Dear Family,
The feast is a week away and this has been an interesting time for me. For one thing, thanks to Father Tom Boyer, we’ve been pondering the idea that, “Advent is not a season; it is a way of life.” The adventure of living a life of expectation brings a joyful perspective of freshness to living ...even when you have passed the mid-way mark of your life. (Okay. Don’t get technical... maybe I’m a little more than half-way.) I’m not sure how the attitude I have here from day-to-day shapes my eter¬nal future but I have a strong feeling that is not just deeds that shape our future, but attitudes as well.
You’ve also heard me asking how does the gospel help us deal with the socio-political-cultural chasm we seem to find ourselves in. Some observe those divisions have been there a long time and only in the present unique circumstances do they tend to emerge. You’ve got to wonder where these demons are coming from. However... whatever... I’d like to feel a little better about things. I had the happy discovery of reruns of the Dick Van Dyke show that have been ‘colorized.’ Thank you, CBS. I think, though, we are going to have to do a little bit better than colorization.
Every morning after the 8:00 a.m. Mass a few of the women of the parish remain and pray the rosary. Monday morning I stayed and prayed it with them because I owed the Blessed Mother a rosary from the night before. (Please do not attached a great deal of implied personal piety to my words. It’s just that it takes one rosary for Bubba and me to lap the parking lot at night. It’s a good time to try and tune out the noise or better tune in the Lord. Sunday night it was raining. He crossed his legs and I forgot to say the rosary.)
Are we praying with consistency? Our own sisters here at St. Seb’s are consistent. I’d like to think their attitude affects how they treat the world around them. They bless us in the consistency. (No pressure, ladies.)
Isn’t that what the gospel calls for? Check out Luke 18:1-3. That’s where Jesus tells the story about the woman who was dealing with the unjust judge. The judge finally gives in to the woman because he hated being pestered. Jesus made up that almost funny story as an opportunity to say to his followers, “PRAY ALWAYS.”
If I’m not careful I can let my discouragements with things societal fall into the basket of things that “nothing can be done about,” especially by me. What’s worse is that you keep such a big void between your prayers and your “reality” that you (I) can remove God from the possibility of bringing the Spirit to bear upon, among other things, our governance, simply because we didn’t ask. Of course, ask¬ing is only part of healing.
It’s also got to be received by the people and places that stand in need of change. But that prayer is an essential ingredient of the recipe for life in Christ Jesus. Don’t give up if you’re praying and get your act together if you are not.
Looking forward to seeing you, I’m yours in Jesus,
