A reflection on three little words: Love your neighbour
and three more: Stand your ground.

Stand your ground: refuse to yield to the insidious isms of the age.
Stand your ground: let love outweigh fear, pity dominate over prejudice, mercy over mischief.
Stand your ground: let the words of the Master drown out the words in your head that just sound wrong.
Stand your ground: stop. stand still long enough for second thoughts, a second glance; maybe the sight of a child of God will blur away first impressions.
Stand your ground: when the weight of the cross bears you to the ground, stand up, carry on, grim in your determination to love them to death.
Stand your ground: Simon, Samaritan, each risked helping a stranger in need, fallen under the heels of others.
Stand your ground: lift your voices, women of Jerusalem, women of Florida, women of Newtown and Chicago, refuse to be silenced by those embarrassed by your grief.
Stand your ground: let revenge, retaliation pale in the face of your fierce and final mercy.
Stand your ground: when you fall beneath the weight of the cross, stand up, carry on, relentless in your love.