Real Time or God Time

Last night I caught a snippet of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher."  I had never seen the show because I don't like Maher as an on screen journalist, if you could call him that, but while channel surfing I heard the word "religion." Being who I am, that sparked my curiosity so I kept the channel on.  He was introducing Penn Jillette from the duo Penn and Teller.  Penn and Teller are magicians and comedians and Jillette is an espoused atheist and libertarian. Maher was interviewing him to promote Jillette's new book "God, No."  I don't know what makes Jillette an expert on religion, but he stated that he was in youth group as a teen and read the entire Bible and that anyone who really reads it will come to the conclusion that there is no God. "The best way to become an atheist is to read the Bible,"he said. He agreed with Maher that the Old Testament is full of some horrible things but  Jillette added that the New Testament is just as horrifying and is anti-family saying that it basically states, "No matter how much you love your family, love Jesus more."  He sees something terribly wrong with that. He also spoke of morality and stated that  if you are doing what you are doing for a reward or because of fear of eternal punishment then it's not really moral living. He said we should live moral lives  out of love and out of love alone.

The problem I see with Jillette's logic is in his reading of scripture. He is reading it on the surface only, without digging deeper and certainly without prayer. He did admit that to come to his conclusion he did not study the scriptures  but read them almost like an historical text.  I just can't abide by his assessment of what the scriptures are saying. Yes, Jesus is asking us to put Him first, but in doing so, we are not abandoning our families but loving them all the more. To put Jesus first is to follow His Way, to live a life striving for holiness in our relationships with God and with all humanity, especially our families.

With regard to morality I agree with Jillette that we should live moral lives out of love and out of love alone. But here we part company. We must strive to live morally out of love, but we are not perfect people and just as young children learn by giving positive and negative reinforcement, God encourages us to live good lives by offering us the heavenly reward and instilling a fear of eternity in hell.  Hopefully as we grow and mature in our relationship with Christ, we will live good and holy lives out of Love of God alone.  But there is nothing wrong with "the fear of God," as motivation to living a moral life as we progress toward perfection. 

As I stated, I never watched Bill Maher before and I probably never will again. As a self admitted "former Catholic," he sees nothing wrong with bashing religion and a quick look on YouTube at past episodes show that he seems to enjoy it. As for Penn Jilliette, I could do without him and his partner as well. I never found them funny or entertaining, and I have a problem with show business personalities speaking as experts on religion and politics, especially when they take cheap shots at Christianity or any religion for that matter.

Christianity and Catholicism especially seem to be acceptable targets for ridicule these days, especially in the media. We also know that Christians are being persecuted and martyred in the Middle East, in Asia and other areas of the world, but this kind of persecution is more subtle.  No one dies, no one is hurt, but we have a gradual eroding of faith especially among those who are vulnerable to believing most of what they see and hear in the medial. We seem to just sit back and let it happen.  Perhaps it is time to fight back with prayer, fasting and speaking out when we see this kind of ridicule and spreading of lies about our faith.  It is time to stand up for Christ.

Making the Mundane Holy

Most of my time at work these past two weeks have been filled with paperwork, forms, inputting data and checking the status of our many, many parish volunteers. Thanks to the Dallas Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People all our parish and school volunteers have to undergo background checks and Virtus training. I agree that, unfortunately, all this is necessary but it seems that each year we are required to add more requirements and paperwork to achieve compliance before the national auditors visit the diocese. Since one of my responsibilities in the parish is volunteer administrator, all this falls on my shoulders.  Yesterday found me complaining to whomever would listen about how all this monotonous work had nothing to do with the ministry I was well educated for and was leaving me little time to do my other work like prepare for classes I am teaching, RCIA, getting ready for the "Missal launch," and for meetings with different ministry groups.

Last evening, after complaining to my husband, he reminded me that St. Benedict asked that those who follow his Rule view work, even the most mundane, as prayer and necessary for the journey toward holiness. As an Oblate I know this, but when it came down to doing this tremendously boring and arduous task, all I thought about was the fact that I didn't want to do it.  He also reminded me that out of obedience I am called to do all that those who have authority over me (my pastor/boss, the diocesan offices) require me to do as part of my job. Again I was given a healthy dose of humility.

As I approached the pile of papers on my desk this morning, I also recalled the words of St. Benedict who wrote, “Whenever you begin any good work you should first of all make a most pressing appeal to Christ our Lord to bring it to perfection.” So I began work today praying that I would please God through my work.  It is still boring, but at least I am not resenting it. I also realised that it doesn't all have to be done today and that if I do this work a little at a time it won't seem so overwhelming and I could still get my other work done.

I was also reminded of all those who work at mundane tasks day after day, month after month, year after year just to make a living and provide for their families. These are the forgotten workers, the ones on assembly lines and in factories, those doing repetitive office work, or work  no one else wants to do. They don't complain, they are just happy to have a job, and in these tough economic times that is a blessing.  I offer my work today for them.

Priorities

One of the things that occupied my time during my recovery was watching HGTV.  For those not familiar with it, Home and Garden Television is made up mostly of decorating and home improvement shows and since I am in the process of redecorating in preparation of my daughter's wedding one year from today, the shows offer me many ideas. For the most part, the designs are way beyond my budget, but I still get some suggestions that I can possibly translate into a cheaper counterpart.  One of the shows that is on often is House Hunters.  In this show, couples looking for new home are shown three possibilities to choose from.  The camera follows them room through room as they comment on what they NEED in a home.  It often amazes me what these people think is absolutely necessary. If the kitchen hasn't been remodeled since 2005 and doesn't have granite countertops it's too dated.  The master bedroom has to be the size of a football field.  And my favorite, the bathroom has to be big enough to host a party with half the neighborhood.  

I remember when we went shopping for our first home.  We were 24 years old, married a year and a half, had no kids, and figured the house we found was the perfect starter home. It cost us less than what we  spent for our kids college tuition for a year and less than what some people pay for a luxury car these days. We ended up staying and we have lived here for thirty-three years.  Our house, by HGTV standards is tiny.  Our king size bed practically takes up the entire bedroom, there is one small closet and we don't have an "en suite" bath.  In fact, we only have one bathroom in the whole house that is smaller than a walk in closet.  I discovered some important things over the years. A family of five can live just fine with one bathroom, even as the kids became adults. Friends of mine had eight kids and only one bath and they survived. As far as a kitchen goes, what do granite counters actually do for you and bamboo flooring has to be washed the same as linoleum tiles. I discovered that having an 8x10 bedroom isn't going to destroy a kid's life, and sharing a room made my daughters close friends. With regard to property, a small yard can be just as nice as an acre or more and there is a lot less to mow. We have a needlepoint hanging in our kitchen that says "A small house is better than a large mortgage."  We own our home and even though it would be nice to have a bit more room (and storage), now that the kids are almost all moved out we are finding it is a good size "empty nest" home.  And the biggest advantage, there is less to clean.

I have a few friends and relatives who have built homes for Habitat for Humanity. This organization, founded in 1976, builds homes for the poor and has grown to an international organization. The homes are simple and small but have all the necessities for a family to live in comfortably. But there are so many people in the world who live in substandard housing, in shacks and shanteys with no electricity or running water.  And then there are those, even in our own communities who wander the streets homeless with all their possessions in a shopping cart they took from a supermarket parking lot.  Necessities?  I live in luxury compared to them.  It makes me truly reflect on my priorities in life.

I don't deny people the joy of having a large house with all the most up to date amenities.  I guess if you have the money why not have a great big home to enjoy. My own extended family and friends have beautiful homes that I enjoy visiting. The thing that bothers me is the idea that so many people think these luxuries in a home are necessary to find happiness and TV shows like this perpetuate this myth.

Jesus tells us in Matthews Gospel, "Foxes have lairs and birds have nests but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head (Mt 8:20).  What is important to finding happiness is not where we live, not how big our home is or if we have granite and stainless steel in our kitchens.  We find happiness by following Christ, caring for the poor, and sharing His message of Love, Hope and Mercy.

I'm still here

A bit of writer's block, a few residual affects of my surgery, a week back to work, and a few perfect autumn days have kept me from posting.   I have some thoughts on the back burner so hopefully I'll be writing soon.

Follow Your Heart

"Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."

These words were spoken by Steve Jobs in 2005 when he presented the commencement address at Stanford University soon after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was given six months at the most, God gave him six years.  

My recent medical problem put me face to face with mortality. Even though my condition was not considered serious, until the surgery was over and the pathology report came back the possibility of facing my own death was on my mind.  I did a lot of praying and thinking in the weeks before my surgery, and yes, it made me think about what is really important in life.  I have made some changes, mostly in my thinking. I am hoping it makes me a better person. 

God gives us opportunities all the time to reflect on what is important and to make changes in our lives.  These opportunities are usually not dramatic or life threatening, but they do occur, and we need to be open to listening to the voice of God making us aware of the true desires of our heart. How we respond is up to us.

I don't know if Steve Jobs was a religious man but he had a vision which changed the way the world communicates.  As I sit here with my Mac laptop I can't help but feel a member of the Apple family and I mourn the death of its patriarch. Rest in peace Steve.

A Halloween Rant, a bit early

What's up with the  fascination with horror? It seems each year as soon as October rolls around, and even before, we can't seem to avoid images of horror, terror, violence and death leading up to the October 31st celebration of Halloween.  Many television networks are featuring horror films all this month and several frightening ones are opening in theatres over the next few weeks. Quiet suburban neighborhood homes are being turned into "graveyards" with body parts emerging from well manicured lawns, giant blow up monsters and horrifying creatures greet people as they walk down the block, and scary sounds coming from hidden speakers surprise deliverymen and unsuspecting neighbors.

Let me focus on films for a moment.  Personaly I will not watch them. Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle singing "Putting on the Ritz" in Young Frankenstein is the closest I'll get to watching horror, if you can call this superb spoof of Frankenstein a horror film." So why do people like horror? Steven King, who is an expert in horror, explained it this way:

"The mythic horror movie, like the sick joke, has a dirty job to do. It deliberately appeals to all that is worst in us. It is morbidity unchained, our most base instincts let free, our nastiest fantasies realized . . . and it all happens, fittingly enough, in the dark."

The last few words I believe are significant "it all happens...in the dark."  St. Paul reminds us in the first letter to the Thessalonians (5:5) that we are, " all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness."  The world would have us remain in the dark.  Why do we need to cater to our dark side? Why do we need to let evil into our lives, which certainly is what  happens when we focus our thoughts on things that feature the glorification of evil and horror?

Today I received an e-mail from the Museum of Biblical Art, a very fine museum located in New York,  advertising a Halloween Extravaganza at and in a prominent Episcopal Church in Manhattan.  This night will feature a showing of the classic horror film "The Phantom of the Opera" (pretty tame by today's standards) followed by a "procession of the ghouls."  The audience is encouraged to come in their scariest costume. The fact that this event is being held in a church is mind boggling to me. A church is where we celebrate all that points toward Good and Beauty, not ghouls, ghosts and things that frighten our senses.

Even in our Catholic Schools children are encouraged to celebrate Halloween in ways that encourage them to glorify evil, even if it is only in what might be considered innocent fun. Many times they come to school or after school parties in costumes with little restrictions as to what those costumes represent.  When I was in Catholic School, we would dress up as saints for Halloween and parade around the school, ending in the church with a prayer service.  Halloween, after all, is All Hallows Eve, the vigil of All Saints Day when we recognize and remember all those who have gone to their rest and have achieved the eternal reward of forever praising God in heaven.

Yes, we are children of Light, and we should strive to live in that Light always. Our "dark side" does not need to be let free, even if only vicariously by watching people being hacked at by insane mass murderers or terrifying aliens who feast on human flesh.  Our dark side needs to be redeemed by the Grace of Jesus Christ who came into the world to set us free from the darkness of sin and evil.

So, what movies are you going to be watching these next few weeks?  

Angels Watching Over Me

"For God commands His angels to guard you in all your ways." Psalm 91:11

Because it falls on a Sunday this year, we are not celebrating the memorial of the Guardian Angels, but I still think we can use some time today to think of these heavenly beings that God sends to earth to watch over us. I know most of the time I don't think about my Guardian Angel and I probably take its presence for granted, but I know that my angel often gets me out of sticky situations, protects me, reminds me to make right choices, and helps me to keep on the right path.

When I was a child I prayed to my Guardian Angel every night before bed. It always gave me comfort and helped me fall asleep if I was troubled or anxious. I don't pray the prayer much anymore, but preparing parents for their child's baptism, I exhort them to pray with their children every night and this is one of the prayers I encourage them to teach their children. Unfortunately many of them have never heard of it. 

Angel of God my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here. Ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen

Another thing I remember from my childhood is the Guardian Angel song.  We sang it in school, we sang it in camp and in the late 60's I even remember singing it in church. This isn't exactly the way I learned the song, but I like the arrangement.

Perhaps it's time to think of our Guardian Angels a bit more often.  Yes, angels are all around us. They are not the cutesy beings that are depicted in little statuettes, yard statues, posters and greeting cards, but vigilant servants of God  who do His will to watch over humanity. They keep us safe, they comfort us as they once comforted Jesus on the night before He died, and when we breath our last breath they carry us into the arms of the Lord so that we too may join them in giving praise to God for all eternity.