"Peace is the work of justice indirectly,
in so far as justice removes
the obstacles to peace;
but it is the work of charity (love) directly,
since charity, according to its very notion,
causes peace."
Thomas Aquinas
What is love?
I appreciate the phrase "Love is a verb," that has circulated in recent years. It's the idea of love being an action, not just a feeling. Corinthians 13, states what Love is not. It also states that Love "rejoices in the right." As we break down this quote, one of the definitions of "justice" is: "the principle or ideal of just dealing or right action." By doing what is right and just, we can hope for peace. Unfortunately just because we chose to do what is right, doesn't mean that other people will follow the same path. Violence, and abuse, is happening in our world.
What is Charity?
CHARITY, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary -
1: benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity
2 a: generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering; also : aid given to those in need b: an institution engaged in relief of the poor c: public provision for the relief of the needy
3 a: a gift for public benevolent purposes b: an institution (as a hospital) founded by such a gift
4: lenient judgment of others
charity - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
Charity or Love
It took me several years to complete this Corinthians 13 cross stitch. As I stitch, each word tries to sink into my brain. I want to believe that "charity causes peace." I want to believe that "justice removes the obstacles to peace."
Photo: Corinthians 13 Cross stitch I completed in 2003.
3 comments:
Pati, your patience is something that admire so much. I love that you spent so long creating this beautiful cross-stitch; working it, learning from it, losing yourself in the heart of it. Also, I love this passage so much and have a bowl with it -- it was one of my favorites in high school as I was trying to learn about love and sort through a 16 year-old's feelings.
Thanks for sharing this and for bringing back some memories!
Pati,
I just found your blog through your comment. I read your intentions for piece on the sidebar first, and then I continued with the next 8 entries on your blog. I'd like you to know that you writing honestly about a difficult time in your life, and how you relied on your inner strength to get through, was inspirational reading. On this particular day, when I'm feeling a little stress in my own life, your writing helped immensely. It is fair to say that your 4th goal, "share peace with others," was acheived this morning.
Thank you for that gift.
These are things I want to believe, too, Pati. I love the way working on something like cross stitch (or knitting or beading or sewing ...) forces us to take our time, to really be patient and careful with our work ... and in this case, how it really gives you a space to think about the words in the cross stitch. Nice.
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