I recently ran into this post over at WorldTimZone.

After following the link to the Masai Creed, I have to agree with Tim that when done well, the truths of God, which all know instinctively are revealed and the people regardless of Culture react to them the same way.  For those of you who are interested in this sort of thing, please go to the Masai Creed Page over at Yale University.

It is worth noting that I do believe that simple professions of faith are sometimes the most powerful, and the creed from the Masai is a wonderul example of how powerful this can be.  I do think that we sometimes can become mired down in our rubrics and theology, to the point that we lose sight of an important commandment given to us by The Word, to love thy brother as thyself.

It has been made clear to me in the past few days that I am still a slave to my passions.  That I sometimes lose sight that I am discussing not arguing, debating not fighting.  And as if to drive this realization home, I am once again reminded of my own advice to other people, that you usually hurt the ones you love the most. Whether it is a spouse, parent or close friend the relationships that mean the most to us are the ones that suffer the greatest injuries.

And with this lesson as with all others that are given to me, I again find myself face down before Christ, the instrument through which all reality was created, asking for his forgivness and help for I truly cannot run this race alone.  The way is too perilous and the course too long, my only hope lies in the Divine Grace that is the re-birth rite of all whom have chosen the way of the straight and narrow, and the eternal truth of the only miracle that can be the basis of my faith, the resurrection.

That being said I am one who stands here today and says honestly that I need doctrine, theology and structure.  Others may not, that is between them and their creator.  It has been said that the rituals and Holy Tradition of the Church are merely crutches and I cannot say that they aren’t, it is not my place to pass judgement as to how you should properly act out your role as a co-inheritor of Christ in the Kingdom.  But I will say, if they are crutches, so be it.  I am a sick, broken man, and when I step foot into the Church I am entering an emergency room and just as crutches and bandages are meant to help in the mending of broken body to restore free movement and health, so too are these tools, for me, a way to heal my soul and spirit and to help me properly restore communion between my creator and myself and all of creation and myself.

But as I said before I am still a long way from being healed of my wounds, of shedding my baggage and unfortunately those around me must suffer because of it and for that I am sorry.

More on this later.