Inside a Red Worm

The sun shone today. My friend Joseph Brooks was awake in the ICU of the hospital and they were preparing to take him off the ventilator. Two friends that I had disagreements with wrote me with friendly messages. I planted some new flowers in the home gardens and sifted some castings from the compost. I had a wonderful conversation with an outstanding young man, freshman in high school, who was staying with his mother from Tanzania in a homeless shelter. A friend sent me a link to an interesting blog about compost that had this picture of the amazing digestive system of the common red worm. Also I received an email with a provocative question about how I love my enemies; naming two famous persons in particular whom the sender and I both believe have harmed our country.

Reflecting on this question I thought of my late friend Lorenzo Rosebaugh and some of the beautiful reflections written about him in the Memorial to Lorenzo Rosebaugh. Although Lorenzo opposed the actions of many persons, was friends with marginalized persons and repeatedly broke the law in acts of civil disobedience, I cannot think of anyone who disliked him or anyone he disliked or spoke ill of.

I guess it is difficult to dislike or speak ill of a holy person like Gandhi, King, Dorothy Day or Lorenzo. People may not follow their ways and maybe even strongly disagree with them but since these holy men and woman radiate love and kindness it seems not natural to say or do anything publicly against them. Of course three of the four were killed by violent actions so there must have been a lot of deep hatred lingering that erupted in acts of violence against them, planned or random.


I am not comparing myself to Lorenzo or any of the above, but I have learned from them and from the life of Jesus that “loving your enemy” does not mean harming, being negative or ignoring them. It does mean saying “no” in word and action to your enemies, treating them with respect and not returning but absorbing any hatred expressed toward you. A nonviolent person, like a worm, digests all that is hateful and wasted and turns it to healthy soil for growth. It is hard to do but certain people that point the way come into our lives, like Lorenzo or the gentle youth that I met tonight in the homeless shelter.

There is an ancient Eastern saying that goes something like this: “Good people are known by their good friends. Great people are known by their great enemies.” I say know your enemy and you will know yourself.

Not by praising holy persons can we be like them. Following their way and the Way of Jesus may not bring happiness or avoid suffering but it will bring peace and the sun will shine every day in our lives.

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