a brief intermission

it's a bit late, but i needed to write something short before i finish a little more studying and go to sleep. i am writing a paper on eugene england's pacifist theology and just starting reading his collection of essays, making peace. i just wanted to quickly say that i have a testimony of the gospel of jesus christ. i have a testimony of the healing power of forgiveness - healing that comes both from being forgiven, but even more in forgiving. i am poor example of christ and could do so much better, but i am learning. if we could all have his compassion, his love, empathy, and understanding this would would be a much better place. too often we see the world and our relations with others through the lenses of revenge, retribution, and being right instead of the christ's lense of grace. our demands of justice blind us to the possibilities of mercy.

i need to do better. i need to strive harder to understand and eventually emulate that great love that christ has not only given me, but was so quick to give to those who in our eyes perhaps deserved it the least.

about seven years ago, a few days following the world trade center attacks my stake president, ed pinegar, got up in church and bore his testimont of christ's love. he bore a testimony of christ pleading with our father on behalf of the hijackers, to forgive them for the knew not what they did.

i can only hope to someday understand and have that love.