Proclaiming Whispers

I read today's Gospel reading shortly after checking in on some blogs. It reminded me of what Penni and Amy have written recetly about anonymous blogging & commenting. By the way, Amy is new to blogging - Another Catholic Mom. Hector also asked the question: Why do we blog? And that reminded me of the whole anonymity question. He also touched on his commitment to blogging, based on a quote from Thich Nhat Hanh. It's a good motto for us all.

So anyway, after all that I come across this verse from Luke:

There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.

There is no anonymity with God. We know that God knows us better than we know ourselves. When we're reading a certain blog and the writer pushes our buttons and we're thinking just who the heck this person thinks they are!? and by gosh I'm going to show them the errors of their way and what's right!, God hears our frustration. He hears our anger, disgust and contempt. And God also sees the root of all that deep inside us. God sees the resentment, fear, and anxiety that may be too ugly for us to see in ourselves.

What if our whispers uttered from underneath our cloak of anonymity were proclaimed from the housetops?

I strongly believe that we can make a choice to see the good in people, we can choose to focus more on the good than the bad. And in doing so on a regular basis, this promotion of goodness is like a rising tide - it raises all the boats in the harbor. Call me a foolish optimist, that's fine. Optimism has served me well for a long time. And besides, it's more fun being optimistic than pessimistic.

Comments

[Jim]

"No anonymity with God"...So it is, Steve; and grace is more than what we allow ourselves. Men do that, you know. His presence in our life, however, is much more than that; and walking in an awareness of His presence brings forth both freedom and a trust in His gentle nudge when we overstep it. Optimist? Pessimist? I guess I'm where I usually am: straddling the fence........

[Marie-Linda]

"I strongly believe that we can make a choice to see the good in people, we can choose to focus more on the good than the bad. And in doing so on a regular basis, this promotion of goodness is like a rising tide - it raises all the boats in the harbor."

Amen, brother!!! May we all learn to do that!

And I really find it comforting that at some point we will know the truth about everything. Sometimes I think that it would help us love one another better if we could understand each other perfectly!

[Talmida]

I strongly believe that we can make a choice to see the good in people, we can choose to focus more on the good than the bad.

And this is how to survive in St. Blog's.

I stopped reading a number of catholic blogs because they made me so angry, but I have gradually been adding a few back to my list, trying to see the good in them. I mean, I know intellectually that they are my brothers & sisters in Christ, and if I cannot see the good in them, maybe it is because I am not looking the right way.

Perhaps, as well as choosing to see the good, we need to practise seeing it. (or at least I do!)

:)

[Lorna]

"No anonymity with God" and I'm glad about that. What you see is what you get because if it's good enough for God (he loves me !) then it has to be good enough.

be blessed.

[Steve Bogner]

Jim - Would 'on the fence' mean you're a 'realist'? Knowing you for a while now, that might be a good description.

Ah, Marie-Linda - If we could understand each other perfectly that could be rather scary!

Talmida - Good ol' St Blogs... Yeah, there are Catholic blogs I don't care to read either; some of them kind of rub me the wrong way. But maybe it's like art - we don't have to like a work for it to be considered precious.

Lorna - I like your view on this! What you see is what you get - practicing that transparency is a good thing to do.

[Lisa]

This is a great post. AND--I love the title. The title itself speaks something to me, although I've yet to figure it out.

[catholic_girl]

Wow, Steve. That gave me a lot to think about. It's terrifying to think of all my secret thoughts being laid bare; then again, they ARE laid bare to God, and He hasn't given up on me, so there must be hope.

[Steve Bogner]

Thanks Lisa; I'm glad the title speaks to you. It's not often that I come up with catchy titles ;)

Catholic girl - thanks for dropping by! Yes, there is always hope. Hope has to be one of the pillars of Christianity, in my opinion. Hope is part of what draws me into faith, and love, and service of others. It may also be at the root of my persistence/patience.

[Theologienne]

Very insightful. There is a lot to induce frustration in the Catholic blogosphere; it's nice to be reminded how similar we all look from a God's-eye perspective.