Today is just another normal day. Off to mass and then to CLP. Listening to yet another talk. Everything is as it should.
Talk 6: Loving your neighbor. The talk that I have heard many times does not seem to resonate much anymore. Why should it. I don’t know of anybody that I have offended or are in bad terms with. I don’t have perfect relationships but I have made amends. So this should be easy. Right?
As I was sitting there not really hearing what the speaker is saying, I was distracted by my many thoughts. Everybody around seemed to be doing the same. The speaker was clearly distracted as well. He kept pausing in between his thoughts and there was a lot of silence. And in what feels like forever, it was finally done.
We immediately got out of our seats and went to our discussion groups when suddenly, a participant, his first time attending spoke up and asked, “Who among you here likes public speaking? ” Puzzled, people said nothing. He then repeated his question. And there was no one who said yes. He then proceeded saying “Nobody raised their hands. We should then give the speaker a big hand for his courage to speak in front”. Everybody clapped. I suddenly felt embarrassed and ashamed which I’m pretty sure every one else felt. Humbled by his words I realized, loving does not always have to be grand and bold all the time. Sometimes, the simplest things like respect and appreciation is a sure sign of love.
-Lord, teach us how to love others not only in the big things but even in the simple ways.-
April 26, 2015