The most recent suffering

Last night I listened to the voices of the parents of the young man who killed 11 people on James Smith Cree Nation, and cried along with them.

It's a parent's deepest suffering to lose a beloved child, never mind two children.

And to have to watch as children make choices that lead to destruction not only for themselves, but for others too, is gut-wrenching. You could hear it in the apologies and sobs of Myles and Damien's parents.

A friend of mine tells me that he has reached "saturation point" with all these Indigenous issues, and wonders what happened that sets their suffering on a higher rung of the existential ladder than anyone else's. Suffering is universal, he says, so how is theirs worse? 

It's a mindset that's easy to fall into if we live in a world of white privilege. 

While it's true that we all have our heartaches and sorrows because suffering is universal, what makes the trauma of Indigenous peoples so much worse is that they have been treated as less than human and ignored for generations by settler peoples (our ancestors included) who, knowingly or unknowingly, saw Indigenous lands and livelihoods as free for the taking. 

It's centuries -- not weeks or months or years of injustice -- that has led to the gangs, drugs, addictions, and violence that took 12 people down, including two sons of the couple whose hearts are forever broken. 

Our hearts need to break with theirs before we can really understand and true healing can begin. 

If suffering is universal, I pray that healing can be, too.

Heartbroken

Somebody REALLY missed the memo. Pope Francis' visit is about seeking reconciliation and healing with Indigenous Peoples. It's not meant to be a show of clericalism the likes of which we haven't seen since I was born. I was there as a volunteer, in hopes of helping to facilitate reconciliation, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing. What the **** was that?

If the Canadian Catholic Church really wants to build a relationship that moves toward healing and hope, it would give First Nations People, especially homeless ones, the seats of honour. It would put away the Latin (!) and communicate and pray with them in languages they understand. 

A reconciling Church would try to understand the complexities of family relationships among Indigenous families suffering from intergenerational trauma, rather than offering a homily on happy grandparents and grandchildren, especially since the Church was part of destroying those relationships. It would admit its complicity in helping to create a society that is particularly unjust toward First Nations.

And it would allow all Indigenous people to come to the table where Christ is shared, no restrictions, so that they can feel like the most honoured of guests.

This week isn't about upholding theological tenets or impressing the Pope. It's about really connecting with and listening to the ones he's come to meet on their lands.

Bishops of Canada, you have so much to learn about reconciliation.

I am more than a little angry, and heartbroken with the way you're doing things, but my feelings don't matter. Theirs do. I wonder what they are thinking and feeling after what happened this morning.

Enough with the ecclesial poop (I use the word intentionally) and circumstance. Let the Pope meet Indigenous Peoples on common ground, and really listen. And really allow all the truth to come out, and create possibilities and programs for healing.

Everyone else, get out of the way.

When freedom is misused

My heart is broken for what is happening in our country right now.

The very idea of freedom is being misused.

Freedom is a gift, not an entitlement.

Freedom does not mean being able to do whatever I want.

Freedom comes with responsibility to care for the most vulnerable in our midst.

I know too many people who have died of Covid-19.

I would argue that lives, not money, are what need to be defended right now.

The lives of our seniors, little ones, burnt out and exhausted heathcare workers, our vulnerable communities throughout the country, and all who are unable to be vaccinated.

People who are unable -- not unwilling -- to be vaccinated.

Yes, people are free to complain when they don't like things. 

But demanding their way when it endangers other people is just plain self-absorbed, selfish, sinful.

As a society it seems we've gotten used to having our own way -- and forgotten, or chosen to ignore the concept of sacrifice for the common good.

Which value is higher? Living without a mask? Or living, period?

Personal freedom? Or love for one another?

I don't know about you, but I know that love is the bottom line.

And love extends even to those we disagree with.

It's just really hard to love someone when you can't talk with them because the horns are too loud.

And even if we could talk, would anything change?

Are we at a stalemate?

Or would you like to tell me how you're feeling about your freedom at this moment?

My heart is broken for what is happening in my country right now.

So I think I'll listen to my wise friend, Farley, once again -- and pray for love to turn all us hard cases into soft hearts... so we can find common ground once more.

For the sake of Paradise

My friend, Allison, posted this picture from outside her home on Facebook yesterday morning with the caption, "Uhhhhh, anyone know about this?"

Today I have learned that Allie has lost her home and business in Paradise, California, to the latest wildfire in that state. And oh, my heart is breaking for her. Of course, she's the kind of person who, while she will grieve her losses, is also grateful that she and her husband, Mike, were able to relocate to the home of a friend with 4 elderly friend and family members, and their 4 dogs. They are all safe, thanks be to God. They are putting a brave face on it, and will get through it all somehow, no doubt.

Most of us live far from these kinds of climate tragedies, and fool ourselves into believing that we are safe from this kind of thing, so we go on with our lives as though nothing needs to change. But if we really think about it, climate change could easily wipe out our own neighbourhoods with a wildfire, a storm, or a longterm electrical outage in deep winter. Call me a pessimist if you like, but it's the truth.

I am too far away to be of much help to Allie, who has many friends to support her in the U.S. Of course, I send my thoughts and prayers, and I've made a contribution to a Go Fund Me page for the family. Beyond that, I'm writing this post today to encourage everyone, everyone, to please think about every little thing you can do that will help to reduce the climate change impacts that create these kinds of events. Maybe even think about supporting an environmental agency or organization if you can.

The thing is, we all live in Paradise, though we seem to take it for granted every day. Our beautiful planet needs us to really appreciate it, to take climate change seriously, and to live much MORE simply, sustainably, and carbon-neutrally than we do at this moment. We're too late to prevent the burning of Allie's paradise in Paradise, California, but if we get on it NOW and make some serious sacrifices when it comes to our own use of fossil fuels and other resources, perhaps we can save the rest of the Paradise in which we all live. Call me an optimist if you like, but it's the truth.

Heartbreak

Dimitri near Wissant, July 6, 2014

Life is so unpredictable.

When I opened an email yesterday with a subject line mentioning bad news from our friends in Belgium, it was the last news I could have expected. My friends' 34-year-old para commando grandson/son died during a military training run near Antwerp. He told the trainer he wasn't feeling well, and not long after, his heart just stopped.

Dimitri had served in Afghanistan and impressed us all on our visit to Belgium two years ago. When we heard about the bombings in Brussels earlier this year, we all feared for him and his military friends who have been on patrols ever since. It must have been a stressful time for him, and I know that he was looking forward to coming to Canada in August for a "trip of a lifetime" -- his emails had more exclamation points than I've ever seen in one place. We were considering an overnight rafting trip with him and his travelling buddy.

Our hearts are broken for his parents and grandparents. My thoughts are full of hugs and prayers for Luc, Brigitte, Gaby and Yvonne.

Rest in peace, Dimitri.