Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Explaining Syria to My Pacifist Children

My children have been raised on the stories of Les Mis, Hairspray, Newsies and Rent.  They don't always have to be musicals.  We watch Alkeela and the Bee, Freedom Writers and, because they love them so much, we throw in the occasional documentary as well.  Even my youngest children have been watching edited versions of movies that portray the struggle of the marginalized of our society since they were way too little.

During our summer vacation, we spent 50$ just so my children could stand here:


Later that day, we drove to Birmingham and went to the 16th Street Church. We talked about the children who were killed and others jailed during the civil rights marches.  

IMAG0670.JPG

 And we stopped and chatted with three homeless men who live at the Birmingham Civil Rights park, "A Place of Revolution and Reconciliation" and we talked about the irony of the entire situation and how disappointed MLK would be to see three African American homeless gentlemen living on the very spot where others died so they could have a better chance at justice.

So, basically,  my kids are always pumped up and ready for a righteous fight.  A fight for justice.  A fight to stand for the oppressed and abused.  It is a pretty hyper-sensitive way to live actually, especially when there is no fight to fight on a daily basis.  I feel sorry for their teachers because my kids will defend the Church and the poor beyond their own pride, reputation and social standing.  I hear that class discussions are tricky.  We laugh at ourselves a lot.

But now my children may have a chance.  We are on the brink of another war.  Perhaps a bad war. And they have questions.  

Last night we began by googling the history of this most recent conflict.  It began in 2011 when some school children were kidnapped and tortured by Syrian government forces after they wrote some anti-government opinions on a wall.

The citizens saw the injustice and went to the street asking for justice and democracy.  During the peaceful protest, Syrian government forces shot their weapons into the crowd and killed 4 people.  At the funerals of these victims, the government shot into the crowds again, killing another one.

What began as a peaceful protest had now turned into a full fledged civil war and it has been going on for two years now.  The Syrian people against the Syrian government.  It is violent.  So many have been killed.  So many have fled.  It is really terrible.

And now we hear that the Syrian government used weapons against its own citizens.  Chemical Weapons that are so horrible they are internationally against the law.  People suffered under the torture of these weapons.

Can you feel it?  That gut wrenching awareness of the horror going on in Syria?  Hell yes! Bomb Them! Bomb them to God!  How can we let such horror go unpunished? 

My kids felt it too.  They had lots of questions but two main topics arose:

1.  Why shouldn't we go to war against such evil people?  
and 
2. If war is not an option, do we do nothing?

1. Why not war?  Although my brother and I disagree on so many things, including this, he gave them the most perfect answer...I quote

" If we hit Syria, dominoes start to fall. What does Iran and Hezbollah do? What does Russia do? Will there be a follow-on ground invasion to secure those chemical weapons, otherwise who gains control of those - al Qaeda?

What happens when Egypt then explodes along with Gaza and and the Golan heights, then Israel is forced to respond. Now you have a regional war. With Russian backing one side and us backing the other. It's a world war 3 scenario again."

That is why we don't bomb them. It doesn't solve the problems of evil in Syria, it just spreads the evil to the rest of the world causing senseless death and destruction.
2. Do we do nothing? No. We don't do nothing. We pray. Don't mistake my intent or giggle. I am not saying that we quietly hope or we think positive thoughts. We don't update our statuses or tweet our desire for peace.  We don't use our wish as we blow out candles. This is not superstitious nonsense.
WE PRAY
We commit to days of fasting. We blow the dust off of our rosary, call our friends and start meeting at church in the wee hours of the morning and the late hours of the night. We call down the intercessions of our holy Saints, of Saint Michael the Archangel and of God The Almighty Creator of the World and the Heavens above it. Don't screw with me on this. I am not joking. If Christianity is the faith you have signed up for, than we must believe that Jesus told Peter and every disciple who would follow to put down his sword, his gun, his bomb and his righteous vengeful spirit.
Now is the time. Join in Prayer.



Sunday, August 25, 2013

Making Bad Decisions

One of my favorite Catholic Worker stories is the tale of the diamond ring.

"Tom Cornell tells the story of a donor coming into the New York house one morning and giving Dorothy a diamond ring. Dorothy thanked her for the donation and put it in her pocket without batting an eye. Later a certain demented lady came in, one of the more irritating regulars at the CW house, one of those people who make you wonder if you were cut out for life in a house of hospitality. I can't recall her ever saying "thank you" or looking like she was on the edge of saying it. She had a voice that could strip paint off the wall. Dorothy took the diamond ring out of her pocket and gave it to this lady. Someone on the staff said to Dorothy, "Wouldn't it have been better if we took the ring to the diamond exchange, sold it, and paid that woman's rent for a year?". Dorothy replied that the woman had her dignity and could do what she liked with the ring. She could sell it for rent money or take a trip to the Bahamas. Or she could enjoy wearing a diamond ring on her hand like the woman who gave it away. "Do you suppose," Dorothy asked, "that God created diamonds only for the rich?"

What a waste of resources.  Giving this poor women a diamond ring when the money could have gone for a more practical purpose.  That is the way we think, isn't it?  We are very earthly, considering each financial decision with a magnifying glass of economic scrutiny.  Wondering if our interest rates are passing the Dave Ramsey seal of approval.  Maybe we are hoping that God, when our judgment comes, will be so impressed with our credit rating that not only will we get into Heaven, we will win a free t-shirt too.

Catholic Worker is does not have a history of making safe, practical decisions.  Dorothy used her rent and electric bill money to print the first issue of The Catholic Worker.  She was late with both bills, so I sure hope God didn't pull her credit report to see if she was overdue.  CW is not practical.  Christianity is not practical.  I refuse to be practical. 

I will not enter Heaven as God's unprofitable servant.  I will not take the faith and joy and money He has given me and bury it in some bank account somewhere out of fear that it will be misused.  I will not be scared to live on the fringe of society.   I will not wait for permission to do the right thing. 

In 1939 heading into 1940, Dorothy wrote her new resolutions:

"To pay no attention to health of the body but only that of my soul. To plan each day upon arising.  And in the evening examination of conscience.  To waste no time.  More charity."

I adopt these resolutions as my own.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Damn Shame

Many years ago, when I was in training for my first official social work position, our trainer introduced us to the most hopeless of social work concepts.  She looked at us with a somber expression and said, "Young social workers, it is time I introduced you to the saddest part of your job.  The most tragic families you will ever meet are the "Damn-Shames."

"You will meet this family over and over.  Mom's drinking and ends up losing her kids? 
That is a damn shame.

Dad got deported? Left behind a wife and three kids who are now losing their home? 
That is a damn shame.

10 year old neglected by his family?  Smelly, bullied, hungry, failing?
That is a damn shame.

They are all just a damn-shame.  But there is nothing you can do about any of them.  No one expects you young social workers to solve every problem and heal every hurt.  Do what you can and then go home at the end of the day and enjoy your family. Put it out of your head and move on with your job."

Jesus had things to say about the damn shame cases too. 

"For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. 12"What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? 13"If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.…

If God brings a lost soul into my life, it is not a damn shame.  But may my shame be forgiven  if I ignore God's command on my life.