Christendom

Many historians think that Christendom has passed.  The Church used to be a big time World Kingdom.  But I think that a piece of Christendom is still with us.  One aspect of Christendom is that the Church assumed there was an essential identity between Christianity and European society.  Asians, Indians were supposed to think, act and believe just like Europeans.  That is, the local culture was dismissed as anything of value to be met on its own terms.  Today, I see clergy and parishes that simply dismiss the local “secular” culture as having nothing of spiritual value.  Little is done to learn or participate in the local culture.  Sports, art, music, recreation, festivals and all are ignored.  Little or no participation as a parish or clergy person.  I think that the local secular culture has a spiritual hunger but it won’t always be fed by what goes on inside the church buildings.  A Paulist priest tries to engage the culture as it is.  Listen.  Spend time in the “out of church” world and get out of strictly religious events.  A Paulist does not just talk and teach.  A Paulist tries to listen and learn.  God speaks through all kinds of persons and surprising places.  The Bible tells us so.

Down But Not Out

When feeling down what do many of us do?  We isolate.  We don’t call someone and say “Let’s get together and talk.”  We don’t go out and find something to do or see.  We go inside and then inside of ourselves.  We feel disconnected but tend to up the disconnection.  So I try not to let this happen.  I find that when I get out of myself, and often this begins with just getting out and connect with someone the mood tends to pass.  Art, theatre, conversation, exercise with others or just find something that occupies my mind in a way that I stop thinking about me and how I am down.  I have learned the difference between solitude and isolation, or alone and loneliness.  Am I being filled up or depleted?  I find that blogs connect me, though I am wary of cyberspace as a solution.

Antsy

One of the reasons that some of us have trouble with meditation is that we cannot wait to get busy doing stuff.  Why?  In some cases it is because we want to avoid a confrontation with our chaotic mind and heart, our thoughts and feelings.  Try sitting in quiet stillness, not focusing on your thoughts and feelings.  The mind and heart will often rebel at this attempt to be ignored.  A whole part of the spiritual journey is to allow the mind and heart to get comfortable during this meditation time. All of our faculties will be again engaged after meditation, but minus some of the fears, anxieties, worries, and apprehensions about our life.  We engage and strengthen some new tools such as acceptance, an inner peace, and a sense of connection with and in the world around us.  A calm mind and a pure heart are not bad friends to have.  They take some cultivation in mediation.

Change Actions

Science and medicine seem to say that we don’t change once those neurons connect or fail to connect.  For instance, a person born blind, won’t someday see.  But that is not the only change possible.  Actions can change.  For instance, once someone becomes an alcoholic, it seems that they will always be an alcoholic.  Recovery is so that they don’t drink but do change their behavior.  Actions and behavior can change.  The spiritual path takes one from being selfish, self-centered, fearful, resentful and so on and makes them become compassionate, selfless, kind, generous, and loving.  There is a whole industry that might help you to change your body, physical appearance, but not your attitudes and actions.  In other words, you might look different, but you act the same old way.  I think that if we have what we might call a biological or physical shortcoming/weakness, we do not have to be defined by it.  I can be “Short” Irish and bald but that does not define me unless I let it.  I think my actions are more what define me for better or worse.  That is the change I work on daily.

Celebrate

A good friend dies.  Why were they a good friend?  Maybe because they loved you for who you are and can be.  You mourn the loss of your loved one.  How can you honor them in your life?  Why not celebrate and live your life, the one they loved, to the best you can be?  Yes, there will be days or moments of loneliness and sadness.  But you are still alive for a reason.  You are not done yet living out your gifts and talents.  We may age, but we are still here for a purpose.  Celebrate your friend, your loved one.  Live.

Gifts

There are gifts which we seem to have as part of who we are.  I might say that my gifts are who I am. But unless I develop these gifts they serve no useful purpose.  I cannot create a talent, but I can develop one.  If I develop my gifts then I become who I am supposed to be. This is the difference in being, having a gift, and becoming, developing a gift.   Example: I might discover that I have the gift, as I see it, to preach short and to the point homilies.  Not every preacher can do this or sees it as a gift.  There are all kinds of preachers with all kinds of gifts, but they must be developed to be of service.  So I am the short and pointed preacher.  I need to work on this on a regular basis otherwise, I will become someone I am not.  And this would be a mess.  If I develop my gift then I am of service to those who like short and to the point homilies.  Discover your gift.  Develop it.  Become of service.  This might have been too long a blog!

Off Button

Do you have an “off” bottom?  I have to make sure I stay in touch with my off button.  I need to turn off from work, exercise, computer stuff, cell phone.  Some people don’t have an off button for their job.  They are always their job or work.  Some exercise too much or eat too much or drink/drug too much.  No off button for them.  But there are some things that are really never for an off button.  I am always a priest, as someone is always a parent, spouse, such as this is part of their identity, rather than their job.  There are precious moments with old friends when I am just “Terry” but they are few and far between.  With my sisters I am just their brother.  You know when you have forgotten and/or are in need of an off button when the song, “I can’t get no satisfaction,” makes sense.  Quiz...who sang this?  Problem drinkers know the sentiment of that song.