"For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say to them, "Peace be within you." -- Jesus

I take "brothers" here, to mean "family," not as a synonym for "friends." For the sake of my family and friends, I will say 'Peace . . .'

I am the youngest of six siblings. One of us died at birth. Now all the others are in heaven as well. Christmas of 2021, my last sibling, a brother nine years my senior, stepped over "Jordan." They are all gone now, I am the only one left.

Insofar as I am able to tell, peace and a generous love existed between us the entire time we were alive together. There were minor hiccups, but I have difficulty even recalling them. We loved one another and, though we lived apart, wished each other well. There was Peace among us.

I wish I could say the same for other relationships I have had over the years. Although I can most certainly point to the harm I have caused others, I would like to say that I have never intended harm. But, unfortunately, I can't say that. Sometimes, I have lost such control of my emotions, my passions and anger, that I actually wanted to hurt. Or, having reached that terrible divide where I didn't care if I hurt another, I lashed out. Other times my actions, though not intending to inflict injury, have done exactly that. These are things for which I am ashamed, and for which I have inconsolable regret.

Some friendships have ruptured because of the separation of time and distance. We all now have different and separate lives. Others, because I have been made an enemy for causes that I am too dumb to comprehend. Alienated by people I love and care for. Such ruptures are painful and more often than not, could have been easily avoided had I, or they, been more sentient and understanding of the other.

Jesus had something to say about this. He called it "ought." If your brother has "ought" against you, or you have "ought" against your brother. (And, of course, we all know that Jesus spoke in King James English.) "Ought" is used in several ways. Most of the time, it simply means, "should." Other times it means, "anything." But here, it clearly means, "ill feeling toward." Today, we might use the word, "issues," as in, "He has issues with me, or I have issues with him." Or, "the guy has issues," as in there is something wrong with him.

No matter.

A rift has occurred. And a rift is a rift. There is something between two people that is prohibiting a loving and generous relationship. Jesus is saying, "Before you try to show people how very pious you are, how are you doing with your family and friends? Check your relationships. Make sure they are truly connected as well. Otherwise, this whole religious thing smells like so much flatulence." Well, ok, Jesus didn't put it quite that way, but that is what he meant.

It is interesting to note that Jesus looks on the rupture of relationships as routine, or as something to be expected. This is not something that is uncommon. Jesus seemed acutely aware of the limitations of human nature. So here, he endeavors to point out the hypocrisy of religious life when the cardinal rule of love is being violated.

The Cardinal Rule of love.

"Someday, after mastering winds, waves, tides and gravity, we shall harness the energy of love; and for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire." -- Pierre Teilhard De Chardin

Love is not a "should," nor an "ought," nor just "anything," nor, God forbid, even an "issue." It is, without detraction, the most redemptive force in the world; the most redemptive force in human existence.

Without it, our words, our efforts, our energies are nothing more than the scrape of cheap chalk on a blackboard. (Do they use blackboards anymore?) With love, in love, everything humanly accomplishable, may be accomplished.

With love, we might not even need traffic lights. It might be like that wonderful scene in Lonesome Dove: Two wagons pull up at the same time where two roads intersect. Both wagons stop. One driver waves to the other to go on through. The other says with a wave of his hand, 'no, you go through first.' With love, with authentic, genuine, heartfelt love for family and friends, comes Peace, comes Order, comes what might be called a Redemptive Life. What a world that would be!