Lazy Journalism

Lazy Journalism

As my husband drives our car across Ohio to join my extended family for Thanksgiving, I read the USA Today that was outside our hotel door this morning. I enjoy reading about the new Muppet Movie. I am a true Muppet fan, so much so that as a recent college grad I wouldn‘t go out on Saturday night until I watched, the Muppet Show. I also have a small Beeker on my dresser that my husband gave me one Christmas!. The article was a delightful interview between the actor and Kermit. We hope to go see this movie as a family this weekend.

I peruse the front section of the newspaper and am interested to see that they have an article on the Third Edition of the Roman Missal that will be used beginning this Sunday. I am dismayed to find that two-thirds of the article focuses on those who are not happy about the revisions in the Mass. According to the article, a lay person claims that “the liturgy is the prayer of the people and we had had no say in the change”. A priest doesn’t like the change. Some Irish priests asked the Vatican to slow down the process.

USA Today and this journalist decides to use this article to criticize the changes in the Catholic mass. The article does not include any statistics, only anecdotal comments on the changes. The revised Missal will mean a change for the laity and the priests. I am looking forward to the changes. Those who have taken the time to learn about the new words and what they mean  understand that English speaking Catholics will now worship with the same words as the rest of the world. Isn’t that exciting?

I, for one am excited about praising God by saying, “We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you…”.during the Gloria. My parish has been singing parts of the new mass for several weeks. On Monday, during the daily mass, when we said the Sanctus, my brain twinged a little when repeating the current words. The change is small, but my brain is learning the new way, little by little.

It is a change and change is never easy for anyone. Our world is filled with change and you would think that we would realize that the norm for our lives is change. It is easy to find examples of people who want to criticize any type of change and easy to find people who want to criticize the church. In recent years, the media seems to excel in both areas.

Instead of considering the wonderful opportunities in front of the millions of Catholic Christians who will worship in a slightly different way beginning on Sunday, USA Today chose to editorialize with this article about the Church. Perhaps their message is that they do a great job writing feature articles on movies - but that is where their expertise ends. This article is simply an example of lazy journalism. I’ll find something else to read tomorrow morning.

　

Sleigh Bells?

               The Corner Bakery was unusually quiet as Noon approached last Friday.  It was Veteran’s Day, a legal US holiday.  Many of the buildings around this restaurant are government buildings, so it was a great day to meet my sister for lunch.  Although we live only 20 miles from each other, it had been a while since we were able to catch up on our lives.

                I ordered food and found a booth to sit.  As I slid into the booth, I shook my head.  Are they really playing Sleigh Bells?  It’s November 11, nearly two weeks before Thanksgiving and 45 days until Christmas begins.  They are not the only food emporium pushing the holidays.  The red coffee cups at Starbucks came out around Halloween, not Thanksgiving this year. 

                Maybe it is the economy and the news in general.  Perhaps the thinking is that Christmas music (if Sleigh Bells even qualifies) and red coffee cups create festive and cheerful surroundings.  If people are cheerful, will they buy more?

                This early exposure to Christmas celebration seems to bother me more and more each year.  In our house, we celebrate Advent.  We light the Advent wreath each night and read from an Advent book after dinner.  This tradition helps us stay focused on the Advent journey.  My fourteen-year-old son still enjoys lighting the candles.  At a time of year, when darkness arrives at five in the evening, the light and warmth on the table will be welcome.

                I’m not a purest.  Our Christmas tree goes up about 10 days before Christmas.  Much of my shopping done, (as I like to get gifts for family members from places where I’ve travelled) and I do enjoy listening to Christmas music before December 25^th. (I also have two CD’s with Advent music!)  When the radio stations stop playing Christmas music, (or maybe they call it holiday music) at midnight on December 25^th, I have my own CD’s in my car and at home.

                We also celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas.  The readings for the masses between Christmas and Epiphany are beautiful.  Our new family tradition is to have a celebration on Epiphany – the REAL Epiphany – January 6^th, not the day celebrated by our church.

                This week, I’ll buy my Advent candles, plan the family Thanksgiving visit to Michigan, (my home state), look for my Advent CD’s  and enjoy the beautiful fall weather that is forecast . This is the week to enjoy the final days of trees decorated with beautiful color and to walk along Sligo Creek, hearing the crunch of leaves under my feet. 

I’ll spend my time during the season of hope, walking with Mary. When the music begins for mass at Midnight on December 25^th, I’ll be ready to celebrate the birth of our Savior, and thank God for the gift of His Son to us. 

Colorful Leaves and Simple Pleasures

                Last Thursday, I sat in the warm afternoon sun, watching my son’s final high school football game of the season.  It was a beautiful afternoon and I noticed how colorful the leaves were turning on the trees in the background. 

The moment gave me a chance to reflect on the weeks that had passed since the summer time.  I thought back to those mid-August practices with so much heat and humidity.  The days and weeks have flown by so quickly.  My son is now acclimated to the challenges of high school.  We are used to the transportation schedule.  My new clients now are friends. My family has adjusted to the loss of our father-in-law, Jim to complications of diabetes in early August.

How is it that the season has changed, and I am just noticing it?  I know if I don’t take the time to enjoy it, the trees will be barren. The activities of the days blend into each other as the years barrels toward the holidays and the end of the year. 

As I felt the warm sun on my back and looked again at the trees, it dawned on me that was the perfect moment to thank God for these simple pleasures.  They are many! Only God made the trees that turn these beautiful colors.  We truly believe as a family that my son is at his current high school only because of prayer and God's will. My clients have wonderful missions and are making a difference for tens of thousands of children and adults - and I get to be a part of that! My father –in-law is peaceful and not in pain anymore and is enjoying his Eternal reward! My son survived his first year of high school football physically unscathed, and mentally and emotionally stronger.

To God I give thanks and praise for all of these things.  For He “gives us all these gifts. He fills them with life and goodness, blesses them and makes them holy.”[i]  In this crazy-busy world, it I often forget to take time to enjoy simple pleasures.  For today, that simple pleasure is watching 100 fourteen-year-old boys play football, in the warm afternoon autumn sun, while gazing at the beautiful leaves on the trees.  Thank you Lord for these simple pleasures, and for nudging me to enjoy them!

---

[i]  From the Eucharistic payer I (Roman canon).

Being Open

                While talking to a friend this morning about a family issue, he said, “It is good to be open (to God’s will).”  Maybe it is good, but it can also be daunting, intimidating and even terrifying, especially for me, who is most comfortable having a plan to execute, not a blank canvas of opportunities.

 

That is where my husband and I are on a current issue.  We haven’t been getting the results in a matter where we were so sure that we were in the place that God wanted us.  So sure, that the potential of looking at other alternatives didn’t even cross our mind.

                So sure, that even when other possibilities were mentioned that we didn’t consider them.  Then a series of encounters, over a short period of time caused me to pray about the possibility.  By not opening that door, and being so sure that we are in the “right” place, are we following God’s plan for us?  The question was unnerving and life changing.  When I discussed it with my husband, opening that door seemed like the right thing to consider.

                Nevertheless, isn’t that always the case with being willing to follow God’s plan for us?  As a child of the 70’s, the goal was to get a good education, find a well paying job, marry a good man, buy a house in a good neighborhood. ... Well, you get the idea.

Here my husband and I are in mid-life with all of those things that we thought were important in life.  Evaluating our future and asking if God has something else for us, something very different, is unnerving.  Will He take us to a place that will completely change our lives?  If we choose not to “be open”, will we miss out on the opportunity for something not only good for us, but also for others?   

We have become “open”.  Open to more than having good jobs to pay the bills.  Open to wanting to do His will.  While neither of us is like Peter, enthusiastically jumping out of the boat to walk on water, we have taken the tentative first steps of trusting in God for the next step in our lives. It has been two weeks since we “became open” and the possibility is still daunting, but not terrifying or even intimidating.  It has brought us closer to each other and to our Lord.

That blank canvas that could be our future doesn’t look empty at all.  It looks filled with opportunities.