Irony

Irony is often a cruel mistress.  It is a wave in life which continues, regardless of the justice or fairness, almost as if it was driven by sense cruel, sadistic pleasure.  You see it walking the streets of any big city.  Beautiful people, never letting their hearts see themselves for “who” they are; striving for something unneeded and unreachable.  It is as if the process becomes a vicious circle.  Rescue comes when one stops caring.  You see in it those who “make it” versus does who don’t.  It isn’t about discipline.  Connections are not the “answer”.  Even a great idea, product, or service will not give you an automatic ticket.  Irony has a role, unseen but felt, something one cannot describe but knows, playing with the guilty and the innocent.  It is as if every community has a special relationship with this mistress.
 
I wish it wasn’t so but as I walk, dialogue, and experience different families I keep coming back to the same bluesy point of view.  Life is tough.  Life can be extremely painful, life taking really.  Life is cruel, even when you are down.
 
This has been true across history.  After the trial and judgment, even as he was pronounced innocent, “carrying his cross, Jesus went out to the place called Skull Hill (the name in Hebrew is Golgotha), where they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, Jesus in the middle.  Pilate wrote a sign and had it placed on the cross. It read:
 
JESUS THE NAZARENE
THE KING OF THE JEWS” (John 19.17-19) 
 
The joke on irony is that you can inflict pain, even kill, but compassion, mercy, and love always win in the end.  In the midst of personal irony it is often hard to see this but as one acts with faith the prophecy becomes real.  We can make and be a difference in the community.  We are a catalyst living life to the fullest.  We have a shared mission – defend the weak, passionately be accepting, and engage in life; a new kind of irony.