Pentecost Prayer Day 4

I have some who are family to a relation of mine who take offense at my taking offense over things he says. "It's not personal," they say, even when he is addressing others about me, in front of me. I've not taken it personally that they don't defend me, but I do take it personally that they put personal pressure on me to change my reaction, rather than putting personal pressure on him to change his actions.

I will continue to take woman bashing personally as long as I, my daughter, and my granddaughters are destined to be women. I will continue to take Jew bashing personally as long as even one of my friends and Jesus are Jews. I will continue to stand with blacks as long as even one of the people who have loved me is of dark skin. Respect for all of humanity is personal to me; they may already be my friends or neighbors, or may, one day, be.

When we refuse to recognize the light in another's eyes, we, in my opinion, are denying our own humanity. These are the people I fear and attempt to avoid. They are nothing but animals seeking to create territorial tribes that they can control with their false explanations of the great mysteries of the universe. The light of being humbled by awe and wonder is the only truth that I recognize.

I take the honoring of the light that I see in Pentecost very personally. The peace that Pentecost could bring, if we all took it personally, is that for which I pray.