I’m taking a course on trauma and crisis management this summer. Man what a ride! It’s daunting to think I’m actually supposed to help someone manage something so terrible that they can't even speak it. And if they do speak it every ear in the world will shatter and every eye will shed tears. How does a person hold so much hurt? How much strength does it take for them to carry such a burden, a burden that is never wanted, throughout their entire life? As I keep hearing, and personally know to be true, “the body does not forget.”
I know that I am unable to bring Peace to ever person that I meet. I know that I cannot heal their wounds. But I also know that I have to try! We exist in violent world full of trauma. You can’t even watch the evening news without catching second degree trauma! We live with imaginary violence in our entertainment and actual violence in our communities. We hear about violence committed on children and families by the ones they love most. Violence begets violence…
…and our Lord tells us to love and do no harm. More than that! To love and do good because of love!
In our reflection today it says:
“When we surround [violence] and immerse it in goodness, the earth moves a tiny bit closer to becoming what God intended.
Even the smallest act of love changes the balance of love in this world. Little by little, goodness grows. It’ll take a long time, and we don’t expect to live to see it finished. But that’s what we are called to do.”
–Little White Book 2009
So today we are called to be mindful of our steps and “refrain from every kind of evil” (1 Thess 5:22). Refrain not only from evil to others but evil to yourself. Give yourself a break! You’re doing great!
May we, by the grace of God, the love and Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, act in love today and change the world!
Journey with us to Pentecost, the Fire is warm and waiting.
Pax Tecum!
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