“We are not alone. This means, however, that we should remember that those with whom we disagree, are also not alone.”
Onward Together
November 5, 2020
I am certain that people are feeling this week. This is not a typo. I don’t know who is feeling upset, relieved, invigorated, angry, exhausted or a combination of all of the above. While I have no idea what people are feeling, I’m pretty sure emotions are running high. It’s why I taped and edited my video for today a few weeks ago and wrote this a few days later (October 22). I felt it was not only important to be able to speak to all of you, not as a satisfied voter who feels successful or as someone who is upset or angry over election results. I suspect, if the voices we’re hearing at this moment are correct, we may all still be wondering what all of the outcomes might be.
Whatever the results, it is important for us to find ways to move forward together. There may be too much anger for some at first. It may take patience for others. I think, however, that we have to learn to be a people of more than one opinion who can still care for one another. Over the years I have spoken about not just loving an“other” but actually learning to love the part of others that is, in fact, “other.”
So now we know. Those who think differently from us are not just a few.
They constitute a large a sector of humanity, just like those who think like us. We don’t have to get into the drama-junkies who tell you we are a minority fighting against the masses.
We also shouldn’t think we are the great majority who has to figure out what’s wrong with those strange few people who “don’t get it.”
“Why my opinion is right always seems so obvious to me.” While this should be seen as a ridiculous statement and hopefully we would never spend too much time reveling in such an idea, we too often allow ourselves the shorter, pithier version of the same thing: “What’s wrong with those people?” As we try to move forward and heal as a society, we will have to look to those who think differently and recognize their humanity as fully as we wish they would recognize our own.
For music this week I’m including a piece I wrote after the death of my brother last January (which seems like about 5 years ago!). The piece is “Be Still and Know that I Am God.” I think this will not be horrible advice in the weeks ahead.
And one more thing... OOPS! After eight months of doing Touchstones we messed up! I knew it would happen, just wasn’t sure when. We just noticed that we hadn’t scheduled anyone for next Tuesday’s Touchstone, so we are there won’t be one. Please be assured we’ll be back up and running by next Thursday. Sorry for unexpected “break in service.” Stay safe and God bless,
Fr. Pat
.
In this same vein, as an accompanying song I went scavenging through my own archives to find a favorite piece that I used to sing fairly often. Not really a church composition, per se, it is a song by Stephen Schwartz about being open and prepared enough to recognize when something amazing comes along and being ready take a chance, make the change necessary and embrace the unimagined possibilities of a greater, joy-filled life.
I hope you are all continuing to be well and to actively and intentionally hunt the good moments and savor them when you can.
God Bless,
Fr. Pat
Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So Jesus addressed this parable to them.
“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them
would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert
and go after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he does find it,
he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
I tell you, in just the same way
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need of repentance.
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So Jesus addressed this parable to them.
“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them
would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert
and go after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he does find it,
he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
I tell you, in just the same way
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need of repentance.
“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one
would not light a lamp and sweep the house,
searching carefully until she finds it?
And when she does find it,
she calls together her friends and neighbors
and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’
In just the same way, I tell you,
there will be rejoicing among the angels of God
over one sinner who repents.”
would not light a lamp and sweep the house,
searching carefully until she finds it?
And when she does find it,
she calls together her friends and neighbors
and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’
In just the same way, I tell you,
there will be rejoicing among the angels of God
over one sinner who repents.”
"Be Still and Know that I am God"
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