It All Boils Down To These

I went to a mini-retreat on Mary Magdalene - one of the most misunderstood women in history, if you ask me. The information was fascinating, various myths were debunked (of course she was not a prostitute), and it was just overall enlightening. The retreat was led by a Catholic priest - but a rebel one. He encouraged all of the women in the room to challenge the church, to make history, to go ahead and speak the truth without any hope of being honored, in fact, content knowing the opposite would most likely be true.

All that was utterly compelling and invigorating to me, however, what he said about Jesus' teachings being universal, was the coolest. He once did a conference with every different faith represented, Wiccans, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Protestants, Catholics, Baptists, Buddhists, you-name-it. He asked each person to list all the tenants of their faith. What do they believe in? What are the teachings? What are they about? People scribbled and scribbled, filling their notebook paper up on both sides, and some asking for another sheet.

"Now circle the top six things - the six things that everything else on the list boils down to." They, without exception, circled the same six things: Peace, Justice, Compassion, Forgiveness, Healing and.... Love.



* http://www.reconciliationday.net