Why?

One of the occuppational hazards of being a priest is the questions which you are asked. My guess is, in an increasingly secular world, there will be fewer people asking them in the days ahead. I think, in part, that some of the deeper reflection necessary does not take place. People, by and large, are engaged in surface issues and surface relationships. Much of our social interaction occurs in a tweet or a quick Facebook disclosure. Noise dominates our lives, in the car, at work, in the home. We are moving and going constantly.

My grandpa used to fish. He would spend hours in a boat on the Mississippi in Wisconsin. Just him and the wide open skies and the broad river. In those hours he had plenty of time to ponder and think. He was not an educated man and was not to my knowledge especially intelligent. But he had a certain wisdom and I am convinced it was, to some degree, the fruit of many hours of contemplation.

The other day I had my first real experience of that in some time. I usually have ten or twenty minutes, but I was truly able to sit for two hours and ponder the psalms and scriptures of the day. It was four AM and no one else was up. I was not going back to sleep and I was not so sleepy exhausted that I couldn't stay awake. So I prayed. And prayed. And in the listening I was able to  "hear." It wasn't a voice. It wasn't some clear message. But it was a sense of things. And in the days since there have ben insights perculating up which have been helpful. There is some clarity of mind and purpose. And it is good.

Why are our nations leaders constantly revealed to be sexually promiscuous? Why is it in every age we find our heroes cannot be faithful to their spouses?
Why is Sesame Street's Elmo associated with an equally disturbing scandal?
Why do people disagree so strongly and adamently about everything? Why can't we get along?
Why are there so many different kinds of churches and why are so many of them bleeding membership? And why can't I get my folks to show up every Sunday and be more generous with time, talent and treasure?
Why? Why? WHY?????

And the Psalm read: Be still and know that I am God.
Hush. Quiet. Be still. and know. know God is. Know God is God.
Pause and ponder. Hush. Be still.
That is the environment of prayer and meditation. And it takes time and effort to get there. And it presupposses a desire to be there, a hunger for God. And a willingness to let go of "Why's" and embrace what is and the ONE Who is. Not for answers but for thanks and praise.