SPINNING WHEELS GAIN NO DISTANCE

Here is a picture of my new invention. It will revolutionize everything you do. It will work wonders for making your cars go, your wagons haul, and your skateboards glide. Oh, I know what you are thinking, “It’s a wheel. We have that already.” But I needed to experience and discover it for myself. That way it means something. You see it rolls thereby overcoming a lot of friction allowing you to save on work! This is exciting stuff!

This is how I felt yesterday sitting in a coffee house near a local University reading a publication on mind, body and soul; a guide to holistic enlightenment. There were such articles in it such as God is not really a male with a long beard but that image helps us to relate to Him. God can be found in all human beings. Even in painful situations we can find God working well in our lives if we pay attention. There was the realization, in so many words, that there is only one God. With each of these epiphanies there were what we would consider erroneous conclusions, but in their earnest search for God they rediscovered what has been around for centuries.

A couple of years ago I went to a seminar that was called something like the World Parliament of Religions on Peace in Barcelona. It was huge. There were leaders and people of religions from all over the world. Thousands and thousands of people and hundreds of religions. There were all kinds of events that took place. I sat in on all of the discussions I heard people around me being struck right and left with inspiration from the speakers. After a couple of lectures I shut my notebook, never to open it again. The person I was with asked me why I was no longer taking notes. I responded, “This is Catholic 101. Maybe even pre-Catholic 101.”

In a decent article in the paper not to long ago a communist made some suggestions to inner city churches to help the city. They suggested such things as having services during the week. Having opportunities to come into the church to pray. Having meeting rooms open for scouting and AA and other community events. Have educational opportunities. (I was waiting for the call to have BINGO, but it didn’t go that far.)

Is it that we as Catholics do not make our teachings accessible enough? Have we lost too much credibility? Perhaps we just don’t live it well. Whatever it is perhaps if we live our faith well society can stop reinventing the wheel and culture and civilization can move forward to a bright new day for humanity.