A poisoned dagger

[Mark Dohle]

A poisoned dagger​

Social justice cannot be attained by violence. Violence kills what it intends to create.--Pope John Paul II
Violence comes under many guises. It is easy to come up with a good reason for doing just about anything. We can confront someone with the truth, not to help them, but to hurt, confuse, and as an act of domination. Christians can forget that easily enough. It is as easy as falling off of a log…..at least it is for me.

People don’t often think of words as weapons, used to wound deeply; that is of course until it happens to them. Today we often like to screech at one another, but that is not communication unless contempt is considered a bridge to reach another human being. We are called to reach out, to help, and yes to speak the truth. Yet that ‘truth’ spoken in anger, or in contempt, is a poisoned dagger. There are some who know when to use a strong approach; they are few, the rest, perhaps we need to breathe a bit before we speak. Br.MD

 

[pearl]

Social justice cannot be attained by violence.

This is true, however, considering 20th and 21th centuries experience tells a different story. Politically we have a history of violence preceding the acquiring of justice. But its forced, even vengeful, where as God's justice is restorative.