And it doesn't. I was thinking about this problem while on the treadmill today. Why do I do it, excercise, even after it has dawned on me that excercise doesn't really impact my weight?
I think I continue to do it because it makes me feel better about life. Maybe excercise is actually most necessary for our brains.
Friday, July 31, 2009
OBAMA'S BEER SUMMIT
An ivy league professor, who happens to be a friend of the President of the United States, is arrested for disorderly conduct after an altercation with police. His arrest dominated the news cycle and, seemingly, the President's attention. President Obama went out of his way to insert the White House into the flap.
The President even made room in his (what I presume must be) busy week to host a "beer summit" with the professor and the policeman.
What's wrong with this picture?
Two wars, a failing economy, health care woes, crumbling infrastructure, massive national debt, alarming drop out rates among minority teenagers, packed prisons, foreclosure crisis, high unemployment...........
Focus, Mr. President, focus.
The President even made room in his (what I presume must be) busy week to host a "beer summit" with the professor and the policeman.
What's wrong with this picture?
Two wars, a failing economy, health care woes, crumbling infrastructure, massive national debt, alarming drop out rates among minority teenagers, packed prisons, foreclosure crisis, high unemployment...........
Focus, Mr. President, focus.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Weighting for Godot
I've long struggled with weight. For the past few years I have been a slave to my pedometer in hopes that the 10,000 steps a day program would be ' the event' to slove my problem.
When it became clear that 10,000 steps a day wasn't working and that my weight continued to drift upward, I began walking 12,000 steps. Then, 13,000. I'm currently at about 13,500.
Still no sign of deliverance. In fact, I think I could argue that the excercise is fueling hunger. Not good.
So, I joined Weight Watchers and have decided to also begin tracking every calorie I take in each day.
We shall see.
When it became clear that 10,000 steps a day wasn't working and that my weight continued to drift upward, I began walking 12,000 steps. Then, 13,000. I'm currently at about 13,500.
Still no sign of deliverance. In fact, I think I could argue that the excercise is fueling hunger. Not good.
So, I joined Weight Watchers and have decided to also begin tracking every calorie I take in each day.
We shall see.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Out of the mouths of babes.......
My parish recently held our annual Vacation Bible School. Making the rounds, I came upon a group of kids on the lawn enjoying a bit of play time. I wasn't in collar and quickly realized that the kids didn't recognize me.
I'm Father Jim, I said. I'm your priest.
One little boy looked at me intently and asked, Are you the man who holds up the big circle?
At first I was confused, then it struck me: on Sunday morning, I stand at the altar and hold up the bread and wine. The host is rather large and, yes, round. A big circle!
`
I'm Father Jim, I said. I'm your priest.
One little boy looked at me intently and asked, Are you the man who holds up the big circle?
At first I was confused, then it struck me: on Sunday morning, I stand at the altar and hold up the bread and wine. The host is rather large and, yes, round. A big circle!
`
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Can you 'un-do' your baptism?
USA Today is reporting this morning on atheists who are 'un-doing' their Christian baptisms in mock ceremonies involving hair dryers. They intend the ritual to show the (alleged) victory of reason over religion.
Two thoughts:
First, I find it interesting that modern atheists are so intensely, well, religious about their unbelief. Their evangelical zeal of late knows no bounds; they seem determined to make as many converts as possible. Now they are developing their own liturgical practices.
Second, baptism can't be 'un-done'. It's an indelible mark on the soul. If you don't believe in the soul, why bother to try and erase the mark?
Two thoughts:
First, I find it interesting that modern atheists are so intensely, well, religious about their unbelief. Their evangelical zeal of late knows no bounds; they seem determined to make as many converts as possible. Now they are developing their own liturgical practices.
Second, baptism can't be 'un-done'. It's an indelible mark on the soul. If you don't believe in the soul, why bother to try and erase the mark?
Monday, July 20, 2009
Kiva, micro lending and the death of charity
I am deeply conflicted about the value of charity. While I see tremendous need in the world around me, I don't see charity as the answer.
Too often, charity inflates the ego of the one who gives and demeans the one who recieves. I also wonder if charity fosters a sense of dependence. Perhaps our vast system of charity will have to die and rise again if we are ever to (finally!) overcome poverty.
Micro lending has been a blessing to me. When I extend an interest free loan to a striver in the developing world, I feel I meet that man or woman as an equal partner in their hopes and aspirations.
Check out Kiva.org for more information about the power of mirco lending.
Too often, charity inflates the ego of the one who gives and demeans the one who recieves. I also wonder if charity fosters a sense of dependence. Perhaps our vast system of charity will have to die and rise again if we are ever to (finally!) overcome poverty.
Micro lending has been a blessing to me. When I extend an interest free loan to a striver in the developing world, I feel I meet that man or woman as an equal partner in their hopes and aspirations.
Check out Kiva.org for more information about the power of mirco lending.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
FICTION
CAN YOU STILL HEAR ME?
The drive to the Veteran's Home is a four hour ordeal of twists and turns along back roads and into forgettable little towns, speed traps, crawling with swag bellied cops and lank faced meth addicts.
How he ended up down here is a tale too long and sad to tell you. It was the best option available at the time. Or so we tell ourselves.
The complex is an old TB hospital, a crumbling reminder that the health panics of one age inevitably give way to the panics of the next. The red brick buildings sit atop a densely wooded hill; the view stretches for miles across a vast National Forest.
There are a number of benches on the lawn where a man could sit and enjoy the landscape but I've rarely seen anyone in them. The patients are mostly too far gone to notice the scenery. They remain in their sparesly furnished rooms or in front of the TVs that never go quiet.
What surpised me most was the absence of photos in the patient's rooms. Families just quit trying, I guess. I know we did.
His room is dimly lit. He sleeps most of the day and even when awake his hair has that matted, bed head look to it. There is an odor of unwashed feet to the room, ironic given his fastidiousness about such matters. As a boy, I would watch him sink his pale feet into a basin of indigo water to cure some eternal itch he caught during basic training.
Today, I do not bother to wake him. Instead I sit next to his bed and soak in unadorned grief. I want to believe that in his dreams there remain grainy images of me, perhaps some with crackly sound. Somewhere in his heart a skinny kid in cut offs zig zags bare foot over a summer lawn yelling, Hey, Dad, look at this, watch........Dad!
Can you still hear me?
The drive to the Veteran's Home is a four hour ordeal of twists and turns along back roads and into forgettable little towns, speed traps, crawling with swag bellied cops and lank faced meth addicts.
How he ended up down here is a tale too long and sad to tell you. It was the best option available at the time. Or so we tell ourselves.
The complex is an old TB hospital, a crumbling reminder that the health panics of one age inevitably give way to the panics of the next. The red brick buildings sit atop a densely wooded hill; the view stretches for miles across a vast National Forest.
There are a number of benches on the lawn where a man could sit and enjoy the landscape but I've rarely seen anyone in them. The patients are mostly too far gone to notice the scenery. They remain in their sparesly furnished rooms or in front of the TVs that never go quiet.
What surpised me most was the absence of photos in the patient's rooms. Families just quit trying, I guess. I know we did.
His room is dimly lit. He sleeps most of the day and even when awake his hair has that matted, bed head look to it. There is an odor of unwashed feet to the room, ironic given his fastidiousness about such matters. As a boy, I would watch him sink his pale feet into a basin of indigo water to cure some eternal itch he caught during basic training.
Today, I do not bother to wake him. Instead I sit next to his bed and soak in unadorned grief. I want to believe that in his dreams there remain grainy images of me, perhaps some with crackly sound. Somewhere in his heart a skinny kid in cut offs zig zags bare foot over a summer lawn yelling, Hey, Dad, look at this, watch........Dad!
Can you still hear me?
Friday, July 17, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Majority Catholic SCOTUS = so what?
There is no more dramatic evidence of the decline of Catholicism as a moral force than the prospect of an "extreme" majority of Catholic justices on the Supreme Court of the US.
Despite the majority, legal trends will not change. Protection for life in the womb does not appear forthcoming. In fact, abortion rights will probably expand.
US Catholics are the new WASPs; more of a social class than a faith community.
Good news for country clubs but bad news for unborn babies.
Despite the majority, legal trends will not change. Protection for life in the womb does not appear forthcoming. In fact, abortion rights will probably expand.
US Catholics are the new WASPs; more of a social class than a faith community.
Good news for country clubs but bad news for unborn babies.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Sotomayor and the issue that won't go away
At this writing, Judge Sotomayor is undergoing the process to be confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice. Her hearings have twice been interupted by anti-abortion protestors.
Sotomayor, a Catholic (cultural, not religious) told the assembled senators that Roe v. Wade is "settled law".
Hmmm. Settled law, perhaps, but not a settled moral issue. Consider that one of the arrested protestors was the very woman whose quest for an abortion gave us Roe v. Wade. It seems she had an unsettled heart.
Sotomayor, a Catholic (cultural, not religious) told the assembled senators that Roe v. Wade is "settled law".
Hmmm. Settled law, perhaps, but not a settled moral issue. Consider that one of the arrested protestors was the very woman whose quest for an abortion gave us Roe v. Wade. It seems she had an unsettled heart.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Sunday, July 12th
I tinkered with my homily all weekend. Following the last mass of the day, I went back to the rectory and fell into a deep sleep. In my dreams, I was still preaching the darn thing; still trying to get it right.
Here's what my subconscious wanted added to the homily: if we are being called into something new, it means we are being pulled away from something old. A calling is the second act of "chosenness"--we have been chosen to carry the presence of Christ into the world. But, this means we have also been called to leave the past behind. For the early Christians, leaving their old pagan ways behind proved easier said than done. For the modern church, leaving behind ego is difficult. But, go we must. We are being pulled away.
Here's what my subconscious wanted added to the homily: if we are being called into something new, it means we are being pulled away from something old. A calling is the second act of "chosenness"--we have been chosen to carry the presence of Christ into the world. But, this means we have also been called to leave the past behind. For the early Christians, leaving their old pagan ways behind proved easier said than done. For the modern church, leaving behind ego is difficult. But, go we must. We are being pulled away.
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