Our World and Our Life!

These days when we open our newspaper there are a few topics that dominate the front page. 1. The debt ceiling. 2. Ukraine peace deal. 3. Election in Turkey. 4. Peace proposals by China, Turkey, and the Vatican. 5. The sufferings of people around the world.

All of these and more need our attention. These are gigantic issues we need to find solutions for. There is not a soul on earth who can solve them easily, but we can solve some of them by doing one small thing at a time. What you and I can do to solve these problems of the world is to solve the smaller ones at home by engaging in things that are simple. Here they are:

1. Don’t spend what you don’t have. Use credit only to build credit, so that you have the reserve when you need it.
2. Live in peace with your neighbors, friends, and most importantly family. Yes, sometimes it is easier to live with neighbors than family.
3. Don’t ignore elections in your community, state, and nation. When the time comes, voting is the best way to stop bigotry, homophobia, and racism. Who would have ever thought living Baptismal Covenant is as easy as getting out to vote?
4. Find solutions for peace in your heart by engaging in prayer, works of charity, and acceptance of all people. Any proposal for peace and love needs to come from the integrity of boundaries you keep and break.
5. From the abundance of your heart, not the abundance of your money, give away what does not belong to you. In other words, do not hoard and clutter your home, which in turn will clutter your heart and soul.

If nothing of what I said above appeals or applies to you, well, then there is something that might. How about praying for those who do not love, accept or show compassion to those who need them most? It's a small step, but worth taking!

With love and blessings

The Rt. Rev. Jos Tharakan