We are chopping down the tree and forging the nails; or, at the very least, and quite as bad, we are watching others as they chop and forge. We have more choice than at any other time in history to be of service to our neighbours; we know how our being rich makes others poor; we know how our being prodigal wrecks the global ecology; we know where people are being tortured. At a more personal level, we know about the dynamics of human relationships; we know about self esteem and self respect; we know about inclusive language. And yet; and yet, the world seems to be no happier a place than it ever was. Why?

Because we cannot take this knowledge and compress it into the patient wisdom that is love; we cannot abandon the commercial trade contract and simply give; and we cannot love just by letting people be what they are.

We chop down the tree of Eden and forge the nails of Babel. We chop down the tree of innocence and we forge the nails of judgment. Unlike those who saw Jesus die, we have all our worldly knowledge and wisdom supplemented by the awesome mystery of the Resurrection and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit; yet we are still chopping down the tree and forging the nails.

May God have mercy upon us.