Madness

Jesus is the piper, and we are the children.  He is leading us the asylum, so we can be mad for love as He is.

He provides rain and food to all, even to the ungrateful, even to the wicked.

Even so, we shall not ask, “Who is my enemy that I am to love?”  Rather, we should see all people as enemies so we may lavish on them the love that only our enemy deserves.

We shall see all people as our neighbors so that we could give them all manner of things that they do not deserve.

We shall give praise to the criminal, so that they might repent from the kindness of God.

We shall bless those who threaten us and our families so that we might know the blessings of love.

We shall take those who take advantage of us and give them even more so that we might be filled with the riches of God.

We shall lay hands on those who deserve to be beaten and pray for their healing.

We shall embrace the sinner and offer them forgiveness.

Such is the madness of Christ!  Embrace it!  Do not allow yourself to be swayed by sanity, for the love of Christ compels us!  Give in to the madness, for only in surrendering completely to mercy will we receive mercy!

Only in poverty shall we obtain the kingdom of God!

Only in making peace shall we be called the sons of God!

Only in embracing suffering shall we be heirs with Christ!

Clothe yourself with the madness of Christ! 

And if the strains of love are so much that you go to bed each night as though beaten;

If you collapse under the weight of the burden of love;

If you cry out to mercy from God because you can no longer raise your head from love—

Then at least do this, do not harm!

Keep your silence rather than speak abuse.

Keep still rather than hit your brother.

Starve yourself rather than withhold bread from the hungry.

In this we shall learn the infinite patience and grace of God. 

In this we are transformed in our minds.

In this we become saints.

In everything we do, we must love

In everything we don’t do, we must love.

Let us become drunk on the cup of love,

Rejoicing with those who rejoice

And weeping with those who weep—

Let the party begin!