Sunday, March 27, 2005

 

Like a dog dripping drool from its lips in tenderloin anticipations, so did I come to this desk wanting to “drop the leash”. Ready to let fly some pent-ups from anecdotes stacked like IHOP ‘cakes.

Two gilt-swords opened new territory in my closely monitored, barbwired soul: one was that “we’re in this together”. The everlasting lie is to assume that our progress is our own responsibility. I got a glimmer of God saying cheerfully “we’re on the same team here. I may be the judge, but I’m not a neutral observer.” And I knew for a sliver that my job is to do the best I can. It’s a joint effort. Also I can’t hold myself solely responsible for the conversions of people I scarce know, or even people I know well. My tendency is to always consider it a fact that if Catholics acted like the receivers of unparallelled gifts, as we are, then no one would be other than Catholic. This tendency, while having something to recommend it, is a recipe for personal disaster. And while it’s true that the only thing wrong with the Christianity is Christians, the fix is not instanteous. There’s no “saint in a day – just add water” formula.

The other beauty mark on the day was the consoling Easter homily of the gentle priest at St. Ann’s in Hamilton. While I regret missing Mass at my own parish on Easter, I am rarely disappointed at St. Ann’s. With a burst of song the jubyls began: “Jesus Christ is Risen Today! Our triumphant holy day!”. Oh and to say the Glorious Mysteries on the Glory Day! To begin with the Mystery of the Resurrection on the Feast of the Resurrection!

• • • • •

Comments:
Maybe it's that I'm tired and on a post-sugar crash. But could you elaborate on why the tendency to think if we acted like the recipients of unparalleled gifts, no one would be other than Catholic, is a recipe for disaster? It sounds very interesting but I'm not sure I understand.

I just deleted a bunch of blather that might not have had anything to do with what you meant by that.
 
My take is that our own behavior is the main reason Christianity doesn't rule the world (we are given gifts the people of Israel could only dream of - Jesus said that the least of the New Covenant is superior to John the Baptist, the greatest of the Old), but we cannot take the fact that the Church does not rule the world upon our own shoulders. That is the road to ruin, because it becomes our own effort. Tis better to be completely useless and know that, than to be of great use to God and think we are useful.

We are where we are, which is to say we - I mean I - am far from perfect. And while that is surreally trying - both because it affects myself as well as my neighbors - I can't try to get from here to Heaven by 'just adding water'. It's a joint exercise and I must be patient as God does his work...It's a personal disaster to try to do what only God can do. Does that make sense?
 
Jesus Christ is risen today!

Whee! We had Lord of the Friggin' Dance.
 
Oy vey, you have my sympathies. Easter without "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today" just ain't right, like Lent without "O Sacred Head Surrounded".
 
I'm not sure whether it makes sense to me, but if it doesn't I suspect it's because what you're describing is part of my own problem.

It's been a busy (among other things) week, or however long it took me to reply to that reply to my comment, hasn't it?
 
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