July 19, 2022

Reflection

COME APART 

OR

COME APART

A few years ago, I gave a Saturday morning time of retreat to some religion catechists.

I like to come up with as theme.  So since we were coming apart to do this. Since we were leaving a part of ourselves at home - and bringing a part of ourselves to a quiet place - a church basement - the gospel scene of Jesus escaping to a deserted place hit me.

I don't know what the new translation is - but the old one uses the words, "Come apart to a deserted place."

I also like to come up with a catchy title - so the words and theme, "Come Apart or Come Apart" hit me.

We need time at different times in our life to catch up with ourselves.

We need time to escape from times and its pressures - and commitments - as well as the people and the places that pull us.

We are like a parent in a car on a long  trip and three kids are pulling and pushing each other - and us. One is saying, "He hit me." Another is saying, "She's sulking." Another is yelling, "He took my crayons." Another says, "Where are we going?" Another whines, "When are we going to get there."

Scream!

We want to stop the car right then and right there and yell, "Time out."

We want to scream, "Shut up."

We want to say, "At the next stop I'm leaving you."

We can't wait till they grow up.

We want to get into a quiet place - before we come apart.

We want to put all our pulls and pushes, screams and squirms, into a big plastic bag and dump them into the next dumpster  we see on the side of the road.

Come apart - before - we come apart.

 July 19, 2022

Thought for Today

"In a consumer society there are two kinds of slaves: the prisoners of addiction and the prisoners of envy."

Ivan Illich

Tools for Convivality 

(1923) Chapter 3

July 18, 2022

Reflection

COMMON  PRAYER

What is common prayer?

I guess it's praying together.

Is it ever done when and where the community is so one that it forgets itself and becomes one with God?

Gregorian Chant - Taize singing - or Rock Concert - are these moments when the crowd is so one that it is in the image and likeness of God?

Or is the opposite reality the image of God?   When we broken people are trying to pray and our voices are off key - strident - not together - and at varying speeds?

Is it  when people are broken, stubborn, strident that we are God - the God of broken tablets of stone - of broken heart - of God on the cross.

To enjoy eggs the shell is cracked and poured out onto the frying pan - fried eggs or scrambled eggs - or eggs in hot water - and then after the breaking and being burnt - the broken shells and the scramble, they give off the Eucharistic words, "Take and eat!"?

I write this in the crumminess of our common prayer. It's horrendous. I've been here before.

I guess my ego has to be broken, scrambled, burnt.  I guess I need to have my shell removed.

Is Eucharist here too?

Take and eat.

This is my body broken for you - while I want to blame others and say, "This is my body, being broken with you."

Amen.

July 18, 2022

Thought for Today 

"At eighteen our convictions are hills from which we look; at forty-five they are caves in which we hide."

F. Scott Fitzgerald, 

Bernice Bobs her Hair (1920)

 JULY 17, 2022

Reflection

WON'T  BUDGE

"Budge" is an interesting word - but what does it really mean?

Not having a dictionary on hand, I'd guess it means "move".

We hear comments like, "You can't budge her." or "He won't budge an inch."

But it has negative overtones or connotations. As in stuck .... As in stubborn .... As  in wrong .... As in being a pain....

Budge....

But's it's mainly in the context of the other guy or gal - never ourselves.

Well, not never ourselves ....As we think about issues, we have to see things we won't change our opinions on: spitting, criticism of someone's mother in public, lifting the embrgo on some place, capital punishment, etc.

Budge ....

It's a word that has some good connotations in it as well - now that I think about it - so see I can budge. I didn't begin this reflection with any positive thoughts about this word "budge".

So I'll have to write a poem or some short piece using the word "budge" in it. I could bring into a poem or poetic piece words like "bridge" or "bud" or "breakthrough" or "blossom" or maybe even the word "burn".

Oops - even more -  budge can give hints of resurrection - which brings up the question of death.

Who is going to move the stone?

Maybe if I stop throwing stones at those I don't like - or those I think dead - or at those I don't think will budge - maybe they will budge.

Is that the way this works?

 July 17. 2022

Thought for Today

"'I'm a Norfan, both sides' he would explain, with the air of one who had seen trouble."

H.G. Wells,

Kipps (1905)

Book 1, ch.  6, pt.1

 July 16, 2022

Reflection

THE  OCEAN  OF  MARRIAGE

Marriage is a mighty ocean.

Having stood at its shore for years a couple move into its waters on their wedding day - if not earlier.

Some stay near its edge - the shore - the sure - for years - enjoying the waves - the crashing - the splashing - the surfing and the sailing.

But as time goes on some couples move out into the depths of its waters.

Marrriage can be mighty deep - hopefully.

To sail smoothly, a couple needs to be willing to dive into the emotional isssues of life together.  This takes time - lots of time. People need to learn to swim - so they won't sink or drown.  Some are scared to death of the waters.

A couple needs to allow for moods and mistakes - waves of emotions - drifting - as long as they stay together - communicating, listening, talking with each other - being open to what's happenng within each other - and their marrriage.

Figuring takes time - figuring needs time. They need to put everrything on the table - everything of each other. Figurings are the gifts of marrriage - the self- discoveries - the other-discoverings - the life discoveries.

Communion - communications - call for basic postures.

Wanting to make a marriage work is good - but it's not enough.  Wanting can be too passive.

Willingness  too is good - but it too is not enough.  Willingness is the choiice, but it needs more.  It needs actions.

Working is the key - working to make the marriage work - now that's closer to the key.

Better: it's working on specifics - particulars - behavioros - the big things - the little things like not slamming doors - putting dishes in the dishwasher - and emptying the dishwasher - handing the TV clicker to the other - asking - seeking - knocking on the other's door - and being invited within over and over again.