The news is often horrific. The words of Jesus seem so up-to-date, describing with frightening reality the things we read in the newspapers, see on television, and hear on the radio.
In order to not be uninformed, I scan the headlines daily. However, this is all I do, because I cannot allow my mind and my spirit to feed on such painful images.
We are told we must "fight the good fight of faith." The battle is truly in (and for) our minds, and for this reason the Lord commands us to guard our minds and to think of what is noble, just, righteous, and even lovely.
As we fix our eyes on our precious Savior, our thoughts and then our emotions will follow. As we think in our hearts, so shall we be. As we contemplate what is good and holy, we shall find it. We tend to become like the thing we focus on, but at the same time we tend to project what is inside us onto the world around us. As we are, says the Talmud, so is the world.
The story is told of a traveler who stopped at a city gate. He inquired what the people were like, and the guard asked him what the people were like in his former city. The traveler said they were unkind, miserly, and unloving. "They are like that here too," said the guard. "You should keep going." Presently, another traveler came and asked the same question and received the same question in return. He told the guard that the people in his former city were kind, loving, and generous. "Come in," said the guard, "you will find the same kind of people here."
Even though we are still seeing things through a cloudy mirror, may God help up to look at things the way he does.
- 20 DECEMBER -