Thursday, February 22, 2024
Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
 The dentist, Solomon and Peter
We didn’t plan it this way. But as our dentist said today, “Let’s face it. You’re 74.” Actually he was thinking we might not need to complete as many dental fixes now as we would have if we were 34. Or 44.
But still there are plenty.  Yesterday we were at the dentist in the morning for Margaret’s exam, then I spent an hour at cardiac rehab, then we went back to the dentist together for us both to get our teeth cleaned. I also got a call from Texas Diabetes and Endocrinology to make a first appointment.
Soon I’ll be going to the eye guy, probably for cataract surgery. What did Solomon say about his own failing eyesight?
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth … before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain (Ecclesiastes 12).
In the meantime I’m headed to Illinois in our long-suffering Prius, and Margaret will be joining me soon for the month of March. We have more medical appointments there, actually.
Oh, well. Solomon didn’t stop with the eyes, and it’s kind of interesting, actually, watching the rest of our body change (there’s a euphemism!).
Keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, people rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint.
But really, there’s no hurry to get it all fixed. As our dentist also said today, “What you got from God is the best you’ll get, and whatever I do is only designed to maintain what God gave you when you were born.” I mostly remind myself that God’s in charge, that I’m one of his billions of kids, and he knows us each better than we can imagine. And has forever. He holds us each in the palm of his hand.
The Lord is my shepherd, and I shall not want.
In Sacred Fire Ron Rolheiser remembers a man’s comments during one of his retreats about how a marriage or spiritual commitment eventually takes on a life of its own. It no longer matters whether we are getting what we “want.” What matters is that we are committed to each other, to our partner, to our kids, to God. It happened to Peter, and certainly to the other disciples, when Jesus said things they didn’t understand, when he was persecuted by the government, and they themselves got caught in the crossfire.
But it didn’t matter. They had crossed the line of no return. They were with Jesus no matter what. So when Jesus asked Peter and the other disciples in John 6 if they too would walk away?
In effect, in colloquial language, this was Peter’s answer to Jesus: “Yes, I would like to walk away! Except that I know better! What I have just heard, I don’t get—and what I get, I don’t like! Except I know, deep down, that I am better off not getting it with you than getting it some other place!”
I’d rather not get it with you, Lord, than get it some other place. Because that “it” isn’t the point. Your covenant with me, your always-never-stopping love is the point.
And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
 (1 Peter 5, Psalm 23, Matthew 16)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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