vulnerable

"love anything and your heart will be wrung and broken.

if you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal.

wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries;

avoid all entanglements.

lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.

but in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, 

it will change.

it will not be broken;

it will be unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.

to love is to be vulnerable."

c.s. lewis

"who is my neighbor?"

tragedy, hurt, loss - the insanity of hate that spurred on the barbaric act of 9/11, can cause us to lock up our heart so it will be unbreakable, impenetrable and irredeemable.  on this day of remembrance, we need to remember what makes us different - what makes us people who want to make a difference.

vulnerability does not mean stupidity and naivete'.  but, it does mean that we are willing not to bury our heart because of hurts, tragedy and loss.  it means we are willing to love and open our hearts to those God puts in our path.  

"who is my neighbor?  who is my brother?"

say "yes" to God 

"beauty our of chaos. . ."