The Struggle

The darkness is all consuming.

It seeks to draw me in.

I retain my grip to fight it.

I wait for the least little give.

Then I claw my way up and out of it.

It pulls back hard.

The further in I am the more powerful it is.

The further out I am the weaker it is.

I claw to get out and away from its grasp.

I lift up my hand to God.

Take it and pull me out.

He does not for He knows that in fighting it I become stronger.

It appears to be a stale mate.

It pulls me deeper and I pull back out.

Back and forth we go in the unending struggle.

But there is an end.

Each time I pull out, I get stronger.

I am able to get out a little further than before.

Hope is restored and I fight all the harder.

I do not look back at my tormentor for I might lose my grip and be consumed.

I concentrate only on the way out.

As I struggle I feel the darkness grow weaker.

It shrinks upon itself.

Soon it is too small to consume me.

When I am out I look back.

The darkness that was consuming me is gone.

Only the Light of the world is present behind me.

He was there all along keeping me from going in too far.

Do Good, Always

I do good to those who do good to me,
But not because of their goodness.
I do not do evil to those who do evil to me,
But not because of their evilness.
I strive to do good to all regardless of what they do to me,
Knowing that God is the one who keep the score,
And His count is never wrong.

Open Your Heart

It is much harder to get someone to open their heart to the poor than to get them to open their wallet. So many of us stop short when someone opens their wallet and gives a few dollars to the poor. But this requires us to go back and ask again. If we take the extra step and get people to open their hearts to the poor, then the wallets will also be open. Then, they will see the need that is out there and want to give without being asked.

On The Cross

I woke up this morning, looked at the crucifix hanging on the wall over my bed, and the first thought that came to mind was,

Oh Lord,
You were willing to go through so much for us,
And we are unwilling to go through so little for You.

Greatness

I lie here in my bed, surrounded by the voices of my ancestors crying out from the grave, "Be a great man. Be a great man." I don't have wealth. I don't have property. I don't have power. I don't have influence. So what do I have?

I have a sense of honour and integrity which steers me on the path of truth. I have a name which is spotless and unbesmirched by any. And I am a humble of servant of my Lord. I am at peace with myself, my world, and my Lord which grants me peace in my inner most being.

I look at the wealthy and see no peace, for they are always striving for more wealth. I look at the well propertied and see no peace, for they must protect what they have lest someone steal it. I look at the powerful and see no peace, for they must find ways to use their power or lose it. I look at those with influence and see no peace, for they must assure that no one else rises to steal the influence that they wield over those around them.

Looking at the two, I have peace in this life and am able to take into the next world what I have acquired in this life. They find no peace, only further toil in this life, and then, at the moment of death, they lose all that they have fought so hard to acquire and then to maintain.

So, I guess I can say that I am a great man, for I have chosen the path which brings me contentment in this life and riches in the next, both of which are given by the merciful will of my Lord.