Two Lunch Time Thoughts
Part of my lunch time ritual is to leave the office, find a place to eat lunch and read the newspaper. It is a very nice was to split up the day and find an hour or of solitude in the hectic area of the Mag. Mile.
Well, today I was at a resturant eating my sandwich reading the paper. As expected there was lots about Pope Benedict XVI...from all persepctives. Among the liberals in the world there is some concern. I, as a relatively liberal person, am not too concerned (yet). I am taking a wait and see approach. I found my thoughs echoed by Father Andrew Greeley. In this coloumn he discusses the choice of name for the new pontiff. But was stuck out to me was the followin paragraph:
Heaven knows that there is need for healing in the church. Perhaps a man whose conservative credentials as the head of the Congregation for the Defense of the Faith are unquestioned might be uniquely situated for the task --just as Richard Nixon was uniquely situated to visit China.
Pope Benedict would have a truly unique perspective.
I, also, read Richard Roeper's column. He talks alot about the Virgin Mary of the Viaduct. Pilgrams are starting to flock the the vision/stain depending on your faith in the apperation. But one thing he notice that showed the one sidedness of the pilgrams:
Just a few steps west of the holy image, leaning against a streetlight pole on Fullerton, there is a homeless man, holding up a small cardboard sign that says:
HELP
I'M HUNGRY
You'd chastise a screenwriter for such easy symbolism, but there the man sits, squinting against the sun and holding up his sign.
In clusters of two and three and four, the faithful who are flocking to and from the image of the Virgin Mary -- they walk right past the homeless man. They walk right past him, as if he's not even there.
It is my prayer that I start to open my eyes more and care for the man on the ramp. It is my prayer the God forgives me my self-centeredness.
Take this city
A city should be shining on a hill
Take this city
If it be your will
What no man can own, no man can take
Take this heart
Take this heart
Take this heart
And make it break
--Yahweh, U2
2 comments:
Not that I would endorse reverencing this apparition, but I wonder if Roeper is missing something of the scene. At least the images I have seen on TV, I mostly see poor hispanics (not that all hyspanics are poor, but the images I have seen have the appearance of the lower rungs of the working class) reverencing what they believe to be the apparition of the Virgin. What I see then is two groups of disenfranchised pictured there. It is sad but he should of asked why people are drawn to this apparition in the first place. And who is coming. Then he might have goten a more potent reflection.
The disenfranchised meet in our society and there is no solidarity as dictated by the system of survival through atomism.
Good thoughts, Larry. And very true. Thanks.
I think part of why his comment hit me, though, is I see my self in that postition almost every day. I have, but I just walk on by. I feel like a hypocrit. I pray for shelter and comfort, but I seldom act.
Once again, I thank you for your comment...it shed a ray of light on the subject that I had't noticed. I had just seen the photos of the image, and not much else.
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