Hindrences

I hated grammar school. I was skinny at first and non-athletic and then I became fat and non-athletic. I spent most of my time trying to escape bullies. During my sophomore year of high school I discovered that I was gifted with a deadly weapon that would make all bullies cower before me. I had a lightening fast, caustic, cynical, invincible wit that could cut down all challengers to my person. It helped also that by then I weighed in at 235 pounds and had begun a life long love affair with lifting weights. But I never needed to get physical, my phaser was on stun and that was good enough. This wit also saved my skinny ass when I went into the navy. I dropped down to 150 pounds thinking that I would be more acceptable. I had high blood pressure and they would not let me in the service but when they saw all the trouble I went to they relented. Of course now I was in boot camp and every muscle had wasted away on my crash diet. It took awhile but my devastating "humor" prevailed even there, I survived. The next four years saw my weight fluctuate 50 pounds a year as I tried to get back to my flight weight but that's another story.
This blog is about spirituality. I see by my face book that so many of you are hard right or hard left politically. I describe myself as a liberal democrat but that is not my politics. It is the culture I grew up in. What culture did you grow up in? It is so important to our spiritual growth that we examine the whys of our points of view, political and social. Why does Rush resonate with half the country while the other half grimaces at the very mention of his name? Which side is wrong?
I don't care, all I know is that both sides are not right. The reason for this conclusion is that I see myself in the cryptic comments and down right hard hearted blasts that each side throws at the other on MY FACEBOOK thing. These comments and attempts at cynical humor are the weapons I used for the first 60 or so years of my life and they served me well. I survived.
But the person I projected was not the person that I would want to be my friend let alone my pastor.
My best friend and spiritual mentor pointed this out to me. Even then I was in denial claiming that I was only playing with someone whilst I toyed with their self esteem through "humor." I was dead wrong.
One of the greatest "sins" is to rob another of their self-esteem. I was an expert at it.
So, I have been working hard not to take that easy shot when someone lets down their guard. Even if I disagree with all they believe. O God, its so hard to change. Its so hard to encourage those whom you think are completely wrong. But it is the path to enlightened spirituality. You will survive their juvenile taunts and name calling. You will become more like our Creator. Try it. Ok lefties listen to a radio talk show preferably with someone who will challenge you. Drop by a gun show and do not look better than thou. Ok righties, seek out and listen to a demonstrator against the death penalty. Better yet, get involved with prison ministry. Maybe only a couple of days a month. I have been chaplain at four prisons. I have met with people that even the most violent movies could not come close to portraying. I survived. I know better now why my faith is what it is. No amount of visits to church on Sunday could make up for one 15 minute session with the worst of the worst. They are me and I want to know all about me before I stand before my Creator.
Fr. Rod