The Buck (Violence) Stops Here!

Last night, I witnessed countless people, both on the news and on Facebook, celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden. Yes, he did some terrible things. Will his death be the end of the crisis? Absolutely not. Now that we have turned bin Laden into a martyr in the eyes of his people, we can only expect retaliation and they will be planning BIG. If we continue in our present way of thinking, this sort of violence will only fuel more anger. This sort of violence is a never-ending cycle.

Martin Luther King, Jr. had it right! He once said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." Retaliating same action for same action perpetuates extremism. Balance is only achieved through applying an equal and opposite force--in this case the force of love.

It's time to take a stand--right here, right now! The buck (the violence) stops with me! I will not retaliate from further aggression when it comes. I will show courage in the face of danger. I will choose kindness over violence. I will become peace in a world of unrest. I will be the example of love in the world.

Take time this day to meditate on the Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
     Amen.