God, self, others, creation: Choose life!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Choose life!

A few days ago I read once again Deuteronomy 30:19-20,

"I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God..."

Five months ago I chose life in the form of a total knee replacement. I had stopped posting because the physical pain and the process of finishing my new book did not leave me any energy to blog. Now I feel that my energy is back after a very successful surgery and the happy conclusion of my book.

Choose life! What a simple and yet profound statement. The Hebrew writer did not mean only "life" in the literal sense versus "death" in the physical way. The Hebrew word for life also means goodness; death means evil. I would say, let us choose LIGHT and do not allow ourselves to be consumed by the darkness.

Yesterday we witnessed the destruction in Japan and the ramifications in Hawaii, California and possibly the entire Pacific coastline. What to think? How to respond to this tragedy? If we choose death we will simply add another corpse to the already long list. If we choose life, maybe, just maybe we can contribute to the collective awareness that the Christian God is also suffering this catastrophe. This gives me hope, hope that somehow all this suffering has a meaning.

In spite of all the difficulties around us, the economic and international crisis, etc. I choose to choose LIFE, LIGHT, GOODNESS...

Is there any other way to help move humanity towards the development of its full potential?

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WORDS OF WISDOM

Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’ (Luke 23:32--43)