Beauty
and Courage
“Perhaps
all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to
see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything
that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that
wants our love.”
Rainer
Maria Rilke
Have
you ever dealt with a really difficult person? Someone who, just by
walking into the room, can make the hackles on your neck stand at
attention; who can convert you from a sane, competent person into a
spitting maniac in seven seconds flat? I may have had this experience
once or twice myself. I am a person whose fuse is slow to burn, but
once it ignites, better step back. Therefore, I am deeply familiar
with how truly difficult it is to live in love; how nearly inhuman it
is to react to provocation with “beauty and courage.”
Today
is Good Friday. On this day, two thousand years ago, Jesus of
Nazareth gave a clinic on how to respond with beauty and courage.
From beginning to end, through betrayal and defection of his beloved
brothers, to lashing and beating and spitting and crucifixion, he
maintained himself without returning hate for hate. Instead, he
responded with love even to those who nailed him to a cross. He
healed a sword torn ear, he gave care of his mother to his best friend, he
promised a traitor paradise, and he forgave his executioners. His
life and his death were exemplary in every way.
Just
for today, let us remember his example and refuse to respond in
anger; to criticize or degrade anyone for any reason. Let us treat
our dragons with kindness and refuse to allow fear to rule our lives.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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