There has been a book gathering much dust on my shelf since July, 2009: Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. I have now begun to read, but I’m not used to being presented with such an amazing density of verbal firepower. Nor am I used to paragraphs running for five pages.
My reading is at a glacial pace, certainly presenting a challenge facing these 980 closely-spaced pages. But, we’ll see.
Our flag is up for the 4th of July weekend. Always a beautiful sight: the red, white and blue against the green trees and blue sky. The flag is a symbol of all that our country stands for, hopes for, strives toward.
Even those of us who are called progressives or liberals have a love of country (and a love of God). But it’s a love as one loves a child, filled with expectations that it will grow and mature, that it will be a force for good. That it will care about all people, and especially care for many whenever it is a necessity.
Liberals tend to not have a blind, flag-waving patriotism filled with exclusion and indifference toward any and all who fail to measure up or toward those who fail to march to the tune we hear rather than their own.
Nor do we hold a patriotism embracing exceptionalism. As I hear exceptionalism, it carelessly and recklessly manifests itself through a global entitlement free of any sense of wrongdoing. An entitlement to deal with others through a heavy-handed and punitive diplomacy. We liberals seem to have a sense of gratitude rather than privilege.
Liberals exhibit compassion toward those who struggle. We recognize the difference between “won’t” and “can’t” when thinking about benefits and assistance for the poor, homeless, physically and developmentally disabled, jobless, sick, and those subjected to abuse and discrimination. I never met a poor person who was in it for the money.
Liberals aren’t afraid of foreigners, gay people, Muslims, immigration. In general we are a pretty understanding and accepting bunch, comfortable in our own skin … most of the time.
If you can, listen to talk shows on the right and on the left. Which one finds it necessary to yell and scream, as though talking louder makes any more sense? But those who scream outrageous and unfounded comments do have their followers, and their followers do vote. Often against their own self-interest, but they do vote.
Some of the talk show hosts on the extreme right confuse Nazis, fascists, socialists. It’s a shame. Otherwise they would have seen how far we were being driven into becoming a fascist state during the 2000 – 2008 time period. What was going on was much more intentional and vigorous than the current administration is (perceived to be) moving toward socialism.
It will be interesting to see whom the Republicans choose to help rid the White House of those black people. So far, there isn’t one I would trust roaming those halls. Anyone who doesn’t think race is behind the obstruction and lack of cooperation in an effort to have President Obama be a one term president, doesn’t get out much. “Take our country back” means what? if not a thinly veiled display of white privilege.
Many think Obama is doing a lousy job, completely forgetting about the alternative. Oh, boy! Wouldn’t we be having fun now with the McCain/Palin leadership team while McConnell and Boehner kneel before the throne.
My congressman, Todd Akin, says liberals have a “hatred for God.” That’s funny. Most of the liberals I know are quite the opposite. One only has to look at which party cares about whom, which party really follows the social justice agenda of most major religions, to draw some conclusion as to where God fits in one’s life. Take any piece of Republican legislation and see if it helps people who need help. Of course I mean current day Republicans, not those who used to be committed to moving the country forward.
Our flag will fly all weekend. Maybe Grover Norquist’s pledge-puppets will work all weekend. Perhaps wisdom won’t take a holiday. But let’s not hold our breath.
Several years ago we just happened to be at the Missouri Botanical Garden when the bottlebrush buckeyes were in bloom. One of the walkways was an avenue of the blossoms. Never had seen them before … anywhere.
This spring, a bottlebrush buckeye bush appeared at the back edge of our property. Where did it come from? Immense enjoyment.
Father’s Day. Lots of memories, reflections, gratitude. It is a good day.
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Friday, I led a discussion on the Trinity following my third-Friday communion service at the prison. The information I drew upon came from Elizabeth Johnson’s book, Quest for the Living God. Her chapter on the Trinity was very helpful. Much more helpful than the usual “three persons in one divine nature.” How understandable has that ever been?
I’m well aware that the bishops don’t like Elizabeth Johnson’s book. I loved it! In fact, if the bishops hadn’t objected, I most likely would have missed it. Thanks, guys. The book sits on my shelf next to Roger Haight’s book, Jesus Symbol of God. The bishops really hated that one.
Both of those books I inhaled with great interest. I commented in an email to Sr. Johnson, “I don’t know where I would be without an inclusive theology that makes sense.” It remains a mystery to me what the bishops found objectionable in her book. I’ll admit I haven’t read their report, but I did read her book.
We know that pluralism does give the bishops indigestion. But I don’t want a God who thinks the Catholic Church is “the only way” to salvation. The God I know is the one described in the Gospels through the words and behavior of Jesus, open to everyone, not the one described through the words and actions of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church.
Departing from official Church teaching is a no-no, that much I have gleaned from news reports regarding their objections. They would love to have every theology book require an imprimatur. But can you imagine if we never knew more than the bishops? If all we ever heard about was what the Church already thought she knew? Are we to be constrained by what is often the least common denominator in awareness of living faithfully in today’s world? Isn’t it possible that the church can teach from below as well as from above?
My understanding is that the bishops don’t like her treatment of the Trinity. Granted it was understandable and relevant which could cause “confusion among the faithful.” Confusion of the faithful is really the province of the hierarchy itself, not the work of our theologians.
One can’t get much more progressive in the Catholic church than I am without getting the heave-ho, excommunicated. So I was somewhat surprised at myself for how annoyed I became when the liturgy of the Mass was messed with to the point of being distracting, to the point of nearly being a farce.
When one goes home without seeing either the Liturgy of the Word or the Liturgy of the Eucharist as being a high point or central to the gathering of the community, then something has gone wrong.
If one isn’t careful with the Easter Vigil, the evening can become the proverbial ten pounds of stuff in a five pound bag. The evening should be solemn yet joyful, and the four parts of the liturgy should be kept in balance at a minimum. Once either the Service of the Light or the Baptism becomes a scene stealer, or a performance, the Mass becomes liturgically ineffective.
I think I more fully understand why the Committee on Divine Worship tries to keep the lid on things. It wouldn’t take long for an “anything goes” worship approach to take over.
A few days ago, I participated on a panel discussing the death penalty in Missouri. I spoke about the recent execution and the transformation I had personally observed in the man who was put to death.
During the question and answer period, one of the attendees asked, “These men who are transformed during their time in prison, what do they do with this newly found conversion? Particularly those who aren’t going to be released? How can they reach out to others?”
I responded, “They minister to each other.”
Prison life is within a community, a community of men struggling to discover who they are and where they are heading. It isn’t a normal community by any measure. Freedom has been taken away; there are countless rules; interaction with the opposite sex is non-existent; the ability to express anger or affection is suppressed.
But a life of meaning can be found once an offender realizes that prison is his life, that he isn’t enduring a “life interrupted.” Offenders eventually find it to be unhealthy to dwell upon life-on-the-streets, either before or after incarceration. Today is really all anyone has, and that notion is particularly acute for those in prison.
After a few years, an offender’s focus often turns toward anything that takes him out of his current environment. He seeks a different kind of freedom, freedom of the spirit, a place to dwell that is more welcoming and more comforting than the bleakness and monotony of prison life.
The spiritual life offers that, and the path to conversion begins. Chapel services are attended; meditation classes are taken; prayer time becomes part of the daily routine; bible studies are pursued, and a community of believers begins to become more and more apparent.
Ministry to others becomes part of their prison existence. They begin to notice those who are hurting, need encouragement, lose hope to the point of near-despair, are grieving over the loss of loved ones through death or through broken relationships.
Transformation does take place. A new creation begins to exist within individual prison cells. Prison becomes a better place.
In a dim light... 
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