Posts
Things pile up. I have to sit down and take a deep breath and survey the landscape and
decide what the priorities are.
I've been visiting the sick, preparing for worship, reviewing administrative tasks,
writing articles, and resigning from committees. Well, I only resigned from one committee--the Committee on Ministry. I just can't find the time to fulfill all the tasks of that committee and do my pastoral work too. I've enjoyed working with remarkable elders and ministers on that committee.
***
While in Alabama we took care of Norah while mommy and daddy took a trip to Chicago. Jim was interviewing some candidates for the English department of his university, as well as attending the national meeting of Creative Writers (it has another title, but I don't remember it). Glory went along for the fun of it. Went to the Art Institute, did some shopping, and met with an old friend she hadn't seen in awhile.
Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, and Grandfather kep the little one. It was enjoyabe and exhausting. Norah has this habit of resisting sleep, and once asleep, not staying asleep. Someone has to get up with her throughout the night. And of course throughout the day--every minute of the day--someone has to be with her...feeding her, supervising her play time, holding her, taking her for a spin in the stroller, etc. It's quite demanding. Mothers are my heroes. Single mothers are my Super Heroes. How do they do it?
Norah is truly a genius. She's already speaking a foreign language--it must be, because we don't understand it. She learns very quickly. Glory and Jim are teaching her a few words in sign language. (You can get books now that teach sign language for children.)
***
I read a wonderful article in the Harvard Divinity Bulletin by Barbara Bodengraven. She writes about her longings to be a priest in the Catholic Church. It started when she was nine years old and raised her hand during Sister Paul Marie's classroom presentation and asked, "Why can't girls help out at the altar, Sister?" Bodengraven has a Masters in Theology from a Jesuit seminary. She writes about women's struggles to remain within the Catholic Church while not being given the opportunity to serve in ways they feel called to. One woman wrote: "Being a Catholic woman is a constant challenge to bring the Gospel not only to God's people, but allso to a hierarchical and patriarchal institution."
It's sad that people are shut out of service to God by institutions that don't seem to get the inclusive love of Jesus. Women, gays, ethnic minorities--people called of God, but shut out by God's people. The Scriptures' inclusive trajectory will not be stopped. Eventually the doors will be opened. In the meantime, people stand outside waiting to get in.
***
"Do not pray to be at peace in your belief. Pray that your anxieties be given peaceful outlets, that you may be the means to a peace which you yourself do not feel." (Christian Wiman, in the Christian Century)
