Good Morning Digital Neighbors; ADD Irregulars & Curmudgeons on Padre’s, Refugees at the Report, Phamily members of Phetasy and all you Wanderers and Seekers across the internet. Wherever you find yourself today, know of my prayers on your behalf as many people wrestle with a rough week of humanity placed in our laps by the internet. It is not easy to see murder once, but many saw it twice and often inadvertently on X with the murders of Iryna Zarutska and Charlie Kirk. It is not easy to process the massive indifference many had to the former and the ghoulish, gleeful celebrations of the later by people more than happy to post celebratory videos. Humanity displayed some of its worst behavior this week and that makes for long days, heavy hearts and often an internal anger that is hard to process and manage. It is hard not to go somewhere dark in our own hearts as we come to terms with many of this week’s revelations.

Many Christians today celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross today in their churches. This feast celebrates what is believed to be the finding of the Cross by the mother of Emperor Constantine, St. Helena. I am true to my namesake and as a doubting Thomas I am not sure I accept the belief at 100% that it was the True Cross she found, but I understand the significance of it and the desire to confirm the historicity of our faith. I am at about 75% there, but even if I was a 0% it would not change the importance of this day to me. The value of the Cross, true or not, is about the person who said yes to it, not the thing itself.

The yes to the Cross that Jesus gave in the garden was a yes to meet all of humanity in those dark places where we are tempted to think God is most absent and indifferent to our plight. His yes was to drink fully of the human experience so that in meeting us in those dark valleys of pain, suffering, loss and confusion, He might be our strength in that moment and our path back to the light. Often Catholics and Orthodox get criticized for focusing on the death of Jesus too much, but we all know that is not the end of the story. We know He is Risen. Crucifixes adorn our lives because we do not want to forget what He went through and what it cost Him.

I often remind my parishioners that God does not promise deliverance, He promises to be with us. He can deliver, but He invites us to trust Him as much as he prompts us to gratitude. Disciples are not spared the trials of life; they are aware that the Master is with them. They are aware that He knows their experience, not from the point of an omniscient Godhood, but from one who suffered so many of the horrors we hope to avoid.

Few if any start with this awareness and I have found it difficult to maintain. Life has too many distractions. The only way I know to maintain it or at least try is by prayer and reflection. Without those two things being first in my life and first in my day I surrender to the moment far too easily. I become swept up in the drama of the day and the temptation to join the outrage on the most recent thing to be outraged about in life or culture. That list is endless and tiresome.

After prayer and reflection, community and laughter, interactions with actual people in your life are the next best things. There doesn’t have to be many, (I am blessed with an abundance because of my calling) but some friends that help you love humanity when your exposure and saturation to them in the news or on-line make you want to loathe nearly everyone. Face to face is best, in person and real communication is irreplaceable to learning to love others. Talking via the phone, ZOOM or TEAMS is a close second to being there in person. It is one of the few things I am thankful for from the awfulness of 2020. Out of the lies of that year and its histrionics came Locals and so many of the wonderful people I met that would never have entered my life without it. I know the PHAM has migrated to Substack, but some of the Local’s vibe is still there and I am appreciative for that. I don’t haunt the Rubin Report or Phetasy like I have in the past, but I am thankful for it then and now. I am so very thankful for the small clutch of people that have found their way to Padre’s. They, along with my daily Mass goers and staff are the among the greatest blessing in my life. Coffee is calling, see you around the Digital Neighborhood my friends.