Catholic Church Reform: What Is It?

     Catholic Church reform.  What is it?  What should it be?  Who decides?  Who should decide?
     What is it?
     Hot button issues come to mind.  Women's ordination.  Married clergy. Liturgy--lay involvement.  Liturgy--inclusive language.
     These are valid, worthy issues central to Catholic Church reform.  Yet, in defining what it should be, dangers need to be identified--dangers to effecting reform.
     Herd mentality.  Rote support of hot button issues.  Rote support of advocates, who can speak the loudest.
     I write cognizant of time's luxury, which long-term disability affords me.  I write cognizant of my time's responsibility--God's time to me.  I must not squander that precious time--that precious responsibility.  Were I to squander, I would aggravate the problems--the issues--I sought to address.
     Who decides?
     "Church Hierarchy!" is the rallying cry of church reform campaigns.  Yet, hierarchy, to some degree, is necessary for the advancement of any organization's issues.  In the extreme, anarchy is hierarchy's adversary.  Effective Catholic Church reform lies somewhere in the middle.
     Catholic Church Reform.  Who decides?
     I know my place.  I make no submissive cry to avoid responsibility.  No.  I know my place.  I have been asked to help clarify issues.  Research.  Write drafts of recommendations.  Listen.  Heed direction of individuals who will make recommendations based in part upon my research.  Revise. Rewrite.  Submit.  Listen.
     I have tremendous respect for the knowledge, experience, convictions, and beliefs of the individuals I will work with.  I pray that I will nurture and maintain that same level of respect of and for each individual I meet.
    I pray that I will seek a broad understanding of the people, issues, organizations, and perspectives within the catholic church.  I pray not to imprison myself within the popular positions on hot button issues just to do so.  Already I sense myself doing just that.
   Catholic Church Reform.  What is it?
   It is not for me to define in isolation.  For now, I shall act as a squirrel might.  I shall gather nuts--food for thought--for the work ahead--nuts that may sustain me.  Websites.  Blogs.  Publications.  These are but three of the nuts I gather for the exciting, daunting, scary, exhilarating, unknown journey ahead me--ahead of us.

Information

     What information do governments share?  To natives, to world citizens?  Do we listen?  Or, do we presume that government information is suspect, by virtue of its connection to political bodies?
     The less coverage given by our own media, the more important it is that we know what information sources are available to natives of a foreign country.
     I am fascinated by the many sources of information.  Discerning the veracity of that information intrigues me.       
     I was raised in a democracy.  Within that democracy, my family, friends, and culture instilled in me the belief that there are channels of government--channels within the community--to address problems.  I witnessed civil service close to home.
     Cynicism about government is not a part of my composition.  Any cynicism I might have is channeled into my votes for candidates with more positive--more constructive organizations.  Any endorsements I give to voting against a candidate, rather than for a candidate with a different view only serve to delay resolution of the problems at hand.  Time is precious.  We may ill afford such delays.  That is not to say that decisions should be made hastily.  Quite to the contrary.  Decisions need to be made with due deliberation.

A Mermaid's Tone

     Muscle tone.  Not of a body builder.  Muscle tone.  A Mermaid's Tone.
     I hope for it.  I will it to be.  I pray with fervor that it be--all mine.  Yet, hope, will, and prayer are not God's promise to me.  Yet, I must hope.  I must will it.  I must pray.
     Arms arise skyward.  Into the pool's water they plunge.  Alternating.  One, then the other, as oars in a river's current.  From my shoulders, this mermaid's oars are anchored.
     Arms outstretched.  Wrists pulled together.  With the force of a magnet, their cymbals clash.  With a strong will, her wrists resist the temptation of a lifelong embrace.  The force of her forearms cry out.
     "Strengthen me.  Use me.  Believe in me.  Do not waste my muscles.  Use me.  Do not will my muscles to be withering, dying willows.  Use me.  Teach me to reach outward--to branch out-- to blossom  in full glory."  
     The Mermaid's biceps believe.  Though not her eyes, the Mermaid's biceps believe in the vision--A Muscle's Tone.  With their tissues, the biceps connect the oars to the force of the forearms.
     The Mermaid's calves circle on the water's unicycle.  On her back, she floats.  The Mermaid's ankles pedal.  Her feet flutter.  The Mermaid's thighs push toward a toned spirit.  Not atrophy.  The Mermaid paddles toward a Muscle's Tone.
     I seek not the strength of the Bodybuilder.  I am the Mermaid.  I seek the strength of a Muscle's Tone.  No boorish bravado do I seek.  I seek a softer strength.  Not submissive.  Not boastful.
     I am a Mermaid.  I seek a Mermaid's Tone.

You Inspire Me

     "You inspire me."  
     I have heard that statement made in regard to me, and to other individuals.  I seek understanding.  No  longer am I the fierce person I was once.
     I am a lover of words--a lover of language.  I covet proper usage, or so some may say.  I live undeterred. 
     I wonder.  I ask the lover of words within me, "What are the roots of inspire?
     Cassell's Dictionary of Word Histories offers definitions vital to our contemplation.
     Inspire--a transitive verb meaning to stimulate a person to action, especially creative action.
    Transitive.  What does transitive mean?
     Action passing from a subject to an object; having a direct object.
     Verb.  What does verb mean?
      A word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, and forming the main part of a sentence, such as ashear, become, happen.
     These definitions are basic, yet essential to our reflection.
     Definitions are the introduction to full understanding.  Definitions frame the questions requisite to full understanding.  Full use of inspire demands attention to four questions.      
     1. Do I live with integrity?
     2. Do I commit myself to be worthy of action inspired by the action of another human being?
     3. Am I willing to act upon the stimulation another individual offers me?
     4. Am I willing to be the direct object of another person's action?
     The definition of terms are basic, yet vital.
     Inspired action is not action for action's sake--obligatory action.  Given the choice between obligatory action and no action, no action is preferred.
     Inspired action is possible.

You are an Inspiration

     Many times, I have heard news features that say, "She is an inspiration."  
     I do not mean to denigrate good intentions.  I offer alternative intentions.
     Inspiration is a noun, which is derived from inspire.
     -ation is a suffix used to form abstract nouns from verbs.  It is sad.  To abstract the potency of inspire is sad.
      To say, "You are an inspiration to me," does not offer the hope that action will be taken.
      I accept the compliment.  I celebrate when I--when anyone--may stimulate anyone to leaven the gifts they have been invited to offer.
      I wonder.  What would the world be if each of us--if all of us--accepted the invitation to fully engage our gifts?

A Study in Words

     Many words come to mind as the debt ceiling debate.  Disgust.  Astonishment.  Frustration.  These are but a few of the words regarding how the debate is being conducted that come to my mind.
     I plead guilty to any accusation that I am obsessed with how words are used--how words are used in describing individuals, and interactions, most notably.  Words define the structure of a sentence--the foundation of a conversation.  The most important words are the subtle words--the words that are deemed acceptable.
     I have heard descriptions of this weekend's congressional proceedings.  I include both the House and the Senate in the term, "congress."  Sometimes, only the House is intended by speaking of "congressional."
     News reports have described actions in Congress this weekend as, "political theater."  Others have spoken with little fanfare of the "players" in the "game."  
     I cannot comprehend the economic figures being discussed.  I know what my political--governmental--spending priorities are, yet, my focus is elsewhere.  Some question what will happen if our nation's debt ceiling is not lifted.   As important as the answer to that question is, I am much more concerned about the words by which the debate is framed.
     Dumbfounded.  Whose life involves no compromise?  Whose life is ideal?  Do any of us choose the life circumstances we have been given to live?  Yes, we do have control--some control--over the quality of our lives. But, that is because we have chosen how we will live the circumstances we have been given to live.
     I don't like some of the compromises that my life circumstances have called me to make.  Yet, the alternative--not making any compromises--would be to paralyze me from living a meaningful life.  I am not willing to be so principled that I overlook the critical need for pragmatism.  Being willing to compromise--being pragmatic--is not a guarantee of getting the desired result--or the entirety of any desired result.  But, pragmatism, and compromise are unavoidable--necessary starting points.  Engaging in pragmatism, and compromise is the only hope I know of to preserve a high quality of living.
    At this point in time, we do not know the impact of the debt ceiling debate will be.  In my own life, the compromises I have been called to make to date have not been implemented for long enough to know of their impact on my life.  I do not know the specific compromises I will be called to make in the future.  The same is true of the U.S. Congress, and the President.  Yet, the price of not making compromises we are called to make is greater than making compromises, as a sign of being adults.

A Declarative Act of Living...A Defiant Part of Speech

     Make today a declarative act of living, not a defiant part of speech.
     These words were given to me on April 14, 2011, when I took ownership of a red Invacare FDX-MCG.  After hours of labor that enabled me to have a power wheelchair, I struggled.  I did not want to be victim of--a victim to--FDX-MCG.
     I am a woman of words.  I need clarity as my advocate.  FDX-MCG hardly fits the bill.
     Make today a declarative act of living.
     A declarative act is an expression of faith--a belief of what can be, if I will it.  Faith begins in prayer. I pray.  I believe it may be.  I will it. If it be, I pray.
     Do not be mistaken.  A declarative act of living is not a guarantee of a life as I want it to be.     
     Will.
     Will the faculty of conscious and especially of deliberate action.  Will is quite different from defiance.
     Not a defiant part of speech.
     Defy.  Defiant.  Defiance.
     Defy--to challenge the power of; resist boldly or openly; to challenge (a person) to do something deemed impossible.
    Defiant--boldly resistant or challenging.
    Defiance--a challenge to meet in combat or in a contest.
    Most of my life--before knowing how to do otherwise, and long after I was old enough to know better--I have lived in defiance.  I defied expectations of surgeons, "she may never walk or talk," the expectations of educators, "if I were to guess, I would say she might be mentally retarded," and occupational therapists, "here are exercises to help you to learn to use your right hand."
    As my Dad has said, "We didn't if you would learn to talk, but, once you started to talk, we didn't know if you would stop talking."  Though never a stellar student in graded terms, I did graduate from college, then, I completed graduate school.  There need be no apology for my life's story.  Only if I do not share it must I apologize.  Only if I share it will I ever learn.
      Long before graduate school--long before learning to speak--I defied the best-intentioned expectations of occupational therapists.  Carefully planned exercises--customized to my needs--were blown to smithereens.  Honestly, it was so long ago--I do not know if I could know, if I could remember.  How did I perform the assigned tasks with just one, and not two hands.  My intent was not defiant.  My act was.
   Throughout my life, if driven by nothing else, I am driven to excel-lence by, "I don't think you can do that."  "Do you want to make a bet."  Yet, such defiance comes at a heavy price.  I lived an act of defiance.  My body crumbled under its load.
     Far better than any dose of defiance is a measure of will. 
     I do not know the precise content of my acts--of my living.  I do know that I can not live under the destruction defiance delivers to my soul.  
     Make today a declarative act of living, not a defiant part of speech.

Earthquakes and Seizures???

Eyewitnesses are reporting that a 7.4 earthquake has occurred in Japan.  I fear earthquakes.  I have never experienced an earthquake.  My fear is not routed in its unknown quality to me.  Not exactly.
     I have spoken with California earthquake veterans--Minnesota natives.  My questions??
     First, what does an earthquake feel like?
     Second, what distinguishes an afttershock from a separate earthquake?  Is it a function of time?  Is it a function of the earthquake's location?  Is it a function of the earthquake's strength?
     Third, how can you quantify the exponential nature of earthquakes on a human scale?
     Fourth, is there any parallel--scientific, or otherwise--between a seizure, and an earthquake?
     I have never heard anyone posit a correlation between earthquakes, and seizures.  I know individuals familiar with earthquakes.  I know some individuals with seizures.  Yet, no such lay experts have expressed this question.  I have had seizures since I was a kid.  Some of my seizures have been grand mal--tonic clonic seizures.  I have told family, friends, and coworkers that if I have a seizure to reassure me.  Specifically, during a tonic-clonic seizure, it feels as though my right arm and leg are going to fall off of my body, due to the violence of the shaking.  In my conscious moments, I know otherwise.  Yet, I have heard no one else report such feelings, or experiences.
     Finally, if a correlation between seizures and earthquakes does that correlation inform how seizures, and earthquakes exist?
     I don't know whom to address.  I don't know what forum to direct the individuals with information, and insights to offer what they know, feel, and experience.  I do know that information, experiences, feelings, and insights must be given credence if these questions are to be addressed.  The specific answers are not as important as is the use of a deliberative decision-making process.