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Recent events have impacted me
In a stunning turn of events Archbishop Stanislaw Wielgus resigned at the very Mass in which he was to be elevated to the post once held by the late Pope John Paul II. It seems there was some dirt in his past that came to light regarding his role with the secret police during the communist era in Poland. As reported by Craig S. Smith of The New York Times, the new head of state in Poland, President Lech Kaczynski had vowed to bring to light all that could be found out about the secret police activities of the past, including informants to the same. Although there is not now any direct evidence to say that Wielgus was a spy the Vatican accepted his resignation. What gives? It may never be fully known, why this has happened, but the reporter noted that the people in the cathedral voiced support for the resigned archbishop... and the finger pointing has exposed some terrific antisemitic feelings among the Roman Catholic Poles. The article states that some of the supporters were claiming the Jews were responsible for this sad event. "Anti-semitism...is a particular problem within some conservative branches of the Polish Catholic Church." It seems that in the Jan. 8 issue of the Mobile Press Register the issue is less one of a Jewish conspiracy, but one of disclosure from within the church. We Episcopalians elect our bishops; they are not appointed as the Roman Catholics. Yet I have seen a number of candidates who find themselves being viewed for those elections being seen as "running" for the post, as one would run for a legislative seat. I sort of expect that some of the church people who are not clergy may have such a feeling, but those of us who are ordained generally see it less as a running and more of a call from God. Unfortunately, people being people, humans being human and clergy not being excluded from that list, some of our priests do run for bishop. We call it "chasing the purple", referring to the color associated with bishops. It seems that sometimes it happens we pick really good parish priests that make not so good bishops. The necessary gifts for the position/role are I believe just that: gifts. Gifts that the Holy imparts to us in a way that Paul would have understood and seems to have referred to on more than one occasion. It may be that the Fr. Stanislaw Wielgus knew in his heart that for him to have claimed his post as archbishop would be less one of the above and more of another. We can speculate all we want, but it comes down to a man, his relationship with the church and his relationship with God. As hard a thing as this may be for the people of Poland, I salute anyone who has the intestinal fortitude (Southern for "GUTS") to do what Wielgus has done. May he be held close in all our prayers. The other event which is fast approaching is the Bar mitzvah of my dear friend, Aaron Silberman at Congregation Ahavas Chesed in Mobile. I have known Aaron all of his life and as the sun goes down on our world tomorrow night he will begin the road to manhood as defined by Judaism. According to ancient tradition, when a male is old enough to lead the worship on the Sabbath, he is a man. Over the next few days, Aaron will demonstrate to his fellow Jews and several non-Jewish friends that he has prepared himself to carry on as Jewish males have for centuries. He has studied Hebrew so that he may know the Torah; live the Torah; and be a witness to the Torah for all to see. This is prime for Jews and it is an absolute for Aaron and his family. Friends and relatives will converge on Mobile from all over the country (and maybe beyond our borders) to see the boy they have known become the man they will know. Aaron is choosing to bar mitzvah. I suppose he could get out of it if he wanted to so do, but I cannot imagine that for him that was ever a consideration. Grounded in the ways of Torah and Mitzvot that his parents have taught him, I sense that Aaron sees this as his calling. Adonai is calling Aaron out to be the man of tradition, faith and Torah. It is a moment that I hope he will relish for the rest of his life. I know that I will never forget it. It will be with me always because I have watched him mature and because I believe in the call from God. We often refer to "the call" when talking of priests or ministers beginning their work. I wonder how many of us see ourselves called to be the people of the traditions as does Aaron. A call from God! What an astounding notion! Oh yea, the Bible talks about God calling to guys like Abraham, Moses, some prophet fellas and even a gal named Deborah was called out. But me? Joe or Jane everyday Christian or person? Does God call to me?
Go to your biblical text sometime and see a Holy that wants an intimate, loving relationship with just you; with just me; with just every individual ever created. When you begin to see the one to one relationship that this Holy offers, you begin to see call in a different manner. It is for you.
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