THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD WALKING

I am reminded again that the second commandment of Christ Jesus is to love your neighbor as yourself. For whatever reason, I keep thinking "love your enemy as yourself." Which is a fairly high standard, but who's kidding whom...so is loving your neighbor!

I ponder that a lot...love your neighbor as yourself, love your enemy as yourself. I'm taken to the Lord's Prayer in which we beseech God to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us...isn't that love your enemy?

Then the Sermon on the Mount tells us to agree with our adversary quickly...isn't that love your enemy?

Then there's the real underneath-it-all hook...as yourself. Love your neighbor as you love yourself...my cynical self says my neighbor deserves better than that. But that's either dark humor or false humility, neither of which are keepers.

To really be a loving person is to be a giving person...without thought. Without expectations. As we breathe.

My standard is getting higher as I type...I suspect I'm using the Pope as my yardstick and falling waaay short. Now, there...I do believe Pope Francis is the spirit of the Lord walking. I just consider myself blessed to recognize it. And I am grateful.

Thank you.




But that is my dark humor, and I don't live there anymore