Take a minute and think about what heaven on earth would be like. Consider what Eden might have been like before the fall of humanity. Can you imagine litter or pollution there? Can you imagine using chemicals to kill bugs and weeds? Can you imagine someone losing their temper and yelling at someone else? Can you imagine low quality, disposable products? Can you imagine landfills? Can you imagine democracies? War? Denominations? Cancer? Genetic modification? I cannot imagine these things existing or occurring in heaven on earth. Instead, the first image that comes to mind is a quiet, gentle approach to living, to humanity, and to all of creation. This posture of heart and mind is exemplified for me in the characters of a few movies and television programs: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Into Great Silence, Star Trek Insurrection, Star Trek The Inner Light, The Mission, and A River Runs Through It. It is this posture of heart and mind that caused St. Francis to gently move the earthworm off the walking path so as to not be crushed, to preach the gospel to the birds, and to tame the wolf of Gubio.
Are you even trying to live in heaven on earth? How difficult it can be to foster or maintain this posture of heart and mind in such a hectic, fast-paced, demanding, hostile, western world! How especially difficult when we don't make the effort to quiet ourselves daily!
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