These are purely my random thoughts and personal opinions on a Sunday morning as I choose to relax for a little while before a Sunday evening of ministry. I have been reading article after article today and watching way too much TV trying to see if I can get some perspective.
I have tried real hard to see what is at the core of the things that are dominating the news these days and then examine my own heart, feelings and conscience to see how they square with "who I am". I don't understand how we, as a nation and a people, can blow things way out of proportion to real issues. Take this whole flap over athletes kneeling, sitting or otherwise disrespecting the flag and the national anthem of our country. My core tells me it is indeed disrespectful. I completely understand why most Americans see this as a bad thing but it sure has taken on a life of it's own. And as each side digs in it's heels they actually create more blow back against their own position. Taking a knee at the beginning a sports event has not changed one person's mind or heart and has done anything to endear others to their position. Even President Trump, who I believe truly loves the country and believes what he says, does little to further his agenda as evidenced by loss after loss in his economic, cultural and social agenda. Often, he gets preoccupied with these type of events while tax reform, repeal/replace Obama care, immigration reform, the wall, etc. all flounder.
Is this where you and I want to expend our personal talent, time and treasure? Not me. Be passionate and patriotic indeed, but why are we not passionate about the homeless lady in the street, the kids in inner cities and rural places like Appalachia who go to bed hungry, the military vet who can't afford his medical bills, crime that is rampant in almost every American city, racism at levels that rival a long ago past; don't we have a lot more to be passionate about than who kneels, sits or stands for our flag? In a most ironic twist, when we think of the honor and respect of the American warrior, our active-duty military and our veterans, did they not fight for anyone, everyone in America's right to free speech and protest? I think they did! Now please remember, I could never protest our flag, our national anthem or the ideals that our country was founded upon. But I am also not naïve and understand that not all things are equal even in this country.
I also wonder on this Sunday morning about the vocal opposition in America to all things God, faith and religion. You have a huge target on your back in 2017 America if you are a Christian and dare I say an observant Jew and even a Muslim. As Christians though, deeply divided by denomination after denomination, start up church after start up church. minsters getting licensed by fly by night factories that produce "I am a minister" documents, the I'll do it my own way brand of Christianity we have lost our way. First of all, Jesus wanted us all to be one, that's why He founded a Church but since we are all not one Church, we still must do our collective best to be Jesus, model Jesus and dare I say be willing to experience martyrdom for Jesus, the faith, the common good, the wholesale defense of life and a preferential option of the poor. Yet we do not. We get wound tight about who is our pastor or minister, what one elder did/or say vs another elder, who came to church and who may have missed church, the moral fiber of this family or that family. How does any of this model Jesus the Christ? Among just Christians how can we be so divided about basic fundamental truths, moral things, natural and divine law things like abortion, euthanasia, death penalty, that marriage can only be one man/one woman for life, for the benefit of the spouses and the gift of new children? How can we as Christians be so divided about how to take care of the poor, our attitudes about a just wage or decent and safe working conditions, man's responsibility to the environment? How can we place our faith life and the totality of Christ's teachings over our political whims? Why do we do this in the first place? And why in the name of God is the most segregated place in America the pews of Christian churches on a Sunday morning? Why?
And for my Catholic friends, yes, I plan on addressing this morning's news about those calling out Pope Francis but that will be left for another post.
There truly is no respect for one another, true love is in short supply. What we really love in 2017 America is our own opinions, our need to be right and not wrong when we are called to love one another and our enemy. In my own family I can walk in one room and just same the name Obama and watch the stupid flow, yet another room just mention Trump and others go ballistic.
I am reminded today of the prayer often attributed to Saint Francis and these words:
O Divine Master grant that I may not seek so much to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love, for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned...
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