Peace is Personal

For those who were at service on Sunday, September 16, 2012, a few bullet points to jog your memory:

• This past week US embassies were attacked and four American citizens were killed.
• The general reaction of the talking heads on TV news programs was that we must kill in return.
• What was your reaction to the news: anger, hate, sick to your stomach, anxious, fear? 
• “In our world, certainly, it is much easier to hate people and feel justified in this hatred, than it is to truly love someone.  This is not the love that specialness holds dear, but the love that does not see another as separate from ourselves; not seeing another person’s interest as separate, or more or less important than our own.” Ken Wapnick, The Obstacles to Peace. (Pgs 190-191)
• I believe everyone's interest are the same: internal peace
• My personal reaction to these events after watching TV new shows for a couple of hours was deep anxiety
• I had to ask myself if this was the emotion I wanted to experience.  "No, I choose Love, because I believe in the power of love to bring peace to my heart.”
• Matthew 5:37-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons 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. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect [consistent], therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect [consistent]."
• There is value in our giving attention to that which we choose to experience.  “Where love is, there God is also. Man's nature is not essentially evil. Brute nature has been known to yield to the influence of love.” (Gandhi)
• “What you want also wants you. If you seek the celestial, the celestial also seeks you. There are no unanswered requests in the universe.” (Vernon Howard)
• I trust in the power of love to bring peace to my heart.  In doing so on an ongoing basis there is more peace in the world. 
• When you work to bring peace to your heart on an ongoing basis, there is more peace in the world.
• Peace is not won through religious or governmental domination. 
• There will never be a peaceful government in the world until we are governed by peace in our hearts and minds.  Let’s keep our “eyes” focused on the “Hilltop of Peace.” 
• Peace is possible because peace is personal.
• We can do this… we can do this.

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To read the complete text of "Peace is Personal" from Sunday, September 16, 2012,  click here.