Compassion
Posted by Jill Warner in Current Event Editorials.
Jesus says, “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”(Matthew 7:12)
Over the past two and a half years, my father’s health has been steadily declining. In the early morning of November 20th he passed away peacefully in the 24/7 care facility where he spent his last days. As a B17 pilot, he experienced heavy combat during World War II, was shot down near Berlin, was subsequently captured and spent several months as a Prisoner of War (POW). He was part of what is known as the greatest generation, a name earned by the great sacrifice and self-less service demonstrated by the men and women of that time. My father was an ordinary man of that era who had an extraordinary experience during the war. Truly, it is a miracle that he survived combat. During his harrowing experience, there was a shining moment that so clearly demonstrates the infinite power of the Golden Rule that I felt compelled to share it with all of you. His experience has the capacity to break your heart open to its deepest meaning and reveal a light so vast there are no words to describe its infinite presence.
Jesus says, “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”(Matthew 7:12) Throughout history fundamentalism has hidden the great light of the Golden Rule and transformed religion into the intense darkness of sanctioned violence, fear, and prejudice, the antithesis of the Golden Rule, which is at the core of every single religion and all religious practice. Right now, there is a deep call for compassion moving around the world that transcends the perceived boundaries that all religion creates. It began with Karen Armstong’s wish that everyone remember the fundamental purpose of all religion contained within the Golden Rule. As profound as this call is, there is an even deeper more astonishing message contained within the timeless words of Jesus that is easily overlooked and almost never discussed. What can my father’s shining moment and Karen’s call for compassion, reveal about the nature of Jesus and the infinite teaching of compassion?
