but the greatest of these is love

So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
-1 Corinthians 13:13

Although I didn't realize it was from the Bible at the time, I first read this quotation perhaps a week ago in what has become one of my favorite books, Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card. A few days later, I was reading my Bible - 1 Corinthians 13 - and chanced upon it again.

When I did, I felt a sort of connection to these words. Why? I'm not sure. Maybe it was because the words rolled off my tongue, like lovely poetry. Maybe because it's a verse that rings true.

And while I wasn't planning on doing a one word for 2011, I realized that this verse held the one word I need to keep in mind this new year:

Love.

I need to love this year more than ever. Love my family. Love God. Love my friends. My enemies. Myself. People I don't know now and won't ever. The people I do know, as much as I dislike some of them. Those in need of help, and those who aren't. I need to bring an open heart into every encounter so that I may be free to love as Jesus loves, without prejudice or profiling. 

This year, I need to love.

The Mosque at Ground Zero

THAT mosque? The one that's not even a mosque, but a community center? The one that's not even at Ground Zero, but several blocks away?

Oh, right. That mosque.

I am confused beyond words as to why this project has met even the slightest opposition. So it's a community center.... with prayer space for Muslims, Jews and Christians! Not just a mosque. A community center with, you know, pools and basketball courts and a library and a trampoline. Plus some prayer space. One built by Muslims, but, let's face it, the average Muslim is just not a crazed murderous Al Qaeda suicide terrorist!

And then there's the issue with distance. So, the community center (with prayer space for several major religions, not JUST Muslims) will be a couple blocks away from Ground Zero. Certainly not AT Ground Zero. That, everyone would have a problem with. So what's the issue? You can't possibly be telling me that 3,000 (regrettably) dead people would mind if a community center (with prayer spaces for several major religions, not JUST Muslims) was built several blocks from where they perished? How is that marring their memory or being a dishonor to America or any other wishy-washy nonsense people have come up with?

Victory shrine, my *ahem*! The people building this community center have nothing to celebrate about 9/11. Plenty of Muslims (other than the crazed murderous Al Qaeda terrorists!) were murdered that day nine years ago!

I am particularly (but not quite) stunned at the statements the Anti-Defamation League issued. They said while they have every right to build the 'mosque' that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do! Then the leader of the ADL wrote another statement because some (sensible, sane) people said that this first statement was bigotry. The leader listed numerous ways the ADL helped Muslims... blah, blah, blah! This second statement was titled, guess what, "The Mosque at Ground Zero."

This didn't come as too big of a surprise to me. The ADL claims to be acting against all bigotry, but all they care about is anti-Semitism. Their whole website is all about Jewish and this-or-other relations. There is other bigotry than anti-Semitism! Lord, even Jewish people defame others!

Anyway (I went off on a little rant there), back to the topic- the 'mosque.'

Both the Christian president Obama and the Jewish mayor of NYC Michael Bloomberg fully support the building of this mosque. Of course, Sarah Palin opposes the 'Ground Zero Mosque,' but I won't waste my time on her.

To be quite honest, I see no problem whatsoever with the building of this 'Ground Zero Mosque.' How do you feel about this issue?

Being a Disciple of Jesus

First, I understand that some of my followers and readers may not believe in God, but I need to write about this.

Today at church, during the sermon, the pastor said that to become a disciple of Jesus, one needs three things. Now I have a poor memory and at the moment remember only one- to be able to leave everything behind, because God needs to be number one in your life. In the Gospel (Luke 14:26), Jesus said that "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters -- yes, even his own life --he cannot be my disciple."

The pastor reminded us that this 'hate' is not in the sense we understand today- not contempt, anger, or animosity. Rather, it is a ranking of affection. So,when Jesus said that to be a disciple one must HATE- He meant that one must LOVE God more than any of these people. In other words, to make God number one in your life. The pastor didn't explain it the way I wrote it, though. He simply said that to hate your family means that you must put God first in your life, in front on your family, and continued to give an example of Catholics marrying outside of their faith, or with a Catholic outside of church (so this Catholic would be putting someone else before God). That didn't sit right with me, exactly. I know God should be first, and I am trying to accomplish this, but why was there no requirement to love God in order to be Jesus' disciple and a disciple of God? I googled the part of the Gospel about hate in hopes of finding the whole passage, and I found this page, better (at least to me) explaining the requirement to become a disciple.

Now I understood much better. In order to become a disciple of Christ (as every Christian should be want to be), one must do whatever it takes to stay loyal to God and to Jesus. You must put Him first in your life, before money and pets and even loved ones. In the words of the page in the link above, "it means your allegiance and obedience to Him is not just a part of your life - IT IS YOUR LIFE."

I can't say I'm a good Catholic- sometimes I don't always agree with what is written in the Bible- but I am trying to do what God wants me to do. God knows I will make mistakes in my journey- I have many flaws, as each human does. I am trying to put God first in my life, though, and to glorify Him through what I do.