Small Success Thursday

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Thoughts on the Synod

Okay, I've read what amounts to "Wait until They're Done with this" to discern what's what, and its opposite, panic, "Something Wicked This Way Comes."   I've read articles that declared the discussion of the working document an earthquake, and other that said, meh, molehills.  

Having looked at the actual documents, there is a mixed bag, such that anyone can find something to like and something that gives pause.  I also read "Vatican bemoans premature release" , Advice for the Pope, and The Great Catholic Cave in that Wasn't.

The big issue for me was what is the Synod on the Family and why is it?  So I did some more homework...I found out the actual theme of the Synod at the USCCB website: 

 Q: What is the theme of the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops?

A: "The pastoral challenges of the family in the context of evangelization."

The writings that spurred so much controversy make much more sense in light of the theme of these discussions.  

I get what troubled people because it troubled me enough to pester some of my favorite Catholic writers before I settled down to do my reading rather than reacting. I wrote asking why the bishops were discussing what I knew to be settled doctrine.  That's the impression one got from Earth shaking and Ground breaking....press releases.

The bishops weren't discussing doctrine.  They were discussing pastoral care on a universal level.  Going out to reach those who for whatever reasons, (doctrinal objections or lifestyles) refused the Church, would require acknowledging these sheep needed to be found, and that it was the job of every bishop to seek out each soul, and bring them all back. 

Since the outreach of this Synod is to address the problems of modern life, in order to bring all back into the fold, recognizing the innate dignity of persons who identify themselves as having this orientation, is a good starting point for getting them to hear the Church's message of all of humanity having infinite dignity and being welcome.  

While changing the terms to simply read "Sinners" would satisfy those who thirst for an affirmation of doctrine, it wouldn't let anyone hear what was said, because few even amongst the faithful, are willing to admit openly, belonging to that category.  We aren't those type of sinners.  Or we don't do those type of sins. We may be a church of the fallen, but everyone likes to believe everyone else is more fallen, meaning somehow, we're less in need of God's grace.  Naming those being sought, helped those being sought hear what was said next.

The goal of the Synod is to have the Church's good news, the message of Christ's love for all of the people, everywhere, heard. Unfortunately, it won't be heard over all the arguments and the reactions and the worry.

Naturally, those who consider themselves inside the pen, (and everyone in the church thinks they're in the pen), feel ignored for not being singled out.  

Everyone want to be affirmed, petted and told we were good sheep.  

It is the human failing, the moral failing of presumption.  It becomes very easy to sympathize with the older brother in the story of the Prodigal son, or the workers in the vineyard who served all day and get the same as those who came last if we're in it for the accolades of the Father, and not for love of the Father. 

We all want to somehow merit more praise than the other.  We all want the Church to say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." when what we should always recognize "You, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty." (Luke 17:10).  

It's hard, because such sublimation requires anyone who seeks to be faithful to recognize, we're not there yet.  We're in deep deep spiritual swampiness if we think because of how we've lived or are living, we somehow merit something.  All is grace.  All is a gift.  We merit nothing.  Either we are servants who love the Church, and thus serve freely, or we are slaves to tradition, and derive our satisfaction as do the Pharisees, from making sure the outside is clean, without ever considering the inside.   Either we trust and believe the Holy Spirit will guide the Church (and the gates of Hell shall not prevail) or have declared it to be a mere human institution.  In which case, we're all wasting a lot of time and energy on something to make ourselves feel good when there are a whole host of other things that would give us pleasure and require much less of us than everything.

For those still fearful, be not afraid.  If we seek a friendship with Christ, Christ will find us, and if we love Christ, we will be changed by that relationship.  This spiritual reality is universal, no one who seeks Christ, will not have Him knocking at their hearts.  The Synod has people who have considered themselves not part of the church because of their practice, wondering if they belong inside of it.  It is as if the doors have been thrown open, and the servants are going out to invite everyone, come eat.  We will have do decide whether or not to attend.  When we hear that call, we will either sell everything and follow, or walk away sad.  God never echoes our heart, we echo His. So when we fall into the trap of wanting the Church to say what would please us, comfort us, honor us, it means we're wanting the Church for us, and we've made an idol of our religion instead of Worshiping God.  

This is not an urge to faithful Catholics to wring their hands at themselves, it is a reminder of why we do what we do.  I get the confusion, now that I understand the why of how things were written.   I do not think "Nothing is troubling, don't worry," necessarily helps anyone, because the words put forth do require clarification, both of context and intent.  But that clarification will come, not spin, discernment.   

Catholic means Universal; there is no limit to who should be invited into the wedding feast, and no sin which if repented of, can keep a soul from Christ.  Everyone is invited.  The message of the Synod isn't finished yet, but it will need the help of everyone who considers themselves a follower of Christ, prayers, fasting and a joyful heart, plus a willingness to extend to both our brothers and sisters from whom we are separated, and to the princes of the Church, a trust that all is being done in good faith, even if all is not being done perfectly well.  One thing is for sure, if we want to make sure we come to the wedding feast after getting the invitation, all our hearts are going to have to get bigger.  

Small Success Thursday

1) Come count your blessings over at Catholicmom.com!

2) As you can see, I can't quit it.  The words will explode out of me if I keep them bottled up and that would just be messy.  I also have a piece over at Eat Sleep Write!

3) My brother and his wife have a new baby boy!   Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So lots to celebrate today.  Come join us!

How We Should Be Holding onto Time

There is a family, I've linked to the mother's blog, Passionate Perseverance, clinging to, celebrating every minute their daughter has left to share with them in this life.  They do this despite the other trials that make up their day, like clogged collapsed toilet lines and jobs that might end and bills that seem impossible to pay.  They celebrate the warm sweaters, the baked goods and beautiful flowers that show up from strangers and friends, and they hold their daughter through her seizures, knowing that one way or another, they will stop, and life will either keep going on, or not.  It takes great courage to get up and face the cross each day, and they do this with passionate perseverance.

Online, I have another friend, who goes and make sandwiches, whole loaves of sandwiches to hand out to the homeless with his children, and he too is holding onto each moment, every moment, hoping that this moment isn't the last one.  He hints that all is not well, and that all will not last but goes on as if today is the most important.  Neither family is rushing to the end, both are sipping the cup of their lives, savoring each minute, the beautiful, the painful, the hard and the costly, because all of the moments matter.  All time we have here, is precious.

So when I read about the state enabled despair of Brittany Maynard, as she's planned her death for All Saints' Day, it breaks my heart and at the same time, makes me mad.

In this day and age, voicing online or in person anything other than approval makes me heartless.  I don't know her suffering.  But I do know these other people, they suffer, and they are sticking it out.   There are whole countries of people less fortunate than this woman in what she has done and they get up and go through the day no matter how hard.   I  can't not see taking medicine to "end life on my terms" as anything  other than being afraid of what it takes to live to the last breath.  I could get being afraid.  But bragging of one's decision to die to make a statement about desiring to die and demanding everyone else affirm one's decision as good, I won't do.  Damn it Brittany, live.  Live until you die.  Live because it is harder than climbing  mountains or running marathons.  Anyone can check out early.  Anyone can quit when it gets hard.  Don't.   You've climbed mountains, you've run marathons.  You could finish this race by running to the end if you willed to do it.  I wish you would.

Make no mistake, brain cancer, tumors, it is all horrible.  It is horrible.  I wish she would reconsider, because given the unknown limited time she has left, she shouldn't be so quick to want to shorten the journey.   She could be a great voice and witness to the courage it takes to get up each day, never knowing if this is the last.   But we've become so incapable as a society of bearing what life brings, we now call choosing death a right, and get self righteous about declaring our own autonomy.   We call checking out brave, but I think it far braver to face the minute to minute messiness of this business called living. Praying for her and her family, and for all those who face the mysterious grace found only by being at the foot of the cross.

Work in Progress Blog Tour

Hello.  I'm posting here as part of a Work in Progress  Blog tour of writers.  A. M. Justice tagged me in a post, she's reviewed my previous work, The Book of Helen, and is part of a writer's group that seeks to keep all of us writing and improving, both as writers and human beings.   

When she invited me to participate, I wasn't sure I should, having just suspended my blog.  But it's fair to say I want to keep writing, and baring my taking on a full time position somewhere, I need to keep working if I'm to remain a writer and not a want-a-be. I'm still considering what my blog should be, but in the meantime, I'll update everyone on any and all progress on all things writing.

 So...where are we with Penelope...I'd say we're looking at all these threads and wondering how we are going to weave them into a coherent whole.  But Penelope is more patient than I am on any given day, so she's kept at me to keep reading, keep reflecting, and keep writing.  She's currently 81K, and I hope to get to 100 by the end of October.  Doable, but I need to press.     

What else are you doing Sherry?  I applied for a position as a reporter and became part of his freelance pool.  I have secured some assignments.  I'm still editing a manuscript for another author, and I still produce the weekly column for Catholicmom.com, Small Success Thursday.  Writing still remains very necessary to my every day.  

Now, I get to tag five writers and help them promote what they are doing and why.  

So for starters, I chose Erin Manning, a fellow Catholic writer who blogs over at And Sometimes Tea.  She's a more thoughtful writer than I am, she takes more time with her posts, whereas I fire and forget.  She's also forayed into fiction, so like me, she wears many hats.  

One of my favorite people runs a blog Confessions of a Sleep Deprived Momma.  She also runs a charity, volunteers, and keeps up with her very active family, but the posts she puts up are funny, real, and reveal a bigger reality than just...today we went out and I read a book sort of stuff.   So Shelley Colquitt, I hope you'll take the challenge and dust off your blog to let others know what you're doing.

John Konecsni is a fried via the Catholic Writer's Guild and he does a bang up job on thrillers with accurate Church history.  He has a trilogy called  The Pius Trilogy, which I've had the privilege of reading and enjoying so I'm tapping him for his current and past work.  

Karina Fabian is one of the most prolific writers out there, and always has at least three projects she's putting out for the eager reader.  I'm partial to her dragon detective Vern, but she also dabbles in zombie stories, time travel and I'll let you find out what else over at Fabian Space.

Last but certainly not least, one of my favorite people, the editor of all my Small Successes. Sarah Reinhard blogs at Snoring Scholar.  She reads voraciously and is also a Catholic speaker and helps with the website Catholicmom.com.    So Ladies and Gentleman, please consider yourself tagged, and use the opportunity to update your readers and mine on your current works in progress and projects. 

Thanks Amanda for tagging me!