Wisdom and compassion in our youth

Following up on the blog from Sunday, I heard that the young man whose faith/family-faith was put down made the comment to another adult following Sunday's meeting, "I think the man who said that thing about Islam is suffering from PTSD". I have to say, regardless of whether or not the man suffers PTSD, I was deeply, deeply impressed by the insight of the teen who made the observation.

It is far too easy for us to condemn others, especially when they are judging or condemning us. The ability to step back for a minute and to look at someone who is being hurtful and to say, "that person is also hurting" is truly rare in this culture. It is also the deepest reflection, to me, of the grace of God. When we can choose to opt out of the cycle of condemnation, revenge, and violence; when we can look in another's eyes and see a fellow human rather than an enemy; when we can choose compassion in the midst of being oppressed, put down and condemned: that is when we have allowed the spirit of grace, forgiveness, love and GOD to work through us, to be in us, to live and move and breathe through us. If we could all do this, there would no longer be war. If we could all do this, there would no longer be hate. If we could all do this, we could truly work for peace in the world.