“Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business and, in fact, it is nobody’s business. What we are asked to do is to love, and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbors worthy.”
– Thomas Merton

Over the last few years, the media has been filled with hate. In the public media, newscasters no longer keep from sharing their individual opinion as they report on current events. Most often those opinions are filled with self-righteous judgment and condemnation. In the social media, people post and tweet freely with voices of hate for whatever incites their hatred at that particular moment. Politically speaking, no matter which side of the aisle a person is on, the most often heard comments aren’t about what we can do to work together, but about what is wrong with the other point-of-view.

Maybe it is time we all step back and listen to our brother, Thomas Merton. “Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy.” Who am I to judge a person harshly whom I have never met simply because he or she said or did something that I think is stupid or wrong? Who am I to disrespect those who give their lives to public service (whether I agree with their political stance or not) by posting degrading comments about them on my Facebook wall? Who am I to spread gossip to others to attempt to manipulate their thoughts toward hatred as well? My job isn’t to do any of those things.

My only job as I walk this life on earth is to love. Thomas Merton knew it. So did Buddha and Jesus and Muhammad. In fact, many of the things I have learned over the past few years while studying for a master’s in theology have shown me that the main theme flowing throughout the majority of the world’s religions is love. So, whoever you chose to call your God or Higher Power, you can probably find a good quote on love to take with you each day. Why not start posting positive quotes about love on Facebook and Twitter instead of derogatory remarks about political figures or judgmental quips about famous people who have fallen from grace? Maybe if we all just took a day off from posting about, thinking about and talking about how much we hate something, the world would begin to change. Maybe?

“The secret to living well and longer is:
Eat half, walk double, laugh triple and
Love without measure.”
– Tibetan Proverb