17. Faith

I spent time with Harpo this afternoon.  I’m afraid I don’t have much patience for those who agonize over their doubts.  There are some who are in constant turmoil about   a) the existence of God,  b) God’s plans for the universe, and  c) whether He’s going to send them to hell.  That’s an awful way to spend one’s time, let alone one's life.   I think we can assume that an entity who so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son could certainly be trusted to have your best interests at heart.  Do you think Christ hung on a cross angry over your impure thoughts?

Worrying over our doubts about certain doctrines seems to me a real waste of time.  Why pick only a few, when we should be questioning all of them.

As for the world’s future, we have only an inkling … a tiny one at that … of God’s purposes.  Unless you’re Fundamentalist.  They have everything down pat … and in writing.    It is human to wonder about all of these things, but I think it’s useless to worry about myself.  He's always taken care of me.  Why would that change?   It's better to simply trust.  You know … faith.

The person who may have taught me the most about living a life of faith is Dolly Parton.  We seldom watch television here at Our Lady’s, but one evening the Abbot Brother Saint Florian of Linz - called Sparky, with so many age spots we were reminded of a Dalmatian)wanted to view a televised biography of B-16 ... the former Pope Benedict the 16th, who is Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, and was Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. I turned on the TV a little early and caught the tail end of an interview show just as Dolly was asked if she was religious.  Tearing my eyes upwards from the bottom of the screen,  I tried to focus on her smile as she answered.  She always had faith, she said, but made a decision each day to lead her life as though her faith was valid and to act like she meant it, even during times when doubts assailed her.  I don’t know why her words impressed me so, but I could spend years in theology classes and not come up with a better plan for how to live a life of faith.  It's not always easy, of course. I’m quite sure everyone who seeks the spiritual life runs into a brick wall now and then.   Most of us have what Cat laughingly calls a  “deep and abiding faith that comes and goes.”

I told Harpo he worried too much.

“Take your mind off your worries and spend it somewhere else.”  I said.  “Find someone to help and you’ll feel better.”

He looked at me.

Shit. There goes my solitude in the cellar.

But then, to accomplish our work well most of us need others .