America's Heart

We have witnessed something of America’s heart, in the way that the people of Boston, law enforcement and government officials, and people around the country have responded to the attacks nearly a week ago. At every moment in this event, each person has had the choice as to how to respond to the acts of darkness that were perpetrated.

The overwhelming response has been of love and unity:

- in the immediate emergency response and outpouring of help, care, grief, and prayers for those who were hurt, disabled, or lost beloved ones;

- in the depth and integrity of response of the government at all levels;

- in all who prayed, held vigil, and held the situation in their hearts;

- and in the ways in which people came together in unity as Americans of all backgrounds;

- in the creation of the One Fund http://onefundboston.org/ to respond the needs of victims and their families;

- in how people worked together with their government;

- and in the capacity, even, of so many people to be able to hold the perpetrators as human beings, and recognize the tragedy of their having become so lost from their humanity such that they made the choice to act out this terrible darkness.

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The people’s and the government’s collective response to this tragedy is, I believe, an example, a template for future, for how to respond to darkness - with light.

For there has been in the past, and there will be in the future, the temptation to respond otherwise – the temptation of responding to darkness with darkness. In our history – and even at the present time - our country has initiated wars, violated international laws, sought revenge, justified killing, indifferently accepted ‘collateral damage’, acted in self-righteousness, and failed to see the ways in which the violence we perpetrate is part of the violence we would otherwise want to stop. Within myself, as the events in Boston unfolded, at times I witnessed feelings in particular in relation to the then unknown perpetrators, as if their humanity did not count. I needed to recognize these as feelings or energies passing through, human feelings separated from deeper divine truth. And in this kind of way I sought within myself to ask what “right response” might be, both within myself, and in actions of our government. What the deeper heart’s response would be. I believe it is through deep reflection centered in the heart, that we make the best choices as to how to respond within ourselves, and how also to act together collectively. With all that was at stake, in our collective consciousness, I am so deeply moved by the way our government, and our people, chose to act in response to this attack on us and on the goodness of life.

I can see two key principles emerging from how people and government acted - about responding to darkness - with light:

- The outpouring of the heart, on behalf of those who have suffered; and

- The seeking to protect the public though law enforcement with great depth of respect and reverence for all life.

If these two principles could guide us in all situations in which we are collectively faced with eruptions of darkness, then I believe we will be aligning with God’s heart in guiding us forward into the best decisions we can divine.

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May the love and cherishing of life that lives deep in our hearts, guide us, in all aspects of our collective responses to acts of darkness. May we know and trust that faithfulness to the heart will always guide us - true. For God made the heart so.