"Pastor, what do you think about Occupy Wall Street?"

Several people have asked me over the last few days what I think about the “Occupy” movement. I’ve given it some thought, and while I would never claim the authority of the Holy Spirit on such issues, I think my thoughts are relatively clear and somewhat balanced. I offer them as my own, and not those of St. John's or the Episcopal Church. I would gladly welcome discussion on them (preferably face to face over coffee- I'll buy.) I could after all be wrong, and the discussion would probably help both of us to apply our faith more authentically to the great issues of life.
1. I think that for the Church, her officers, and her official bodies to make strong political statements or to take strong political positions is extremely divisive and usually does more to drive well meaning people out of the church than it does to serve any prophetic ministry of the Church.
2. I think that the “Occupy” movement, like the “Corporate World” it seeks to address, is probably filled with a lot of very capable and well intentioned people with some very legitimate concerns. It also (like the “Corporate World”) has some very real troublemakers, ne’er do wells, and dangerous and unprincipled people in its ranks.
3. I think that any society which is characterized by a sense of division, and where enough people feel marginalized and disenfranchised to cause such civil unrest probably needs to do some serious self-evaluation:
a. Shapers of opinion need to acknowledge their role in turning people against each other and stop doing it, whatever their motives.
b. Holders of power and resources need to acknowledge their responsibility to the broader community and develop self-enforced ethical guidelines for living into that responsibility.
c. Those who lack larger scale power or resources need to acknowledge their responsibility to work within a flawed system and not seek to destroy the system (at least in a constitutional republic such as ours.)
d. Everyone needs to see everyone else as individuals created in God’s image rather than as members of groups destined to unending conflict and worthy of unending scorn.
e. Everyone needs to ignore and isolate demagogues as unworthy of consideration in civil society.
4. I think it is dangerous and often illegal to damage public or private property, to participate in large and potentially disruptive assemblies without a permit and a plan for maintaining order, or to impede anyone on the way to conduct lawful commerce or personal business.
In short, I think there are probably legitimate concerns and legitimate people in the “Occupy” movement and in the “Corporate World.” I am concerned that demagogues on the one hand and hard heads (or hard hearts) on the other get far too much consideration and control in modern society. I fear that if real revolution ever comes (from any source or point of view,) most of what we hold dear will be destroyed. And Finally, I think the Christian Community needs to work a lot harder at demonstrating those attitudes and ethics which will usher in the New Jerusalem.

More Wisdom from Margaret

Three year old Margaret's catechesis at the hands of her mother is coming along very well. Like her Mother and Uncle Tristan, she is growing up with the solemn understanding that the great men and women of the past were near associates of her family. My children really did believe for a time that Scipio Africanus, Cincinnatus, Horatius, Our Lady, and St. Paul were not that far removed from their grandparents in time and space, and that most of them had probably helped Little Grandpa and Uncle Jake defeat the combined armies and navies of Imperial Japan. And so it is really no surprize that with her mother's help, she is developing a view of the immanence of our Lord's humanity which is most refreshing. Here are her recent comments on what Christmas will be like in "The California."

"...and then we will have a party and have cake and ice cream and we will go to the playground and Jesus will go down the slide with me at the playground and we will have decorations and go to church and have a party and it will be fun and we will have presents for Jesus for his birthday and it will be in December and Mama and Papa will be there and I will play with Jesus on the playground..."

As daughter Ashley wrote, "A clearer version of heaven I have never heard."

Wisdom from Margaret

When I logged on this morning, I found the most wonderful message from daughter Ashley. The subject line read simply "Wisdom from Margaret" (our beautiful three year old grand-daughter in "the California.") The message read, "I love Jesus because Jesus loves me." What a wonderful way it was to start the day. Life gets so very complicated some days, and as the Scriptures say, "Out of the mouths of babes thou has perfected praise!"

Good news came to us yesterday afternoon. Bishop Salmon, retired of South Carolina and currently Dean of the Seminary at Nashotah House, will be able to attend son-in-law Matthew's ordination in Advent in "the California." He is a godly man, filled with the wisdom and good humor or our Lord, and has had such an important role in the formation of Matthew for holy orders.

Tuesday afternoon, I had occasion to stop by Ohio Christian University in search of an organist for our parish. Things there went quicker than I had anticipated, and on my way to Columbus to the University Medical Center, I determined that it would be a shame to complete such a beautiful day without some small sporting diversion. So I swung by the boat ramps at A.W. Marion State Park and cast a leadwing coachman into the edge of a weedbed bordering a hole where I had done pretty well in years past. While I was working on my roll cast, I noticed a hiker coming down the trail. He looked familiar, and as he came closer, I realized it was Sergeant Major Osbourne, with whom i had served some years back. We laughed and talked about the old days, our kids, and life out of uniform. He was in the woods plotting hardwood locations for a study about the impact of exurbanization on reforestation patterns. It seems that the breakup of the large farms into smaller holdings over the past forty or fifty years has led to substantially fewer field and woodlot fires, with the unintended consequence that softwoods are replacing hardwoods in many parts of the region- something to do with faster regeneration rates among the lesser desirable woods and insufficient light for the early hardwood growth (I think.) It is much more complex than that, but I suppose that is a layman's misunderstood generalization of the type that makes up most political ads. In any event, I think I learned something, and it was great to catch up with an old friend who did much throughout his career in the Army and in the Fire Service to care for his soldiers and firefighters and their families. May God bless the SGM for his godliness, his decency, his concern for the environment, and his love of the people among whom he has worked.

A Wonderful Shoot!

This afternoon Chuck, Tristan, fat Leo the Labrador, and I converged on Buckeye Pheasant Farm west of Dayton for a memorable shoot. After a lane or two of very fast hunting in a new and exciting place, Leo settled into his customary rythem, and by the end of the day was hunting as well as I have ever seen him work. We bagged ten pheasants, which are now awaiting their destiny as stir fry in Tristan's freezer in Oxford. Those of you who follow this blog may remember that one of the questions surrounding this hunt was how much of the Marine Corps remains in my Son. The question was answered shortly after we arrived. Tristan uncased the Winchester model 12 pump gun and layed it next to the Stoeger side by side. He then quietly recased the double and loaded his grandfather's pump. Every time someone signaled that the dog was "on", Tristan assumed that assault stance that is so characteristic of so many of our young men today and shot like the professional he was and remains. Once a Marine, always a Marine! I suppose that this means he will never shoot with the grace of a Robert Churchill or the style of an Elmer Keith, but he does bag more than his share of birds with the quick shots of a veteran infantryman. Two years ago when he was home on leave after his first deployment to the high desert, I remember watching him in the field when we were following the terriers in search of vermin. As we crossed a fence or forded a stream, it broke my heart to see him assume the slouching range walk of one who expected to engage at any moment. Even in Fairfield County, he was back in "the Stan." After he came home as a wounded warrior, I remember watching him scan every parking lot for trip wires and every rooftop for snipers. But today my boy was back, and the joy of the hunt was in his eyes again. He did comment once that it was nice to be able to step wherever he wished and not have to worry about being blown up. Welcome home son, we love you more than words can express.