ADJUSTING

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 15^th Monday in Ordinary Time is, “Adjusting.”

One of life’s great skills is the ability to adjust.

If someone asks us a question, “How’s it going?”, what would it be like to answer, “Adjusting.”

Adjusting is the ability to compromise, to settle, to  rectify,  rearrange, reconcile, balance, change, conform, see which way the wind is blowing, adapt, accommodate, sort, plea-bargain, give and take, make concessions, harmonize, weave, patch up, make peace…..

Adjusting….  How good are you in adjusting?

That’s the value of playing cards: to learn how to play different hands.

If you were buying a boat, would you want a power boat to just go directly through the water to your destination? Is that your personality? Or would you prefer a sail boat - that calls for a lot more adjusting - of sails - reading the wind and the waters?  Is that more you?

TODAY’S FIRST READING

Today’s first reading triggered the thought to say something about adjusting skills.

Today we move into the book of Exodus - for our first reading.

Many people can identify with the opening words of today’s first reading, “A new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, came to power in Egypt.”

Today we start a new story - a new problem. There is a new king, a new pharaoh, and the Israelites have to adjust - from being liked, welcomed, appreciated, to being persecuted.

Reality therapy….

Mom died. Dad is dating someone. Step kids have to adjust. We have a new governor - a new coach - a new boss - a new next door neighbor - a new principal in the school - a new pastor.

How well do  I do when it calls for adjusting.

It was raining two weeks ago. It’s evening. I’m driving back home and the black rubber windshield wiper on my car - came off - and the metal is scraping the windshield - and the rubber is flapping. I put off to the side and try to fix it. I try to fit it back into the holder. No luck. I find a pair of sunglasses someone gave me and I pull off the sunglass strap and wrap the stretching material onto the wiper and the black rubber and it’s fixed temporarily. I drive another 25 miles and it’s off again. This time I take my shoe lace off one shoe - and that works till I get home.

Adjusting.

The Israelites had to adjust 

THE RAILWAY MAN

Last week I saw the 2013 British-Australian movie, “The Railway Man”. Strong movie. One guy told me he saw the beginning of it - but had to walk out. Another guy told me, “You have to see the last 20 minutes.”

Without ruining the movie it’s all about being able to adjust. Could I survive as a prisoner of war - being beaten, being starved. Would I break? Could I adjust?  

Answer: I don’t know.

TODAY’S GOSPEL

In today’s gospel we hear about some of the struggles in the early church - where families are split up because a son or a daughter-in-law switches their religion. Oh my God, my son has become a Christian?

Today it might be a son or a daughter not  having their children baptized, or they are getting divorced, or what have you.  Every day calls for new adjustments.

CONCLUSION

What to do?

Sometimes we can’t do nothing other than to say, “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to say.” As M. Scott Peck begins his book, The Road Less  Travelled, “Life is difficult.”

Secondly, sometimes all we can do is pray.

Thirdly, we can adjust  - so adjust.

Fourth, sometimes we need to look up to Jesus on the cross and say, “Can I join you?”

Or fifth and last, and this is not gospel, we can sit down and listen to the old Zen story. A man is up high on a cliff and surrounding him - facing him - is the cliff and 3 hungry tigers.

He has no way out in front of him. He turns and looks down off the cliff and it looks like is 300 miles to the bottom.

Surprise! Looking down the cliff he spots a branch shooting out from the rocks - not that far from the top. He gets down on his knees and lowers himself to that branch.

He looks down again - and sees the bottom of that mountain cliff is 300 miles below. He’s hanging from that branch and he looks up and sees the three hungry tigers salivating - drooling and flaying at him.

Just then he spots 3 berries on that same branch and he takes one carefully and puts it in his mouth. Then the second berry. Then the third.

And with a smile on his face, he thinks to himself, “These are the most delicious berries he ever had in his whole life.”