Daily Meditation: Wednesday, October 15, 2003

Whatever the failings of a society, it is not advisable to …

10/15/2003

Whatever the failings of a society, it is not advisable to solve them with violence. Some people will say: 'But when everything needs to be changed, violence is necessary!' No, and first of all we must never confuse change with upheaval. It is never by means of violence that true change can be realised. In fact, it has often been observed that violence always brings about greater evils than those it claims to cure. So, how can we bring about change in society? This is the responsibility of every one of us, but such a change is not decreed from one day to the next. No matter how highly placed or powerful, no one person can proclaim: 'From now on things will be like this or like that...' If someone attempts to do so, the results will not be long-lasting. Whether for good or for evil, no one has ever succeeded in affecting permanent change. True change can occur only when individuals decide to begin to transform themselves. At that moment, yes, it is possible to stimulate the whole world, because each person becomes a valuable and constructive agent for all.