This my dear is the greatest challenge of being alive: to witness the injustice of the world, and not allow it to consume our light.
The above comes from our wonderful friend Roz, and is the perfect opening for Holy Week. Lent is the time where we find or rediscover our light, and nurture it.
The challenges of today’s times present moral questions that our leaders and we as individuals cannot ignore. Can we sit on the sidelines and watch a nation and its people be eliminated? It has happened before, not so long ago. What is the right thing to do about thousands of people waiting at our borders? And closer to home, how do we heal the wounds of racism, economic divide, and unequal opportunity?
None of our problems offer easy answers, and we kid ourselves if we believe that political posturing has a role in reaching solutions. We are tempted to fault our systems, but underlying those agents is the moral concept of cruelty and how power obliterates consequences. Over the last decade we have seen how even the moral concept of truth can be turned on its head by power, laziness, and greed.
We celebrate soon the coming of the true light of God. Let each of us spend a little time contemplating those underlying questions we are called to address, and let our light not be consumed, but shine brighter.
I’m really conflicted about the situation in Ukraine – not whether or not it is abhorrent but what the US should do about it – I was thinking last night after seeing the atrocities in Bucha that if I were President, I would send warplanes and troops – but, then, if the US put Russia in a position that it were going to be defeated, would Putin employ nuclear weapons and put all of us in danger? It’s a conundrum that probably has no answer – but I think we have to do something to stop the genocide that is happening in Ukraine – I’m just not sure what it is
My fear is that if we don’t do the right think because we are afraid of what Putin would do, it becomes self-fulfilling prphecy and encourages Putin to do more. 2014 Russian actions certainly were a clear warning in regard to what is happening today and we did nothing.
I think the government is fearful that another red line like in Iran/Syria that Obama drew for ISIS and did not enforce is no longer a strategy but there is no other real option to save all of Ukraine the agonyof a protracted demolition of their country. The redline does not have to be warfare, it can be like Cuba: Ukrrine will do this and you must do this or we are forced to respond thus. I think something like what Yelensky has already accepted (no NATO and other safeguards to Russia) could be acceptable.
Who is Roz? I’m wondering if she thought up this wonderful phrase or found it. Thank you.
Roz is a dear friend. I will have to ask her. She usually attributes quotes so when she didn’t this time I assumed it was hers. I’ll ask her.