seebs

While walking along a beach, a man saw in the distance what looked like a boy dancing.
He was encouraged by the outward expression of someone dancing to the new day on the beach, and he approached the young man. As he got closer, he realized that the young man was actually running, leaning down, picking something up and then gently throwing it far into the ocean.

As he came closer, he saw thousands of starfish the tide had thrown onto the beach. Unable to return to the ocean during low tide, the starfish were dying. He observed the young man picking up the starfish one by one and throwing them back.

After watching the seemingly futile effort, the observer said to the young man, "There must be thousands of starfish on this beach. It would be impossible for you to get to all of them. There are simply too many. You can't possibly save enough to make a difference."

The young man smiled as he continued to pick up another starfish and toss it back into the ocean.

"It made a difference to that one," he replied.

The older man shook his head at the impossible optimism of the young man, and then turned away and walked home. That night, he sat for a long time thinking of the young man, and determined that the young man was really affecting the world and taking action to make a difference. Something that the older man would like to do. That night he slept fitfully. In the morning, he awoke, went down to the beach and found the young man again. Then together, they went along the beach shore tossing starfish back into the ocean.

I have had friends who went to various churches that left them afraid that God would punish them if they failed to live up to standards they couldn't even identify, let alone meet. I have talked to them about the Gospel message, and they have found comfort in it.

It has made them happier. Do you have a suggestion for a possible standard of value that I should care more about than "makes people happier"?

So when I find people who are alone and afraid, I tell them that there is an alternative to this. When I find people who are angry and have no peace, I try to show them how they can find peace. It is my hope that they will find, as I have, that conflict is the problem itself, not a way of solving problems, and that they will then be able to avoid it.

I spent a lot of time talking to someone about the Gospel once. Last I heard, she had decided to spend her time doing hands-on AIDS treatment at well below subsistance wages in a third-world country where many of the natives would rather kill her or rape her (or both) than talk to her, because her ethnic group would not appeal to them... But it was also a place where she could get a slot in a volunteer program that would enable her to save lives.

I will make a difference to many. And they, in turn, may make a difference to even more. And there is nothing better we can do than make such differences.

Chili

Well I don't really know Rome and never read the Cathechism to know much about Catholicsm. I learned more about Catholicism on this board then I ever thought I would know. I mean, this is a great place to be. Besides, whatever I write is not necessarily true and I never ask people to believe what I write.

So sorry if that does not answer your question. Have you ever thought that religion is like math if things must make 'add up' for them to be true.

Thomas II

Seebs, well said... :notworthy

Thomas II

It answers it...You walk your path...