Jim Mahoney's Blog - Sacred to Etc.

March 16, 2019 - Be proud of your nationality - It’s part of our national mosaic - 36 Posts to Go

When I was in school, certainly from grade school through college, we were taught that the United States is a meling pot - where apparantly all the nationalities were poured into the pot and out came homogenized Americans! Now we know that it did not really work like this, but the essential thought was sidely believed. This approach downplayed the importance of nationalities and have have, unwittingly, perpetuated prejudice.

The social scientist who came up with this theory of melting pot finally admitted that he got it wrong. We are far less a melting pot - and far more a mosaic - where every single nationality and ethnic group forms a valuable piece of the mosaic. If you dishonor even one piece of the mosaic, you do not honored the entire mosaic. I like this understanding of our country. 

The mosaic approach to understanding our differences is an important part to seeing how we have far more that unites us, than divides us. I am so saddened when I find national leaders put down other races or ethnic groups, use codewords to denigrate various groups. Who do they think they are kidding? It is simply not right. I get especially sad when those from Irish backgrounds are bigots. They really forgot where they are from. Hopefully, with good experiences from groups other than their own, they will change.

When you think about it, isn’t this the way of Jesus? I think so - and I hope you do as well.

TODAY’S GRATITUDE: For people of insight who can bring us together, rather than divide us.

 

March 15, 2019 - When Life Itself Seems Lunatic - 37 Posts to Go

I must admit that I feel overwhelmed by the cacaphony of awful news about the Church right now. As i think about it, the reason for being overwhelmed is not merely the headlines about Church leaders. It is the frustrating fact these leaders are making it impossible for people to realize all the good that the Church does.  Who would ever know that, in the midst of this tremendous crisis of credibility in the Church, millions of people come to Mass every day, millions are helped by their parishes and agencies like Catholic Charities, the majority of Catholics like their parish priests, and all sorts of other wonderful things are still taking place?  But who would know this?

The headlines take on a life of their own. To try to insert context or facts has little hope of success right now. So I’m ticked. I suspect that, on a number of things, I am far more angry than most people. I know the incedibly good things taking place. To say the least, it is like walking up a steep hill. It gets harder and harder. It can be easy to give up. It can cause good people to just walk away. I don’t blame them. But we need them to be with us and help us improve things.

As Tip O’Neill used to remind people, “all politics is local.” In the Church, all religion is local. This is the reason why we can see the research showing that while people may not care for Church leaders in general, they do like their parish priests. It is a simple reality that an individual priest can represent the entire Church to another Catholic. This is why our people must be treated with respect, competence, and, dare I say it, hope. 

My frustration in this time of lunacy is expressed in one of my favorite passages from Men of La Mancha:

“When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams — this may be madness. Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!”

Perhaps, just perhaps, we need to acknowledge the awful things, but recognize the good things are worth continuing and support them. /accept the reality that we have to become unyielding in removing the bad (whether it be persons or practices or even policies). May the Holy Spirit give us hope and the right direction. And just a gentle reminder to Jesus, “Remember, you said that you would not leave us orphans.”

TODAY’S GRATITUDE: For seeing a glimmer of hope.