Passover from Violence and Death Into Peace And Life

This week 2 major religious event occur simultaneously and in the spirit of them both, let us ponder for a few moments how our world has sadly rejoiced in violence. It fills our ficticious television show and novels; it permeates and oozes in every newscasts. Many television shows make their ratings dollars in how graphically they can display dead bodies. Even how the macabre fills movies, video games, and the like. Our world has developed a delicacy for death and destruction--as long as it is not our own lives. Every day there are new horrible accounts of mass murders, suicides, IEDs, homicide after homicide. This is madness--it is not normal. We were not created by Our Maker so that someone else could strike us dead, nor for us to do the same to another human being. Our lives were designed to bear fruit, life, and purpose to those around us. We are bearers of Love--protecting life, nurturing it. We are also ambassadors for peace--a coexistence that celebrates cultural differences which the Maker intended to be and not for us to destroy. Too much killing has taken place--but there is not enough love--love that says "We cannot continue this madness-we realize that we have to learn to respect and build bridges between peoples." Every person will stand before their Maker alone and be judged. This is a common belief of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. No one escapes--yet most wars over the past 2,000 years have started over a religious disagreement. We are only human--we are unable to contain, comprehend, or fathom the Mystery of the Creator's Essence. Nor are we able to decide on the part of the Creator who is right, wrong, or both. We can only say that our words in our religions are crafted to support the tenets of whatever faith we adhere to. But words also lead to war--they can lead to peace; words can lead to hate--they can lead to love; words can lead to confusion--they can also lead to clarity. words can lead to condemnation--they can also lead to vindication; words can lead to destruction--they can also lead to edification; words can lead to insults--they can also lead to comfort; words can lead to prejudice--they can also lead to breaking down stereotypes; words can lead to lies--they can also lead to truth; words can lead to slavery--they can also lead to liberty and freedom; words can lead to death--they can also lead us to life. We are what we say--the words we use and say come subconciously from within us as a deliberate free act of our will. This day--ask yourself--which choices will you use words--for bad, or for good. Yes "Sticks and Stones may break our bones, but words can hurt me." This week find at least one person that you have hurt with your words and use good uplifting words to better your relationship with them. Words are powerful--use them wisely--the life you save may, in fact, be your own.