The Doom of the Lead Balloons
Today is the Feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. I have always appreciated this day. I love to ponder to what extreme St. John the Baptist lived his life in order to lose his head for Christ. As I grow older, I also ponder that he knew when and how to decrease in order that Jesus would increase.
I am on the decrease, physically and no doubt mentally. We all come to this sooner or later. Recently I notice the energy and emphasis placed on young people. Then I look around at the "oldsters", and with few exceptions, I find that emphasis on young people is well-placed. Efforts expended on enlivening the faith and spiritual verve of many older people is like trying to float a lead balloon. Energy focused in the direction of "oldsters" for the most part "goes over like a lead balloon."
Why is this? Someone this morning gave them an excuse, "Well, they haven't had good leadership for such a long time." But I wonder, what about the last five years? They have had excellent leadership in the past five years. They hear some of the best preaching I have ever heard, nor could I fathom much better. They are given wise counsel, example, and instruction, yet they heed it not. Even in rather small matters of change, for their own spiritual good, they refuse. They thud.
When a prayer group is developed and well-publicized, within a few months it has all but died out. The priest is expected to do more, to tell the oldsters to visit the sick and shut-in. I point out that he did, in the very first meeting. I point out that it is written on the commitment cards they signed, and that it has been brought up by another on at least two occasions. Still, no one has visited the sick and shut-in. They want a special afternoon of adoration, but the priest declines. I point out that they could first consider going to the regularly scheduled First Friday adoration times--something of which few participate. They could adore at a nearby 24-hour adoration chapel, but the excuse is given that they would not want to go anyplace other than their own turf. When the expectation is expressed for the priest to teach them about the spirituality of the group's patron saint, I point out that the members could drive a mile to a bookstore and buy a book about that saint. More so, they could even read it!
The lead balloons are those erstwhile flower children and their post-decadent, bright-idea'd balloons--who never grew up. With flagging physical energy and flaccid bodies, they now expect one priest to pump some kind of spiritual helium into their lead-filled souls.
My mother had a word she used for those who needed to "get the lead out". She called it "gumption." Most of the time she spoke it in admonishment. "For pity's sake," she'd forcefully exclaim, "have some GUMPTION!" The "G-word" made me hop to it, for sure. Maybe that is why I thought of my mother when I heard that lame excuse for the oldsters--that they didn't have "good leadership for a long time" (until five years ago). Five years of good gumption leadership should be more than enough.
In reading from The Imitation of Christ, the trouble with lead balloons is addressed. "Many hear the world more easily than they hear God; they follow the desires of the flesh more readily than the pleasure of God....even to the present time I have not stopped speaking to all men, but many are deaf and obstinate in response." It is all so true. Kempis continues: "Blush, then, you lazy, complaining servant, for men are better prepared for the works of death than you are for the works of life."
St. John the Baptist certainly had gumption. He lived his life with energy, focus, and purpose. He pointed out Jesus to the world. He spoke what others did not want to hear; he delivered truth that they did not want to heed. His basic repentance message of "have some gumption and get the lead out" for the Kingdom of God is at hand--went mostly ignored. To his disciples, however, he pointed out Jesus, the Christ. Behold the Lamb! And to Jesus they went, thankfully. John knew his humble place, and he knew his Lord and God.
John the Baptist knew when to back away and make way for Jesus. But he kept living a life of right-gumption. What wasn't ignored, also, was his admonishment of Herod's illicit relationship with Herodias. John's speaking the truth cost him his life. He did right, though. He was no lead balloon. There is a church built over the place where the disciples buried his body. He is the only one who Jesus called the greatest prophet to ever be born of woman.
"He who possesses my words yet spurns them earns his own judgment on the last day."
I am an oldster now, and I don't want to be part of the lead balloon brigade. I don't want to be buried in the landfill for spiritually hazardous waste. This is the doomyard of the lead balloons.
The only thing I know to do is to pray and offer penance for the oldsters who have chosen-- chosen!--to replace their souls' capacity with lead, excuse by weak excuse. We adults truly do know the individual discipline, desire, motivation, Sacraments, Word, and prayer necessary for salvation, for spiritual growth, for the ascent to God. We either choose to have gumption or not. Yes, I will pray and do penance for the lead balloons, but I join them not. I am floating with those who place hope, resources and energy on the young who still have elastic souls willing to be filled, who aspire to rise with Christ.
I am on the decrease, physically and no doubt mentally. We all come to this sooner or later. Recently I notice the energy and emphasis placed on young people. Then I look around at the "oldsters", and with few exceptions, I find that emphasis on young people is well-placed. Efforts expended on enlivening the faith and spiritual verve of many older people is like trying to float a lead balloon. Energy focused in the direction of "oldsters" for the most part "goes over like a lead balloon."
Why is this? Someone this morning gave them an excuse, "Well, they haven't had good leadership for such a long time." But I wonder, what about the last five years? They have had excellent leadership in the past five years. They hear some of the best preaching I have ever heard, nor could I fathom much better. They are given wise counsel, example, and instruction, yet they heed it not. Even in rather small matters of change, for their own spiritual good, they refuse. They thud.
When a prayer group is developed and well-publicized, within a few months it has all but died out. The priest is expected to do more, to tell the oldsters to visit the sick and shut-in. I point out that he did, in the very first meeting. I point out that it is written on the commitment cards they signed, and that it has been brought up by another on at least two occasions. Still, no one has visited the sick and shut-in. They want a special afternoon of adoration, but the priest declines. I point out that they could first consider going to the regularly scheduled First Friday adoration times--something of which few participate. They could adore at a nearby 24-hour adoration chapel, but the excuse is given that they would not want to go anyplace other than their own turf. When the expectation is expressed for the priest to teach them about the spirituality of the group's patron saint, I point out that the members could drive a mile to a bookstore and buy a book about that saint. More so, they could even read it!
The lead balloons are those erstwhile flower children and their post-decadent, bright-idea'd balloons--who never grew up. With flagging physical energy and flaccid bodies, they now expect one priest to pump some kind of spiritual helium into their lead-filled souls.
My mother had a word she used for those who needed to "get the lead out". She called it "gumption." Most of the time she spoke it in admonishment. "For pity's sake," she'd forcefully exclaim, "have some GUMPTION!" The "G-word" made me hop to it, for sure. Maybe that is why I thought of my mother when I heard that lame excuse for the oldsters--that they didn't have "good leadership for a long time" (until five years ago). Five years of good gumption leadership should be more than enough.
In reading from The Imitation of Christ, the trouble with lead balloons is addressed. "Many hear the world more easily than they hear God; they follow the desires of the flesh more readily than the pleasure of God....even to the present time I have not stopped speaking to all men, but many are deaf and obstinate in response." It is all so true. Kempis continues: "Blush, then, you lazy, complaining servant, for men are better prepared for the works of death than you are for the works of life."
St. John the Baptist certainly had gumption. He lived his life with energy, focus, and purpose. He pointed out Jesus to the world. He spoke what others did not want to hear; he delivered truth that they did not want to heed. His basic repentance message of "have some gumption and get the lead out" for the Kingdom of God is at hand--went mostly ignored. To his disciples, however, he pointed out Jesus, the Christ. Behold the Lamb! And to Jesus they went, thankfully. John knew his humble place, and he knew his Lord and God.
John the Baptist knew when to back away and make way for Jesus. But he kept living a life of right-gumption. What wasn't ignored, also, was his admonishment of Herod's illicit relationship with Herodias. John's speaking the truth cost him his life. He did right, though. He was no lead balloon. There is a church built over the place where the disciples buried his body. He is the only one who Jesus called the greatest prophet to ever be born of woman.
"He who possesses my words yet spurns them earns his own judgment on the last day."
I am an oldster now, and I don't want to be part of the lead balloon brigade. I don't want to be buried in the landfill for spiritually hazardous waste. This is the doomyard of the lead balloons.
The only thing I know to do is to pray and offer penance for the oldsters who have chosen-- chosen!--to replace their souls' capacity with lead, excuse by weak excuse. We adults truly do know the individual discipline, desire, motivation, Sacraments, Word, and prayer necessary for salvation, for spiritual growth, for the ascent to God. We either choose to have gumption or not. Yes, I will pray and do penance for the lead balloons, but I join them not. I am floating with those who place hope, resources and energy on the young who still have elastic souls willing to be filled, who aspire to rise with Christ.
posted by The Catholic Hermit | 7:46 AM
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