October 22,  2022

Reflection

WALKING  WITH  A  SLOW  PERSON

Walking with a slow person can be a moment of impatience - especially for a person who walks fast.

What's it like to be a slow person?

What's it like to be a slow person and you're walking with a fast person - worse, with a faster person who is an impatient person?

Last Saturday - September 29, 2007 - Dan Ahr came down the aisle with his mother.  Dan is usually in his wheelchair.

At this time, he wanted to walk with his mother - but it was a big family occasion - his sister's funeral.

It took him "forever" - but he did it - using a walker with wheels - a rollator.

At the end of the wedding - he left - walking down the aisle - with a gal in tow.

What's it like to be Dan - Naval Academy graduate - partially paralyzed - as he is - from a car accident?

I am not impatient - but I did think - the wheelchair would have been quicker. Yet - obviously - I didn't know the implications, the meanings, and the stories.

What's it like to walk with a slow person?

Like walking a person who had a recent operation ,,,,

Like walking with a mom in a nursing home ....

Like with a child in her first week of walking ....

How fast did Jesus walk the road to Jericho?

How fast did Jesus walk the way of the cross to Calvary?

12 Step Programs use the image or the analogy of climbing up some stairs - in order to get to the top.

Some people learn faster than others.

Some people recover slowly.

Lord, give me patience when I'm impatient.

Lord, give me impatience when I'm walking with those who are slow walkers - or slow learners - like I can be - at times.

October 22, 2022

Thought For Today 

"I tell you there is such a thing as creative hate."

Willa Cather [1873-1947]

The Song of the Land

 

WHETHER REPORT

 

Whether – W H E T H E R – a play on words, a play on contrasts, a play on how we see each other – how we treat each other – that it does not depend  on the weather – but how we can  always  be nice to each other each and every day.

 

In today’s gospel -  Jesus talks about the weather: W E A T H E R - whether it’s cloudy, rainy or hot. He says we know how to interpret the weather – but at times we do not know how to interpret each other – for good, for better, for best.

 

We waste our time judging others – making others our opponents – bringing them to the court of public opinion – or public criticism - wanting them to pay us a last penny because of their differences to and with and at us.

 

We’re selfish. We won’t give daily bread to the other whether the other is hungry or poor or like Lazarus starving at our door.

 

We don’t forgive.  We don’t forgive our sisters and brothers – even once –  never 7 – never 77 times -  whether they leave home and mess up their lives as prodigals or we won’t come into the house when the other comes come back home after living a disaster.

 

We don’t show respect or love or recognition to  the others in our lives, in our neighborhoods - whether their skin color is red – black – yellow – brown or white.

 

We don’t stop to help the person broken down by life or robed on the road - while strangers and Samaritans stop to help them - the hurting - whether they know them or not. Amen.

 October 21, 2022

Reflection

CAN  ONE  CHANGE?

Once more the question erupts, "Can he change?' "Can she change?" Better: "Can I change?"

Is what you see,  what you're going to get for the rest of a person's life?

And it seems that every time I ask that question about someone else, the question that keeps coming back to me is, "Can I change?"

Is the background, "If I can change, then maybe another can change."

I have to go back and find some research I once had about basic self - and accidental self.

It has something to so with the nuclear self and the accidental self.

We recognize the same person all through one's life - but then again there are things in people that change.

People change size, shape, and hair color.

Wrinkles appear on the basic package in time.

People change in their ability to speak in public.  Get a video of a priest speaking at his first Mass and compare it to him preaching at his 25th Anniversary.

Can I change?

I guess the first step would be to make a long list - and then a short list - of things I would like to look at when it comes to changing.

• Eating better- more vegetables - less bread
• Preparing homilies on Monday for the following Sunday.
• Exercise - more exercise on a regular basis.
• Listening: a lot more - especially when another's story triggers one of mine - and I think my story is better.
• Complimenting others.

I suppose that would be a good way to start. Make the list.

The list is primary.

Now, how does one get that list and how do I populate it?

Then comes the challenge: Change! Grow! Repent! Learn! Become a better person!

 

 October 21,  2022

Thought for Today

CAN  ANOTHER CHANGE?

"You have to endure what  you can't change."

Marie de France (1160-1215)

 October 20, 2022

Reflection

ESSENTIAL  ELEMENTS

I like the phrase, "essential elements".

We all know water is H20 - that is,  water has two essential elements: hydrogen and oxygen.

Well, someone in religious circles began using the term, "essential elements", when talking about religious life.

Religious life in the Catholic Church is the title for the life lived by nuns, sisters, and males in religious orders like the Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans, Passionists,  Redemptorists, etc. etc. etc.

What are the essential elements of religious life - without which one would not be called a "religious".

Is this the first place this term was used other than in science? Was it used in business or academic circles as well?

I don't know.

What are the essential elements for being a Redemptorist?

What are the essential elements of the Mass?

What are the essential elements for being a Christian, a Catholic, a Buddhist, a Moslem, a Mormon, a Jew?

What are the essential elements for Baptism?

What are the essential elements for being a U.S. Citizen?

Do you have your papers?  What documents do you have?

People have to show their passport or driver's license or social security number at times.

In some groups you have to pay your dues - if you want membership.

You have to show up.

What are the essentials for getting a degree, a doctor's diploma, an electrician's license?

This question has many forms - and some have been around for a long time.

What's what around here?

Who's who around here?

Who has the key to the door?

 October 20, 2022

Thought for Today

"If you want to get across an idea, wrap it in a person."

Ralph Bunche