Finding the Present Outside of the Sears Catalog

In my childhood, the first of September marked the beginning of the mailbox vigil. I'd scamper across our lawn and swing the mailbox cover downward. Just a couple of letters.  I'd grab them, close box, and trudge back towards the front door. My little brain grumbling, trying to come to terms with the fact that I'd have to wait at least another day for the Sears Catalog.

Each morning, the frost set in a little harder. Summer's green grass yellowed into protective dormancy. Flowers died. Leaves lost their grip on the limbs of the mountain ash tree in our front yard. Then one afternoon, I'd find the mailbox packed full. The Sears Catalog folder over on top of itself. I lugged it across the yard and into the house. I pulled off the wrapped and set it down onto the couch. It didn't take me long to find the toy section.

I'd pour over the pages for hours, until it was time for dinner, and then again until bedtime. The potential fun from each toy would capture my imagination. I'd zip through the galaxy with Star Wars action figures. Launch wave after wave of G.I. Joe's into battle against their cobra-headed enemies. Mix up dangerous glowing concoctions in science kits and line up on the grid-iron with a shiny new "Dan Marino" Miami Dolphins football uniform.

Each Christmas I'd realize that Santa wasn't as big of a fan of the Sears Catalog as I was. When our tastes did line up, the real toys were never quite as fun as I'd imagined they would be. (Note to children: spaceship toys will not take you to space - no matter what the catalog pictures suggest)

How often do we fall into the similar trap of focusing the future possibilities in our spiritual lives. Projecting our selves out to a period in our lives when you'll have more time to help others. Have enough financial security to donate to the church, the poor or other worthy causes. Have more time to pray and read about your faith. Be ready to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Be ready to love our enemies and beg for forgiveness from those we've injured. 

The eternal - it will be perfect when...

The search for the perfect time and method to interact and serve the Divine is futile.  Zen Master Po-Chang equated this search and the overall search for Enlightenment with "riding an ox in search of an ox."

The time to give is now. The time to serve is now. Waiting until a certain event happens to move forward in your spiritual journey will leave you disappointed as an eight year old boy staring down at a Star Wars' fighter and wondering why it doesn't fly.

As Psalm 118 says, "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad."  

Not tomorrow. Not two weeks from tomorrow or two years from tomorrow. Today.


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The Danger of Division Through Politics

NOTE: I'm as guilty of falling into this trap as everyone else. For all my attempts to avoid the dangers of identity in order to keep my temper under control, some part of me will always be the guy who jumped from a second-story balcony to a third-story balcony on Army-Navy weekend to confront two midshipmen that wouldn't stop bad mouthing West Point.


My two daughters watch Masha and Medved, a Russian cartoon, on Youtube. It's a cheap and easy way to introduce them to another language. More accurately, it's a way for me to feel better about cartoon time while the kids enjoy the universal humor of a toddler girl pestering a massive brown bear throughout the forest.

As regular as the dusk before the dawn, a creepy political ad always comes on before Masha and Medved. It's an incredible statement that our political system is so awash with cash that the advertisers are willing to dump money into changing the opinion of of toddlers who are Russian animation fans.

The ads always target Senator Jon Tester, a grain farmer from Northern Montana, who's represented our state for the last six years in Washington. A deep scary voice chants a list of alleged atrocities while terrifying pictures of Senator Tester slide and morph across the screen.

My girls always yell, "No, not this one again!" But the path to watching Marsha pester Medved winds through forests of political vitriol and hate. There's no fast-forward. Just more manufactured anger adjusted to reflect the latest polls.

The first time one of the advertisements came on, my oldest daughter recognized Senator Tester. I'd had a breakfast meeting with Senator Tester, Holly Petraeus and some other politicians about the challenges predatory lenders pose to military families. It was too early for a sitter so, I brought the girls.

Rectangular tables with white table clothes were laid out in a square pattern in the conference room. I sat on the far side of the square, directly across from Senator Tester. The girls ducked under the table beneath my feet, content to play with their coloring books and dolls.

Everything went well for the first fifteen minutes, but smiles and even a couple of light-hearted waves started appearing despite the somber tone of the conversation. The smiles and waves were directed at the table cloth by my feet. I lifted the table cloth up and bent down. Sure enough there were two little bodies underneath the tablecloth, but their heads were sticking out the other side - making faces at everyone in the room.

Fiona recognized Senator Tester from the ad, but she quickly phased out all the negative talk against him. Unfortunately, I don't know how many adults would do the same. In my job advocating for people with mental illness and their families, I don't have the luxury of listening to the partisan static. I have to get right down to the actual issues. I have to understand the good and the bad of both parties in order to get politicians within those parties to stand with our families.

In fact, the only bill that I've ever personally help draft for Congress was sponsored by both Senator Tester and his opponent Congressman Denny Rehberg. The divisive political ads would tell you that there's nothing they agree on. I know better.

The partisan fighting and ugly campaign tactics are bad for our country, but even more worrisome is they weight they carry on all the souls that buy into the fighting. Negative political ads stimulate fear and anger for the other politician and their supporters. If the campaign is successful, the fear and anger transform in hatred. The hatred behind that vote is a direct contradiction to Jesus's commandment that, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:39.

The section of Leviticus that Jesus was quoting is even more on point. "You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. Though you may have to reprove your fellow man, do not incur sin because of him. Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen. You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Leviticus 19:17-18.

Based upon that teaching, political campaigns that stir up divisiveness and hatred are toxic to the human soul, regardless of the political party behind them.

In July of 1968, the late Catholic mystic Thomas Merton warned,  "One has to be pretty critical and independent about all ideas. And come to one's own conclusions on the basis of one's own frank experiences. Both the conservatives and the progressives seem to me to be full of the same kind of intolerance, arrogance, empty-headedness, and to be dominated by different kinds of conformism: in either case the dread of being left out of their reference group."

It's not that these issues aren't important. The powers wielded by our policymakers are critical - truly life and death. But the battle for power between interest groups leads to unnatural divisions and antagonism. A deep anger towards your neighbors based upon your interpretation of their views. You don't have to drink that Kool-Aid in order to exercise your responsibility to vote.

As you prepare to head for the polls. Forget about negative ads and political parties. Instead, think about the relationship between the power of government and the Divine.  "The way God acts in governing the world, which bears witness to such great regard for human freedom, should inspire the wisdom of those who govern human communities. They should behave as ministers of divine providence." Catholic Catechism, Section 1884.

Which candidate would behave as the better minister of divine providence. It's a challenging question that brings up several others:

• Which candidate will best protect children (both born and unborn)? 
• Which candidate will be care for our education system charged with helping our students make the most of their divine gifts?
• Which candidate will be protect our country without engaging in unnecessary wars?
• Which candidate will be the best steward for the planet and all that God's created?
• Which candidates will best protect families?
• Which candidate will best balance the interests of businesses and workers?
• Which candidate will best protect the needy, the sick and the disabled?
• Which candidate will keep our cities safe without unnecessary incarceration?

The answers are yours alone, based upon your education and experience. Don't outsource your decision to a political party or media personality; or let anyone else use the voting booth as a tool to insert hatred into your heart.