A few months back I happened upon a box of books, dumped on the curb in the parking lot of a library. Rather than walk over the box and let it be someone else’s problem to move it, I hefted it up and set it on the bench near the dropbox. Before walking a way, curious, I sorted through the books. I discovered a few spiritual texts that interested me. As a student of spirituality I read the Bible, Course in Miracles, and other texts that are enlightening and uplifting. This day one of those books was a meditation style book. Three Minutes a Day, a book by The Christophers. Each page has a title, a few paragraphs concerning the title, and in some cases a bible verse, then the thought for the day. The edition I have was published in 1949, the first edition and was withdrawn from the St. Francis Seminary, and then belonging to Father Charles W Popell. I imagine the entire box of books belonged to him.
The Christophers are a Catholic movement established in 1945. Their mission is to bring light to “all men,” no matter their religious affiliation or lack of. The Preface, page xv, provides an outlook of what the Christophers position is in this world. The Mission Statement in short states that their mission is to encourage everyone, no matter who to make a difference in this world. God gifted each of us to love and bring peace to this world.
I do not open this small book every day, but I do grab it up on random and read the thought that lies there. I am never disappointed by the prayer or thought for the day. Today’s prayer: “O Spirit of God, fire me with the determination to do my part in restoring peace to the world, according to Thy plan.”
Rather than engage in an argument, I prefer to ask what is the problem. Why, What, How, can I help relieve this problem. Far too long it has been a reaction to become defensive, some days I still do, being tired, defenses and common sense battle. It is far easier to find the love in your heart and extend it to the person you have a conflict with or has one with you.
Alcoholics Anonymous, the Big Book, has a question that continues to come to mind when confronted with someone who is disagreeable, angry, hostile, we simply see them as ill. He or she is fearful, has a disease, or some other form of thought, that allows us to let go of our own angry reaction. “What can we do for the man or woman who still suffers?”
Sometimes that man or woman is our self. How can we serve today?
“…Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, pray for them that persecute you…” (Matthew 5:44)
