Common Humanity

 

After almost two months of scorching heat and no rain, the deluge came. On the second day of rain, as the sun began to peek through the clouds from time to time, lawns and other plants were suddenly green again. As the earth soaked in long absent water, revival came. Lawn mowers will be working overtime for the rest of the week.

But the rain also caused a different kind of life to burst forth. Through the brown cedar mulch of this flower bed, the new birth was not of the green type at all. Mushrooms appeared overnight, scattered here and there like sand dollars on a beach. These fungi are as alive as the newly green grass. They are their own unique living thing. The same rain gave life to these organisms that are neither plant nor animal; they belong to a kingdom all their own.

Jesus taught those who would follow him : “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

The same rain falls and the same sun shines on every living thing, no matter who we may be. We share a common humanity, regardless of our shape, size or color. We all draw our life from the rain.

Peace.