February 12, 2010
The Second Half
Blizzard theology
BY DEACON JIM AND ANN CAVERA
Snow is coming down on top of snow and we are getting buried even deeper in a blanket of winter white. A couple of days ago predictions were for three to five inches of new snow. That prediction has gradually been updated to six to nine inches with blowing three to five foot drifts before tomorrow morning. We went to the grocery store last night and found long checkout lines and only a few loaves remaining on the bread shelves. This morning roads are quickly becoming impassable, meetings have been cancelled and we are settling in for a couple of days of winter solitude.
We have a deal with our elderly neighbors next door. They have given us the use of their snow blower and in return Jim clears their driveway as well as our own. The thing he soon discovered was that when the snow is more than a few inches deep, drifts quickly pile up against both our houses. The blower is not large enough to handle the drifts. Rather than clearing out the drifts Jim uses them as “banks” to deposit even more snow.
While clearing the driveways after the first snow a few days ago, he began thinking about the drifts we encounter in every day life. He thought of the doubts, bewilderment and problems that have no solutions. In spite of all our technology, our knowledge about how the world works and what the future holds is very limited. We have come to accept that going without answers is just part of life. Some obstacles are so big we have to let them stay where they are. We respect the drifts, leave them alone and reach our goals by going around them.
Jesus made an interesting choice when he chose fishermen as some of his disciples. Most of his disciples probably could not read or write. They learned their lessons from life. Fishermen knew very well that they couldn’t conquer the sea. They could only respect its unpredictable power. They centered their lives on Christ and found a faith that carried them through obstacles, even when they had doubts.
These past 10 years have been marked by overwhelming disasters. From the Twin Towers in New York, to the Asian Tsunami, hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and earthquakes in many places including the most recent in Haiti, our faith has been tested when we have seen innocent victims left with nothing. Even on a local level, our St. Vincent de Paul Society has been very busy this morning. Many people can’t meet utility bills and are threatened with loss of heat. We have people who are homeless with no place offering shelter.
In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus speaks directly to those who have lost everything. His words encourage all of us to hold onto our faith. A time will come when those who are hungry will be satisfied and those who are weeping will laugh. The rest of us are encouraged to keep on working, going around the drifts we encounter. Meanwhile, Jim has just come in from blowing out the driveway again. Even though the drifts just keep getting higher, we know the storms will end and spring will come.
Deacon Jim and Ann Cavera are former residents of Evansville; their award-winning column is a regular feature of the Message. Contact them at www.catholicseniorspirit.com.