Inspired by Scholastica

Precarious Times

Spring is taking its time getting here in Atchison. We’ve had some warm days and then it gets colder again. I guess weather is always somewhat unpredictable, much like humans.

We think we know someone, and then he/she does something entirely out of character. For example, a friend who was very interested in doing crossword puzzles and sharing answers with me, stopped doing them. Other games on the computer have replaced them. This new technology is replacing a lot of previous interests.

Some people feel that way about religion. There have been many changes in the church practices and liturgies.  Some would like to go back to the good old days when we just observed rather than participated. But I have appreciated the changes, the updated translations of the Bible, and the reception of the bread and wine in the Eucharistic liturgy. Of course, with churches having different ways of celebrating, it is still hard to adapt to some of the changes.

The current situation in the world is pretty unpredictable also. With our new president and his appointees, we’ve had a whirlwind of changes. Some people who don’t like the changes are protesting, and those who have lost their federal jobs are pretty upset. And the possibility of losing health care and food assistance is pretty scary for many. That’s understandable when their world seems to have been turned upside down.

It’s one thing to cope with unpredictable weather and another to handle loss of a whole world that keeps changing every day. Hopefully there are enough capable leaders who can keep people safe and secure.

Barbara Mayer, OSB