Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
All this is from God, troche who reconciled us to himself through Christ, ed and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, store in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.
Thought for the Day: In the fascinating book, The Master and His Emissary, neurological psychologist Iain McGilchrist, describes an ongoing evolutionary battle between the two hemispheres of the human brain. The right hemisphere is responsible for empathy, the subtleties of relationship, faith, and emotional reactions to speech, sound and music. It’s our sensitive side. The left hemisphere is responsible for math, motor control, and the “re-presentation” of life in words. It’s our reality perceptor.
McGilchrist claims the two hemispheres are in constant competition, and that one of the left hemisphere’s strengths is its ability to declare itself dominant. Hence, the history of humankind, especially of the 20th century, is the history of the left hemisphere’s ability with math, tools, computers, and verbal thinking, to the point that left-hemisphere thinking has become institutionalized. The left hemisphere of our brains has been in control the last several thousand years, so that we now live in a world of its construct: mechanized, manipulative and competitive. It is an unsustainable model. The right hemisphere’s capacities for empathy and compassion have been marginalized.
Obviously, this has been a model for self-destruction. We need to reconcile the two halves of our brain as God has reconciled humanity to God’s self, so that our incredible capacity for technological innovation is tempered by an equal amount of empathy and compassion for each other and our planet. We are living half a life when we ignore our right-hemisphere’s request to allow God’s reconciliation to make a change in our behavior.
Prayer: Remind me constantly, merciful Lord, of my Christ-like capacity for compassion and love. May I re-present the world through Christ, spreading the message of reconciliation by displaying in my life, endless and unceasing compassion for my brothers, sisters, and this glorious planet. Amen.