BEING MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT VERY ORDINARY THINGS - TWENTY-EIGHT

This is the twenty-eighth in a series of periodic reflections on the "ordinary things" that many people do on a regular basis without much thought. During this pandemic, I am developing a need to "rage, rage" against haste and laziness and replace it with care and attention. My hope is to become personally more intentional about doing ordinary things with care and focused attention, while inspiring others to maybe do the same.

WALKING ON THIN ICE

            "We walk by faith, not by sight."         

       II Corinthians 6:7 

Some of my favorite TV shows are the ones featuring people living in the backwoods of Alaska: Life Below Zero, Mountain Men, Alaska the Last Frontier, The Last Alaskans, 100 Days Wild, Alaskan Bush People and Yukon Men. One of the regular hazards, other than being attacked by bears, is falling through thin ice when trying to cross a river. Very often they refer to children, neighbors, spouses and friends who have fallen through the ice only to be swept to their deaths in a flash!

"Walking on thin ice," "treading on thin ice" or "skating on thin ice" are familiar expressions we use to refer to the various precarious situations in which we find ourselves. It occurred to me the other day how "on target" those expressions are when I think about how I feel almost every day of this pandemic - especially during quiet reflective moments.  They express that tenuous feeling that many of us have about the possibility of being swept to our deaths before we know it! 

"Walking on thin ice" can refer to two distinct things. It can refer to the foolhardiness of taking the risk of walking out on thin ice as a silly dare from a bunch of drunken teenagers! It can, however, refer to the courage of taking the risk of walking out on thin ice as a way to get food or medical assistance to a family close to starvation or death from a stroke. 

We see both types of "walking on thin ice" being acted out during this pandemic. We see the foolhardiness of a bunch of young adults gathered, cheek to cheek, in a bar without a thought to social distancing or wearing a mask. We see the courage of health care workers courageously entering hospitals and nursing homes to care for those who have contracted the COVID-19 disease. Both are "walking on thin ice," but for two distinctly different reasons. One group is selfishly and foolishly "tempting fate" and the other group is heroically and generously "laying down their lives" in service to their fellow men and women. 

Lastly, there are those of us who have a choice! We can "walk on thin ice" by being selfish and foolhardy, in a fog of denial, and put ourselves and others in jeopardy. On the other hand, we can "walk on thin ice" by embracing a less than exciting life by staying out of crowds, by wearing masks and by sanitizing our hands in an effort to slow the spread of this disease. There is a difference between "foolhardy" and "courageous." 

A BREAK FROM ALL THE SERIOUSNESS

 

 

 

 

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS!

 

BEING MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT VERY ORDINARY THINGS - TWENTY-SEVEN

This is the twenty-seventh in a series of periodic reflections on the "ordinary things" that many people do on a regular basis without much thought. During this pandemic, I am developing a need to "rage, rage" against haste and laziness and replace it with care and attention. My hope is to become personally more intentional about doing ordinary things with care and focused attention, while inspiring others to maybe do the same.

FROM EXCLUDED TO INCLUDED

 

Go therefore to the crossroads and invite to the banquet 

as many as you can find. So the servants went out into

 the streets and gathered everyone they could find, both 

good and bad alike, and the wedding hall was filled 

with guests. 

Matthew 22:10 

There is such a thing as a problem within a problem! The pandemic is wearing on me, but behind it is something that is wearing on me even more! The "other something" is that constant drumbeat of some people looking for opportunities to exclude others instead of looking for ways to include them. 

The news is full of stories about racial injustice, anti-dreamer legislation, the political demonization of other points of view, ageism, sexism, anti-sexual orientation rhetoric, anti-science movements, climate denial, voter suppression, economic greed and ignored corruption. I believe it all comes from the fear of shortages and simple ignorance. The fear of shortages is basically a fear that there will not be enough for all of us, so I've got to protect what's coming to me. The "ignorance" response is basically a fear of having to revise one's map of reality to include new realities - if I don't see it, know about it and acknowledge it, it can't affect me! 

What makes me so sensitive to those "who's in/who's out" divisions that some people always seem to be wanting to make is that growing up I was on the outside most of the time looking for a way to get inside. Feeling excluded was a familiar feeling as a child, teenager and young adult. 

As a child, my frustrated and overwhelmed father would often let us know, in no uncertain terms, that we were a burden to him and that we were losers. "I'll be so glad when you kids are grown and out of here!" "You'll never amount to a hill of beans!"  

In grade school, I was so thin and small that I was teased about being a "runt." A "runt" was the last of the baby pigs to be born leaving it undersized and unable to fight the stronger ones for a place to nurse. "Runts" usually died! 

In minor seminary, in the suburbs of Kentucky's largest city, being born and raised in the country subjected us to the ridicule of the urban-born seminarians. "You hillbillies! You hicks!" 

In the early days of priesthood, I served in the home missions of our diocese where Catholics were only one-tenth of one-percent. Being Catholic was often like being a leper! People avoided you, whispered about you and snubbed you on a regular basis. 

I used to think all this was a curse and a burden to bear. However, what it was actually doing was preparing me for my major life's work - reaching out to and embracing the marginal of this world. 

As the pastor of the Cathedral, I got the chance to revitalize that parish by reaching out mainly to marginal Catholics: those who had fallen away from practicing their faith, divorced Catholics, gay and lesbian Catholics, recovering addicts, the poor,  immigrants and various other minorities. We grew from about 110 members to 2100 members in a 14 year period. While those who responded to our invitation, "we'll take anybody," were delighted to be included, there was a handful of mean people who wanted me to reject, condemn and shame those people lest I be known for "approving sin." 

When I am "inclusive" in my words and my deeds,  I believe I am on solid ground as a Christian. Does the Book of Genesis (1:27) not say, "so God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female he created them.". Did Jesus not teach us powerfully, in his central parables, about rejoicing over the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son? 

When I am "inclusive" in my words and in my deeds, I believe I am on solid ground as a Catholic." Does the very word "catholic" not means "universal" and "inclusive." We are not some American church! We are a church made up of people from every race, language and way of life on this planet!  

When I am "inclusive" in my words and in my deeds, I believe I am on solid ground as an American.  Does the Constitution itself not say, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness?" Does the Statute of Liberty not proclaim for all the world to see,  “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Oh God! Deliver me from the fear of shortages and new realities. Help me be generous and keep my mind, heart and hands open, even when it hurts and becomes personally inconvenient!

 

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BEING MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT VERY ORDINARY THINGS - TWENTY-SIX

This is the twenty-sixth in a series of periodic reflections on the "ordinary things" that many people do on a regular basis without much thought. During this pandemic, I am developing a need to "rage, rage" against haste and laziness and replace it with care and attention. My hope is to become personally more intentional about doing ordinary things with care and focused attention, while inspiring others to maybe do the same.

DRAGGING ON 

Anxiety in one's heart weighs a person down.

Proverbs 12:25

This pandemic is dragging on and on with no end in sight! I suppose this is what Father Joe White, Rector of Saint Thomas Seminary, was feeling about me in 1964 when he yelled out in front of my whole class "Knott! You have been a ball and chain around my leg for six years!" He might have just said, "When will you get the hell out of here?"  I couldn't say anything back in those days, but the feelings were mutual! He was more of a ball and chain around my entire psyche! Both of us longed for the day to say "good riddance"  to each other as the years dragged on and on! 

You say an event or process "drags on" when you disapprove of the fact that it lasts far longer than necessary. I say I am sick of dealing with this pandemic but my disapproval is having little effect on it so I guess I am going to have to find a way to live around it, if not with it! It is, so whether I like it or not the only question left is, "What am I going to do now?" 

The first thing, of course, is to face facts. Stuff happens, and often difficult stuff happens that we not only didn't see coming, didn't do anything to deserve, and have no control over, much less stop!  When we refuse to accept what is happening, we of course produce more anxiety and stress. Then, not only do we have a bad situation on our hands, but we end up making things worse by creating sleeplessness, muscle tension and mood swings. 

Part of facing facts, is to realize that although we can't change what is happening, we are not completely powerless. We can choose how we want to react to what we can't control. We can do that by talking things over with our friends, family members or even a therapist. Just "talking it out" helps a lot of people. I choose to do that sometimes, but more often than not, I do what I am doing right - I write! I write about my feelings! Seeing them expressed on paper and reading over them helps me process those feelings. Sometimes, they even help others process their feelings when I am able to share what I write. Journaling has been helpful to many, many people working through their unpleasant feelings! 

If you catch yourself  sounding like a "victim," or others start pointing out that you are sounding too much like a victim,  you can choose to change courses and choose operating out of your power. Instead of being overly focused on all the things you can't do, you can start focusing on all the things that you can do! 

Here, never underestimate the benefits of a good disaster! You will be shocked by how many benefits this pandemic has offered you, if you change your perspective. For example, your staying home more gives you the opportunity to create a cleaner house! Your not eating out and shopping so much can save you a whole lot of money! Your lack of a social life has given you more opportunities to connect with neglected family members and old friends by phone, face-time, e-mail, texting or whats app. You may have been eating too much fast food. This time has given you the opportunity to cook again, try new recipes and create family meals together. You may not have felt the need, or had the time to pray, before now. You may now feel the need and have time to do something about it! This slower pace has given you time to take more walks, get out that old bicycle, turn on that old treadmill or hike in the woods. Any of that is better than feeling sorry for yourself in the midst of the reality of this damnable pandemic! 

The list of positive things could go on and on, if you change your focus and become more imaginative! Good things can happen even in the midst of bad things!