My friend called the other day all freaked out and said,‘I found pot in my teenager’s bedroom! What do I do? When I confronted him he
said everyone’s doing it!’
And this 16-year-old has a good point. Marijuana use is rampant in schools, prisons, parties, and clubs. It is so prevalent that it’s being legalized all over the place. Kids will always be trying it (that’s what kids do). And adults will have one less hurdle in the way if they choose to make pot smoking a bigger part of their lives.
I probably won’t.
Like you, I understand the brevity of life. I understand the complexity of life. I understand the increasingly fast pace of life. And I understand how vitally important it is to go through life aware - as aware as I can be, and as alert and present as possible.
This means understanding, the best I can, who I am and my current place in the world. It means knowing my history and pondering my future. Knowing who we are, how we got here and having some idea of where we’re going is really important if we desire to live lives of purposeful dedication to Christ.
This doesn't mean we can never party, but it does remind us that there are some really serious matters around us that need tending to.
Ebola needs a cure. ISIS needs to be stopped. Congress needs a clue.
Closer to home, there’s someone who needs a hug right now. They would really like it if we called them, texted them, or emailed them. There are things we should be saying to them, ‘I love you,’ ‘Can I help you with that?’ ‘How can I make your burden lighter?’
Sunday’s gospel hints at this and challenges you and me to do the difficult work of awareness - cherishing every opportunity, every moment, every interaction, every person who comes across our path.
So how are we doing with this? To whom do we need to reach out? What fog do we need to forge through? How can we push through the resistance to do this sometimes awkward work of awareness?
And this 16-year-old has a good point. Marijuana use is rampant in schools, prisons, parties, and clubs. It is so prevalent that it’s being legalized all over the place. Kids will always be trying it (that’s what kids do). And adults will have one less hurdle in the way if they choose to make pot smoking a bigger part of their lives.
I probably won’t.
Like you, I understand the brevity of life. I understand the complexity of life. I understand the increasingly fast pace of life. And I understand how vitally important it is to go through life aware - as aware as I can be, and as alert and present as possible.
This means understanding, the best I can, who I am and my current place in the world. It means knowing my history and pondering my future. Knowing who we are, how we got here and having some idea of where we’re going is really important if we desire to live lives of purposeful dedication to Christ.
This doesn't mean we can never party, but it does remind us that there are some really serious matters around us that need tending to.
Ebola needs a cure. ISIS needs to be stopped. Congress needs a clue.
Closer to home, there’s someone who needs a hug right now. They would really like it if we called them, texted them, or emailed them. There are things we should be saying to them, ‘I love you,’ ‘Can I help you with that?’ ‘How can I make your burden lighter?’
Sunday’s gospel hints at this and challenges you and me to do the difficult work of awareness - cherishing every opportunity, every moment, every interaction, every person who comes across our path.
So how are we doing with this? To whom do we need to reach out? What fog do we need to forge through? How can we push through the resistance to do this sometimes awkward work of awareness?
Reading
Exploring Our Hebraic Heritage – Marvin Wilson
Being Christian – Rowan Williams
Your Living Compass – Scott Stoner
Your Living Compass – Scott Stoner
