How Convenient
Sorry for the delay, but here we are, fresh and better than ever.
As I was munching down on my microwavable breakfast this morning, the thought occurred to me that so many of the things we use and buy on a daily basis are designed for more convenience. Why cook when you can microwave something? Why microwave something when you can get fast food on the way to work? Why breathe when they have machines that can do it for you?
This got me thinking about spirituality, especially since it was past time to update this blog. I wondered how often we let convenience get in the way of religion. There are so many levels on this one, I'll just have to pick a few. There's the obvious laziness of it being more convenient to just do whatever you feel like. If that's your perspective, nothing I write here will matter to you so we'll just ignore that one. Then there are the people who claim to believe, but only when it's convenient. I'm thinking about those who changed churches, or who are searching for a church that closely matches what they already believe. For some, this may seem like the natural way to choose, but what are they really looking for? The truth or validation? Why profess a faith just because it doesn't disagree too much with what you already believe?
Faith isn't supposed to be easy. Going back to the Bible, Jesus promises a lot of things to people who believe in him, but comfort level is not one of them. We sang a song at Mass last week with a line that said "So lead me past emotion, 'cause they change with the wind." That probably says better what I've been getting at. This was one thing that really bothered me about the interval after John Paul's death but before Benedict was elected pope. So many American Catholics treated the post like a political office. If that doesnt frighten you, think about some of the politicians we've elected. Polls showed that many American Catholics wanted the new pope to make changes to Catholic teachings in areas such as birth control; they wanted their lives to be more convenient, whether there was a spiritual justification for the inconvenience or not. People, he's the pope. He's not going to reverse 2000 years of history and teachings just because liberal American Catholics want more convenience in their lives. Politics or emotions change with the times. Look at the 60s compared to the 80s to now. The Church is not about all that. Religion should be about something bigger, more important. If it isn't, then why bother having it at all?
Girls, girls, girls
I thought it would be appropriate to make my first real entry about a subject that occupies my thoughts pretty often. I am, after all, a single 23-year-old male. Being as such, I tend to think about the opposite sex a lot. Not always in good ways or at proper times. Take for example this Sunday at Mass. I'll just say I caught myself more than once focusing on things other than the first and second readings. I've realized this for a while, but it continues to be an issue. It's so hard for me to concentrate sometimes and remember that I'm there to receive Jesus, his Word and his Body, and not to gawk at a girl with a low-cut top. I'm assuming more people than me have this problem, although I don't actually know because it doesn't usually come up in conversation.
Not that it's bad to meet women at church. I know plenty of couples who met that way, and someday I hope to locate a special someone in a pew next to me. I just have to remember to stay focused on the action during the actual Mass. Besides, I don't think "I couldn't stop staring at you during Father's homily," is a very good pick-up line. Changing it to "I couldn't stop staring at you and the girl in the third row on the left side and the one in the green dress in the back and..." will certainly lead to disaster.
After all, we are called to be like Christ in our actions. I could check the NT again, but I don't think Jesus ever got caught staring. This has been a hang-up of mine and several other male friends I have. We do our best to do God's will some of the time, but the minute an attractive female enters the picture, all bets are off. I can recall being boxed out once at a party talking to the one single girl there who wasn't part of the usual crowd. I felt like I was playing basketball, trying to get a rebound. I didn't know whether to come back with a witty remark (my usual weapon in such situations) or sneak around for a tip-in. See there, I did it too. My usual weapon. It's like a war. And those were some of my friends. We can work a soup kitchen during the day but at night we're cavemen waiting to club someone and drag her back to our cave. There's nothing about that last paragraph that seems Christ-like to me. And yet, I'm as bad as the next person.
And how about the other extreme? How do we act toward an admirer when we don't feel the same way? Finally, something females can relate to. I've been on both sides of this scenario and I know that there's this temptation to treat them as if they have some type of disease. As if the slightest courtesy would be a sign to the other party that wedding bells weren't far off. Again, if we fall into this trap, we fall short of the example of love that Jesus set for us. Just something to think about.
Next time: Dennis shares his thoughts on God's plan for our lives (unless he's hit with some divine inspiration between now and then, in which case, all bets are off).
