Seeing with eyes of love

Three things have come together today for me that have the feeling of true synchronicity. Or perhaps this is the way that only the Spirit works.

One is the verdict in the Trayvon Martin murder where killer George Zimmerman was acquitted of all charges.

Two is today's Gospel reading from Luke where Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan.

Three is Fr. Doug's homily where he quotes Henri Nouwen saying that some of us see our neighbor with eyes of fear, while some see the neighbor with eyes of love.

"And who is my neighbor?" the scholar of the law asks Jesus. In reply, Jesus tells the now famous parable.

“A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.
Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,
‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you,
I shall repay you on my way back.’

Nouwen would say that the Samaritan traveler looked at the robbed and beaten man with eyes of love.

Imagine that fateful night in Florida when George Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin. Imagine if he had looked upon the young man with eyes of love instead of eyes of fear. Imagine if instead of following Trayvon Martin out of suspicion, imagine if George Zimmerman had called out in a friendly voice, "Hello there. Can I help you this evening?"

Fr. Doug challenged us. How do you see the world? How do you see your neighbor?

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Sunday July 14, 2013

Signs of Life

My colleague Robert Crosby shared this quote the other day on LinkedIn:

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive!"

It's from Howard Thurman, an influential African-American thinker and author who I know little about. But I intend to change that. Already I have started listening to some of his lectures on youtube.

Thurman's quote, and Fr. Doug's homily from this morning, have me thinking about what it means to be alive. And more specifically, what it means to be alive in faith.

In Luke's gospel today (Luke 10), we heard the account of Jesus sending the 72 disciples. In this sending story, Jesus commissions them ("Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves") and gives them instructions on how they are to go on the way ("Do not take a purse or bag or sandals").

And what are they to do? "Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'"

In essence, they are to be living signs of the Kingdom. In their coming and their going, in their healing and their teaching, in everything that they do, they are to be signs of God's active presence in the world.

Fr. Doug challenged us to examine ourselves. Are we living signs of our faith? During the week, on the road and in the workplace, are we signs of love, healing, and peace?

Fr. Doug spoke about Pope John XXIII who, in convening the Second Vatican Council in 1962, said that the church must open the windows and let in the fresh air of the Spirit. Pope Francis, who recently called for Pope John's sainthood, seems to be opening the windows again for some resuscitating breath.

Thurman was prophetic in saying "what the world needs is people who have come alive."

We the faithful disciples of Jesus must come alive in the Spirit and be living signs in all that we do.

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Sunday July 7, 2013