The events of the past week in Boston have prompted a time when we can really get our fists up in the air and say some pretty ugly things.
When there is a great evil that involves the heart of the United States, there is never a lack of patriotism, and unification becomes a theme throughout the country.
Arch-rivals in sports towns came together to show that we are all people of United States and if you poke at one of us you are poking at all of us.
There were politicians who can’t agree on the simplest of topics, speaking in harmony on the Boston event.
Why did such a senseless event happen? The question is one that we all struggle with and yet the answer is dark and simple.
It happened because two men wanted it to happen. At that moment the hearts of the two men were so dark to truth that they saw this as a way to be heard.
The voice of the men was heard and the voice of a unified people of this country was also heard.
The entire people of the United States, as a majority voice, was together with songs of how great the United States is and how our policy is the way to achieve the solution.
For one moment take a step back and think about the unification of the people as one body.
We say we all want peace, joy and happiness and yet how many moments do we actually strive to achieve it?
Is that what we really mean, or is it “I want peace, joy and happiness for me, and I really don’t care how my actions affect you.”
“Becoming” is what came to mind. Yes, becoming is a verb and requires action, but; “what am I becoming?” is the real question.
Are you becoming stagnant and complacent? Are you afraid that you may lose your job and will have no way to meet your economical responsibility if you speak up and challenge? Are you afraid that a professor may not be fair if you challenge a grade? Are you afraid that your voice will be squelched if you speak up for the ones who have no voice?
Being silent in the face of injustice is cowardice. Humans have the divine law on their side to be treated with dignity and respect and, most of all, love.
Last week, the LIFE group spoke to the heart of what happens when we are silent in the face of injustices. They commented on the harmful effects of bullying and the many suicides that result from silence.
That bullying can also be accomplished by a nation, and those actions can result in extremist views as a way to have a voice heard.
The extreme voice heard both in the terror attacks of Sept. 11 and recently in Boston resulted in the deaths of the many who were sacrificed on those days.
Jesus was an extremist. He argued for the people who had no voice. Jesus argued for the poor, widowed and orphaned and he was murdered because of fear.
Fear will destroy us piece by rotten piece until all we have is anger, and that anger will manifest in ways that can be globally harmful.
John reminds us, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18).
If there is one thing I pray we can learn in life it is “Don’t live in fear.”
If you are living in fear you will have sadness and anger. There is hope from all we have seen in Boston last week. God’s love will conquer all.
The evil in the world exists because of fear and we are a fearful people. Overcoming that fear requires a joyful hope in the plan of God.
Trust in the ways of God and see the goodness to come from it.
The tragedy last week in Boston may cause us to put up our fists and yell, but let us have the courage to ask why this happened and look past the hate and fear of an opposing view and a distortion of truth.
Bullying is a wide spectrum that we all fall into at one point or another. Boston and Sept. 11 were acts of bullying.
Lord, may we be instruments of your peace and never bully.
