Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

Sometimes I see some people as a growling dog who barks loudly toward a frightened child. The  aggressive threatening dog needs to be corralled away from the child and coaxed, retrained to become a cooperative member of the community. 

His circumstances are not who he is. He just needs a chance to change by a caring someone, so that he may become whole; the one he really was destined to become. Circumstances don't define who one is and a caring someone can change a person into a loving community builder.

The COVID pandemic has reinforced this idea.  So many do not seem to know what to do but bark nonsense to mankind. Threatening, yes, but a loving, caring voice and hands quell the disruptive noise they bark to frightened innocents.

The first step is always filled with fear and doubt, but with a prayer one’s journey is surrounded by hope, strength, and trust.  One may not have much of the journey figured out before starting as the best journeys allow for sidesteps. There are always unexpected twists leading to where one needs to head.  Everything takes longer than one thinks; the steps teach one things never anticipated.  One can’t worry about things one hasn’t prepared for;  just take the first step, become a servant of the Lord, and the way will unfold.

Words do not change behavior- usually words exasperate an already tense situation; a dark night of the soul.  Actions change attitudes.  A simple slice of pie, a sincere hug, change aggression into a new lens, not submission, maybe a brighter day. The truth is that every tremor of kindness erupts in a miracle somewhere in the world, maybe even next door.

                            Deliver us, O Lord from terror on every side-

                            From blindness of judgement by our sins.

                            We have forgotten the cross of love as strong as death;

                            Aflame us with faith and charity.