James 3:1-13
Yesterday I went to the 9/11 Memorial in New York City. I had wanted to go for a very long time. I knew I should go and avoided going for a long time. I recall my reaction to the evils seen while walking through the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC not so many years ago. I was overwhelmed and had to leave. So it took some internal strength to face what I thought would be yet another agony of humanity, a testament to how evil we can be to each other. But go I did. I thoughtfully and prayerfully walked , soaked in and let the story of our real life tragedy unfold in the storyboards and presentations. The atmosphere is sobering. strong. potent. It wasn't until I looked at all the faces of those who died and sought out the three faces of those who I know had affected my life so personally that I did in fact begin to break down. Tears streaming from my face, breathing laboured by the immensity of the emotion, I tried to embrace it, experience the reality and totality of what had happened and why. Afterwards I sat by the pools and prayed. The words that came to me are written at the end of this scriptural reflection.
And yes, this is a scriptural reflection. In the midst of today's passage about teaching and gifts and responsibilities, there is an omen to what occurs when we fail to teach, when we fail to love. The resulting actions are like a small fire that can set a whole forest ablaze. We often are complacent about the importance of education, learning and loving. Hate (a word I dislike intensely) is something that acts like a small fire, it enables evil, it promotes mob mentalities and is the catalyst for so much evil in the world. Whether it is hate that sparked two gay men to be savagely beaten in Philadelphia, the evil visited on Matthew Shepherd, the crusades, the inquisition, the Nazis, Al Qaeda or any range or degree of evil, we must educate, love and 'fight' back.
The song by Billy Joel says "we didn't start the fire" but that seems dismissive and fails to embrace brotherly responsibility and our duty and calling to love. Even if we did not start a fire, unchecked it will come blazing to our doors. Ask anyone in the path of the many western fires that are fought. Ask, if you could, any of the victims of 9/11. We should all fight the fire.
After visiting the 9/11 museum and upon reflection these words came to me so I put them to paper.
How beautiful is the human heart that loves and embraces love.
How ugly and disfigured is the heart and soul of those that embrace hate
and justify themselves by any religion.
Hate is not of God.
Love is the essence and purity of God.
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.
How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.
Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.
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