August 10th, A note from Fr. Scott

          My Spiritual Director, whom I travel to see in Syracuse about once a month, recently recommended a book for me.  Authored by Michael Casey, the book is called Fully Human, Fully Divine.  Brother Casey, a Cistercian monk from Australia, uses the Gospel of Mark to explore the humanity of Jesus, revealing much about our own humanity. 

I haven’t gotten too far in the book yet, but early on the author addresses the question: What did Jesus look like?  Of course, there are no photos of Jesus for us to view, but must of us probably have an image in our minds of what Jesus may have looked like.  Most likely our image comes from artists’ renderings of Jesus, which, of course, are no more accurate than what we might imagine.  Such paintings simply capture the artist’s idea of how Jesus looked—no more than a guess really.

So most of us have in our minds at least a vague picture of what Jesus may have looked like.  In truth, it may help in our prayer life if we have an image, but we need to realize it may be far from reality. 

Our cultural background probably influences our image.  If we are of northern European descent we might picture Jesus as fair-skinned and blue-eyed; if we are of African descent we may picture Jesus as dark-skinned with dark eyes.  I remember an episode of the old TV show “All in the Family” in which Archie Bunker (Caucasian) was having a disagreement with Mr. Jefferson (African-American) about the color of Jesus’ skin.  Archie insisted Jesus was white; Mr. Jefferson insisted he was black (of Ethiopian descent).  Of course, nothing was resolved; the two characters simply got angrier and angrier at each other (while the audience howled with laughter).

Maybe there was a reason that Jesus came among us before cameras and artists began to capture people’s looks.  (Thank goodness there were no selfies back then!)  Maybe it’s best if we don’t know what Jesus looked like because we tend to be judgmental about looks.  Certainly God never intended a particular group of people to embrace Jesus, while excluding others.  Certainly God never intended for anyone to judge Jesus based on his outward appearance.  Maybe He was short; maybe tall.  Maybe He was overweight; maybe too thin.  Maybe He was handsome; maybe plain or homely. 

Most of us probably think he was tall, handsome and muscular; but why do we think that?  Is it because we believe Jesus was perfect and therefore had to look perfect (at least the way most of define perfect)?  Jesus was fully human, like us in all things but sin.  But being fully human applies to both tall and short; to both thin and fat; to both handsome/beautiful and homely.  If we think otherwise, we’re mistaken. 

If we stop and think about it, we realize that how we look on the outside matters not to God at all.  God looks at the inside, at the heart.  That’s what Jesus did.  There’s no evidence whatsoever that Jesus placed any importance on outward appearance.  So why do we?  Because the culture around us does? 

Next time we judge someone on their looks, maybe we can stop and remember that’s not what God asks of us.  God asks us to try and see the heart.  Not an easy task, of course, but the more time we spend in quality prayer, the more likely we’ll be able to look inside rather than focus on the outside appearance.    

Have a blessed week . . .  

August 3rd, A note from Fr. Scott

          “You have got to be kidding me.”

          A friend of mine says that often, with an emphasis on the “got”.  Of course, she uses the phrase to express a sense of disbelief over some unexpected occurrence.  It’s never an expression of delight, only an expression of dismay (or anger or hurt or disappointment).  In a culture of over-used expletives, it’s actually quite a polite saying.

          “You have got to be kidding me.”  That thought went through my mind on the last day of a recent vacation.  Now, it’s important to point out that I have never mastered the art of “packing lightly”; no, I come from the school of thought that begins every packing experience with, “What if . . .?”  I can imagine multiple scenarios that could happen (and which almost never do) and so I wish to be prepared for every eventuality.  (I have a wide imagination.)  Additionally, my mother was with me and while she packs much lighter than I do, she arrives at the destination with some luggage.

          So on the last day, I grab a luggage cart from the lobby and bring it up to our room—6^th and highest floor.  I (over)load the cart and go wait for the elevator.  I push the button and wait . . . and wait . . . I wasn’t overly impatient because I knew the two elevators were always busy in the morning.  Finally the little light goes out on the down button (there is no “up” button, of course) and I know the elevator is set to open.  It opens and there in the elevator is a whole group of people (and one full luggage cart).  Since this is the 6^th and highest floor, I expect them all to disembark, allowing me to enter with my luggage cart.  That would be the logical happening.

          However, as is so often the case, logic doesn’t rule the day and no one moves.  Then I hear: “Push the ‘G’ button.”  (‘G’, of course, standing for “Ground Floor”.)  

          “You have got to be kidding me.”

          All those people got on an ascending elevator when they actually wanted to descend!  I mean, I know it happens because I’ve done it, but a whole group of people?!  What were they thinking?  That’s just it—they weren’t thinking; they just followed the misled leader.

          I, of course, had to wait for the next elevator.

          It does seem to be a human characteristic to blindly follow a leader.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing.  We listen to doctors, lawyers, contractors, coaches and financial planners (among others) because we know they have expertise in areas we do not.  We follow blindly because we trust them (to a certain extent).  Children blindly follow their parents out of trust (until they reach that rebellious stage).  Some of us blindly follow the teachings of the Church because we believe in the gathered wisdom of the ages, realizing some of it is beyond our comprehension.  Again, not a bad thing.

          I do believe, however, that God does want us to think for ourselves to some extent.  Human error has shown that blindly following is at times unwise.  The first disciples weren’t called to blindly follow Jesus.  Jesus taught them and made them think through the parables; He challenged them to understand that being a disciple wasn’t an easy undertaking; He chided them for thinking like humans rather than like God. 

          There are many human leaders who have much to offer and to whom we ought to listen, but there is only one Jesus; He’s the One Who leads us to eternal happiness.  And I’m not kidding!

          Have a blessed week . . .