NEVER, EVER, EVER let them forget what they did to the unshotted during the “fake covid emergency.” The murdering, the coercing, the shaming, the banning, the ostracization. God sees it all, and blesses the lepers:
Psalm of the Day (May 11, 2023)
Then shall the just stand with great constancy against those that have afflicted them, and taken away their labours. These seeing it, shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed at the suddenness of their unexpected salvation, Saying within themselves, repenting, and groaning for anguish of spirit: These are they, whom we had sometime in derision, and for a parable of reproach. We fools esteemed their life madness, and their end without honour. Behold, how they are numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints. (Book of Wisdom 5,1-5.)
To my husband's chagrin, I have consistently referred to myself as a leper or unclean. Not because I am unclean, but because I have been made to feel unclean by the actions of others. So your headline - happy leper emancipation day - makes me smile. I just know that I have consistently thought that Jesus congregated with the lepers and that we should not exclude. I am not unclean, you are not unclean, we are not and have never been a danger to others. When I was sick, I voluntarily excluded myself from interacting with others, to keep them safe. When I am well, I have behaved normally, because I am not a danger to others. For all of us to be treated as if we were harming others....it has caused permanent transformation. I could say permanent damage, but it is more transformation, because I now interpret so much through the trauma of this experience, and I am more conscious of how I treat others, and I hope I am better living up to Jesus' standard. Just this morning I spoke to my son about the importance of not judging others and how age and maturity has made me realize more deeply the importance of God's grace, and that it has also taught me more how my actions, my teeny-tiny thoughtless actions, have a negative impact on others, and I hope it has made me kinder.
And, I have to add, I am more conscious of the importance of following the direction we were given in Luke 6 and Matthew 5: Love your enemies. I don't fully know how to put that in action considering my situation and my belief that I have to take action in order to preserve freedom (i.e., pursuing justice from my former employer) so I pray by name for my enemies from this situation - my former manager and his manager, the executive committee of my former company, the head of employment litigation, the ethics officer, the HR officer....I don't know what else to do in the context of this deep injustice and trauma they caused and I must do it so that I can eventually come to a place of forgiveness.
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:44-45
To my husband's chagrin, I have consistently referred to myself as a leper or unclean. Not because I am unclean, but because I have been made to feel unclean by the actions of others. So your headline - happy leper emancipation day - makes me smile. I just know that I have consistently thought that Jesus congregated with the lepers and that we should not exclude. I am not unclean, you are not unclean, we are not and have never been a danger to others. When I was sick, I voluntarily excluded myself from interacting with others, to keep them safe. When I am well, I have behaved normally, because I am not a danger to others. For all of us to be treated as if we were harming others....it has caused permanent transformation. I could say permanent damage, but it is more transformation, because I now interpret so much through the trauma of this experience, and I am more conscious of how I treat others, and I hope I am better living up to Jesus' standard. Just this morning I spoke to my son about the importance of not judging others and how age and maturity has made me realize more deeply the importance of God's grace, and that it has also taught me more how my actions, my teeny-tiny thoughtless actions, have a negative impact on others, and I hope it has made me kinder.
And, I have to add, I am more conscious of the importance of following the direction we were given in Luke 6 and Matthew 5: Love your enemies. I don't fully know how to put that in action considering my situation and my belief that I have to take action in order to preserve freedom (i.e., pursuing justice from my former employer) so I pray by name for my enemies from this situation - my former manager and his manager, the executive committee of my former company, the head of employment litigation, the ethics officer, the HR officer....I don't know what else to do in the context of this deep injustice and trauma they caused and I must do it so that I can eventually come to a place of forgiveness.
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:44-45
God be with you Napoleon. Please keep writing.
well stated!
Will lessons be learned by enough people. I doubt it.
Excellent!
Never, ever, ever. If so, we do so at our own peril! Wake up!!!