is not sentiment. That it is practical. That it requires wisdom (for love seeks and works for the benefit of the beloved, and knowing what would benefit the beloved requires wisdom).
There was more, but this is enough for now: I must love.
Most of the time, I do not want to love. Most of the time, I want to regard my fellow humans as disposable objects of amusement or annoyance or financing...whatever, depending on my mood. Not as splendid creatures "walking around shining like the sun." (I think that's from Henri Nouwen's "The Wounded Healer").
(3/3/12: Nope. It's Thomas Merton, "Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander": There is no way to telling people that they are walking around shining like the sun...")
12 hours ago, I was sitting in the auditorium of Petra International Ministries, attending the homegoing service for Cora Mae Raiford and her oldest son, Kenneth Joseph Raiford. I wrote about it for "My Homewood."
I did not say this there: I am challenged by the reminder that we...no, that I...must love.
That loving is not sentiment. That it is practical. That it requires wisdom (for love seeks and works for the benefit of the beloved, and knowing what would benefit the beloved requires wisdom).
There was more, but this is enough for now: I must love.
Most of the time, I do not want to love. Most of the time, I want to regard my fellow humans as disposable objects of amusement or annoyance or financing...whatever, depending on my mood. Not as splendid creatures "walking around shining like the sun." (I think that's from Henri Nouwen's "The Wounded Healer").
(3/3/12: Nope. It's Thomas Merton, "Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander": There is no way to telling people that they are walking around shining like the sun...")
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