Saturday, January 25, 2025
Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
Singing
Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.
Years ago at Christmas Chris and a few of his wacky West Side Christian buddies descended on White Oaks Mall in Springfield, Illinois. Descended into Macy’s to be specific, and began singing a song from the movie Elf.
I’M SINGING, Chris sang, or shouted, or both. Just like Will Ferrell sang or shouted or both in the movie. That was fun enough at the time, but watching it resurrected during Christmas season, 2024, brought me nearly to tears. Laughing. Of course.
On Wednesday I dropped off Margaret at the Austin International Airport at 7:30 and drove 12 hours to Rolla, Missouri. No mishaps. No blown out tires due to driver negligence in the dark. No tickets for running yellow lights. No problems of any kind with our new car, and I listened to audio books for much of that time. The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, Toaff’s Way, and the first few hours of Lord of the Rings, Vol 1 of 3. Chris was born in 1980, and for at least a couple of decades one of our favorite for Christopher was Toph. Or Toaff. Or crazy boy singing at the top of his lungs in Macy’s on a weekday afternoon.
And yes, there were people watching in the background of the video.
I chose you from the world to go and bear fruit that will last.
The audio books kept my mind and eyes on the road. But I took a few breaks and turned off the sound, just to be quiet and reflective. The problem for me and many of us is that in that kind of silence my mind flies around, flits from branch to branch, monkey minding me to distraction. As soon as I notice this is happening I think, “Oh, no, not again!” Which is of course a thought itself.
I am learning via centering prayer to notice this eventually, but not soon enough, and often my mind leaves the road and begins imagining awful futures. And then it flits to what groceries we’ll need soon. And then I remember a smile from high school, and then I think that I’ll have lunch my friend Jim from high school in just a few days. And then I realize what’s happening and say, “Oh, no, not again!”
Antidotes for this mess in my mind include the image of a boulder under a flowing river, where I sit in scuba gear, breathing oxygen and letting my thoughts float into the stream of consciousness just above my head. This is helpful, until I forget, which happens quickly. Then I’m lost in the future again.
Another antidote is to simply begin speaking the thoughts, bypassing the endless chaotic connections which make no sense once I give them words. My mind quiets itself immediately. I think this happens when I write, too. I can only think about one thing at a time if there are words attached, spoken or written.
A third antidote appeared when I was playing my harmonica and “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” flowed out. Such a beautiful Beethoven masterpiece, which I have sung many times throughout my life. Easy to play on the harmonica, as are most songs with a little practice. I began singing the song. Then because I didn’t remember anything but the first verse, I began singing my thoughts. The song shaped the thoughts, and the thoughts shaped the song. This brought me great joy.
Joy itself can be a distraction when praying, just an emotion is also difficult to let go of and watch drift up to the surface of the stream, watch it float away. And even a wonder, the miracle of joy will generate a maze of thoughts, memories, hopes. Not so bad, I say. But not the best. I want to give God the best I have.
Still, I will settle for the three antidotes I was offered on my trip. And I am sure they will be helpful on my trip next week, and in between, when I lose track and lose traction and sometimes even lose hope. This is the way of the world. It is not God’s way.
Praise the Lord, all you nations. Glorify him, all you peoples. For steadfast is his kindness toward us.
(Acts 22, Psalm 117, John 15, Mark 16)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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