Something to ponder as we begin a new year that promises to be anything but peaceful.
“To work for peace you must have a peaceful heart. When you do you are the child of God...In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God’...When we try to overcome evil with evil, we are not working for peace. If you say [that person] is evil. We have to prevent him from continuing to be evil,” and if you then use the same means he has been using, you are exactly like him. Trying to overcome evil with evil is not the way to make peace.” (p.74-75)
Or, to put it in Biblical language:
“Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all...if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:17-21.
There’s more.
“Jesus also said, “Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment . . . whosoever shall say, ‘Thou fool,’ shall be in danger of hell fire.” Jesus did not say that if you are angry with your brother, you will be put in a place called hell. He said that if you are angry with your brother, you are already in hell. Anger is hell. He also said that you don’t need to kill with your body to be put in jail. You only need to kill in your mind and you are already there.” (p.75)
Please think deeply about this. How many times have we-you and me-committed murder on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram (which I do not use) or some other social media platform? What was the immediate emotional or mental or spiritual effect? I have a twitter account. People follow me for all the wrong reasons and I need to deal with that. How ‘bout you? Will you let 2019 be the year of the peaceful heart?
Peace and love my beloved
JRG
Excerpt From
Living Buddha, Living Christ 20th Anniversary Edition
Thích Nhất Hạnh & Elaine Pagels
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/living-buddha-living-christ-20th-anniversary-edition/id357991837?mt=11
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