I always find something that is comforting or thought-provoking in your writing. Over the last several months I have learned a bit more about you. I realize now that one of the reasons your writings resonate is that our backgrounds are so similar. I grew up in the Episcopal Church in the 60s (what we only half jokingly described as just like the Catholics with none of the guilt). As I have mentioned numerous times on other forums, I spent 30 years working with prisoners in medium/maximum security prisons with the Kairos Prison Ministry. It’s prime directive is Listen, Listen, Love, Love. I have always thought that they got it half right. It would be more accurate to say that we should love, love so we can listen, listen. With love comes acceptance which in turn leads to the ability to truly listen without judgment and therefore truly understand. I had a friend who was a volunteer prison chaplain and particularly well educated. He was a lifelong Catholic who went to seminary merely for the credential. He had no interest in becoming a parish priest. He printed his summary of the Bible on his business card. It said simply, Love, no buts… His attitude was that all the debate over the meaning and application of the Bible was essentially irrelevant until you got this part correct. As he liked to say, “Get the love right and that is 99.9% of what you need to know. Then we can discuss the incidentals.”

The problem with all zealots is that love is an idle expression. They do not really believe and practice it. It is observed in lipservice only. True love involves understanding the other person, accepting them for who they are and what they believe, valuing and accepting them as much as you do yourself, and wanting only the best for them. It is easy to forgive when you truly love. And if you can forgive and accept how can you be a zealot?