22 November, 2012

From X to ex : Essays in Idleness

From X to ex : Essays in Idleness
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1 comment:

  1. Fr. Tim
    Would it not - from a rational point of view- make more sense for an evangelist to commit his/her devotion to pursuing the discovery of a new path that leads to an awareness of our common humanity which will inevitably and eventually lead to a world filled with peace , love and unity? History and common sense has revealed that when human beings look for reasons to fight ,to go to war ,to hate …they will find them abundantly. There are many more messages of hope, peace and love out there and yet you - the evangelist- choose to search for messages of anti this and pro that and how one group is superior to another.
    There is nothing new in this attitude and this way of so called spreading the gospel and ‘teaching.’

    I recall a time when one of our Bishops once said in a homily just after 911 “ We have to change our ways , NOW, or we are going to destroy ourselves.” Very soon after it became an obvious reality that what he really meant to say was “ THEY have to change”… and there is nothing new in that.

    We seem to be content in holding to the belief that war can only take place in far away places where ‘they have been fighting for centuries,’ while at the same time our attitudes are precisely the same as those responsible for the wars ‘over there.’ The propensity for violence right here in our own part of the world seems remote on the surface but just slightly behind the exterior (and inward) the conditions for violence are ripening.
    I am not talking about an unrealistic peace in the world that suddenly comes about by all sides laying down arms and rushing into diplomatic negotiations or where insurmountable differences simply evaporate. These battles have now become unavoidable and in some instances perhaps necessary but these are more the concern for those who are trained to fight wars to negotiate for peace and to pray for the peace of God in those who are terrorized by the violence.
    I am talking about a world peace that may take more centuries to achieve. One that comes from a NEW attitude of facing our own inner brokenness and prejudices ( pre-conceived notions that serve as barriers between us ) so we can rise above them and so we can free our children from the same illusions and lies about our brothers and sisters in humanity. I believe that a good shepherd , rather than teach from the head and from laws written in stone , should impart wisdom more vulnerably through example from the heart and from a place of humility. It’s about one Person spreading the word one minute at a time but even more about billions of people spreading the word one century at a time.

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A Roman Catholic Evangelical Priest of the Diocese of Pembroke, Canada. Shown in my profile photo with my canine companion, Mateo.

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