“Recovery of A Joyful Heart”

February 20, 2025

As the days wore on, so did my sense of joy wear out. It felt as if liveliness was deserting me. Nothing worked to change this until early one morning, I suddenly found myself wheeled into the hospital emergency room for surgery.

Fortunately, the problem was not serious, and I was home in a day. Not only was hospital care terrific but after returning home I experienced a wonderful sense of joy return.

Friends hearing of my experience began calling and visiting me, bringing food, and pledging to help in any way possible. As this was happening supportive emails pouring in suddenly made me realize I not only had dear friends but a family.

Family in Latin means a group of people related either by birth or affinity and is the basis of social order.

I was brought up in an Italian environment in which we prided ourselves on being la familia, blood relatives born into a proud culture. My grandfather was born in sunny Italy and with mom, dad, and my grandmother was the sun in my life. Most memorable was the manner in which we lifted each other’s hearts. When life seemed dreary and dark we had the saying, uh fa translating life is too short, loosen up, have a glass of wine, and let life begin anew. Uplifting up hearts was a common household practice.

As caring friends came to my aid, oh how my sagging heart lifted. Their goodness brought tears to my eyes enveloping me in a spirit of thankfulness. The thought arose, “You ungrateful wretch, look at how blessed you are. Lift your head up and see the gifts of kindness around you. How could you ever be glum after this? Pay back time.”

There is the saying “a blessing in disguise.” Often, when our life goes downhill and darkens, we feel abandoned and dealt with a bad hand of cards. But are setbacks always bad? Often the life we treasured is not really what it is meant to be. It can be better. Setbacks can be a blessed time for this change of heart to happen.

No one likes ending up in a hospital. However, God often blesses us in strange, wonderful ways lifting our hearts to greater levels of joy. Interestingly isn’t it, how joy comes in so many unfathomable forms.

“Wisdom for Our Times”

February 18, 2025

To identify the essence, its core, soul, nature, reality, and authentic truth.

The above are concepts of wisdom in action that prompt us to seek the principal cause of matters.

On the subject of wisdom, the Book of Proverbs reminds us, “Happy the man who discovers wisdom, the man of discernment. . . Her ways are delightful ways for paths all lead to contentment, she is a tree of life for those who hold her fast, those who cling to her live happy lives.”

The contentment of which Proverbs speaks rings throughout daily life. Take, for example, when a doctor tells a patient, “We have discovered the core of your problem and can take care of it.” Oh, the peace of mind and wisdom’s gift of contentment when it is put into action seeking the principal cause of an illness.

Proverbs counsels us: “Do not think of yourself as wise; fear the Lord and turn your back on evil.” Like anything blessed, evil is there to destroy virtue. Not everyone wants to experience truth. Seeking truth is to seek light. Some would rather embrace darkness, the blind eye to truthfulness.

Wisdom speaks of the soul, our very center, our conscience for practicing her. Unfortunately, not everyone wants to probe their soul because it exposes their true self. Getting at “what is” is not everyone’s desire, especially in facing self, for it may mean dying to self.

The heart of a social scientist’s role is to practice wisdom, to seek the roots of a problem and its principal causes. Often, it recommends change. And often there is the kickback, “Let sleeping dogs lie.”

One role of wisdom is to define reality, the truth of the matter. This can create fear. And yet Proverbs comforts us in stating, “My son, do not scorn correction from the Lord, do not resent his rebuke; for the Lord reproves the man he loves as a father checks a well-beloved son. Happy the man who discovers wisdom, the man who gains discernment giving her gaining, for her wisdom is more reward than silver, more profitable than gold. She is beyond the price of pearls; nothing you could covet in her is equal.”

The challenges of our post-postmodern age are calling for wisdom par excellence: people willing to sacrifice time and energy in seeking the principal causes best for directing them.

“Stop!”

February 13, 2025

Whenever life loses meaning and becomes routinized, we must stop. Milling around causes us to lose meaning and purpose. Stopping allows us to take time out away from our time zone.

Hectic life is often described as a Merry Go Round. To get off it we must stop it to maintain our balance.

It is a scientific fact that an object set in motion tends to remain in motion. This is the reason seat belts are required to stop that motion, and to strap up to avoid being thrown around.

The greatest opponent to stopping is addictions. Alcoholics tell us they would welcome sobriety if it were not exceedingly difficult to stop drinking.

Friends have told me the news is causing them depression but to stop watching it is almost impossible. Others fighting weight problems confess they just cannot change their eating habits.

It is a fact that stopping certain practices enhances life and makes us feel better about ourselves. But keeping a resolution to stop is extremely difficult especially when it requires long range maintenance.

Wisdom is defined as seeking the principal cause. The word seeking is an active participle urging us to act. Often overlooked is action comes in all shapes and forms.

Once when competing in a triathlon, its first stage (the swim) shocked me. The night before the event, it had rained, causing chilly water at the bottom of the lake to rise to the surface. When I hit the unexpected icy water, I freaked out. I had two choices: to drop out of the race, or to deal with it.

Along the shore was a row of trees planted equally distant from each other. The thought occurred to me: “Time to be a little child again and take one small step at a time.” It worked. As I went from one tree to the next, I picked up speed and confidence. The end result was my best time, good enough to win a watch.

Realistically speaking addictions are very difficult to overcome. Wisdom counsels to succeed avoid trying to overcome everything at once. Taking mini steps is best. Most important is to observe those trees planted equally apart. Moving from one to the other slowly is key to building faith needed to be successful. Overcoming undesirable addictions is a mammoth task. But then “Faith can move mountains.” All we need to succeed is to stop, catch our breath and regroup.

“Exploring the Spirit of Combativeness”

February 10, 2025

“At times one wonders if a certain combativeness is not prevalent in Catholicism, a compunction to be always right and to prove an adversary wrong. A compulsion which easily leads to witch hunting in which, when turn the wrong way, hunts its witches in the church herself and finally needs to find them in Rome.”

French philosopher Blaise Pascal’s pondering addresses a reoccurring theme in today’s society: combative rhetoric employed against a person considered a foe, competitor, rival, or adversary. What needs to be considered in evaluating the pros and cons of combativeness?

The spirit of combativeness is universally praised in sports, the business world, religion, and politics. From our early education it is seen as a way to learn and get ahead. And too, we often hear of people fighting for their lives being lauded for their competitiveness and staying power, heroics teaching us of its beautiful spirit and powers of prolonging life.

Combativeness comes with responsibilities; one being enlisting skillful conversation. Author Gretchen Rubin reminds us, “Skillful conversationalists can explore disagreements and make points in ways that feel constructive and positive rather than combative or corrective.”

French writer and author Andre Gide reminds us to consider more peaceful laborious means of settling differences: “It is easier to lead men to combat, stirring up their passion, than to restrain them and direct them toward the patient labors of peace.”

Before being combative, French judge Montesquieu reminds us, as does Pascal, that competitiveness tends to walk over another and not with him or her. They point out, “To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.”

Before using competitiveness Swiss writer Jean-Jacques Rousseau recommends where to begin: “Virtue is a state of war, and to live in it we have always to do combat within ourselves.”

Former president Jimmy Carter and actress Carmen Carrera urge us to recall our loving heart before being combative. “The only way to combat hate is by demonstrating empathy and love,” says Carrer.

“There should be an honest attempt at the reconciliation of differences before resorting to combat” states Carter.

Competitiveness is in our blood and runs throughout the Bible and history. It is core to life. Peace, unity, and goodness, the opposite of combativeness, are transcendental terms. Where there is one, so too is the other, blessing us with a moral compass for directing competitiveness in the right direction of unity, peace, and goodness leading to holiness.

“Community: Yesterday and Today”

February 6, 2025

“And this is what we ask you to do, give courage to those who are apprehensive, care for the weak and be patient with everyone make sure that people do not try to take revenge, you must all think of what is best for each other and for the community, be happy at all times, and pray constantly.”

St. Paul’s desire for the good of Thessalonians’ community life holds equally true for the good of today’s community life. Presently, apprehension fills the airwaves, threatening their courage to remain strong. A mounting number of the elderly are finding it difficult to afford assisted living. And how can the spirit of community joy exist in an atmosphere of constant reports of revenge?

Other modern challenges are changing community life likewise. In the past many families lived together in the same neighborhood over a lifetime. The corner family store was common. Parents and grandparents lived together. Children attended the same school, enjoying lifelong friendships with fellow students. Churches were filled with worshipers and provided services for the poor, immigrants, the divorced and separated, and parenting, to name a few of their multiple services. The style of life helped to create neighborly togetherness and esprit de corps.

Today, many families live great distances from each other. Old neighborhoods no longer exist. Living in high-rise condos and apartment buildings may be desirable or necessary, but it can also contribute to loneliness and a lack of belongingness.

What would St. Paul say about maintaining an essential element in modern community life? He would probably point us to a quote by Henri Nouwen: “Solitude is very different from a time-out from busy lives. Solitude is the very ground from which the community grows. Whenever we pray alone, study, read, write, or simply spend quiet time away from the places where we interact with each other directly, we are potentially open for a deeper intimacy with each other.”

Community life is not only living together with each other but, equally important, being intimately together. Desiring to be a loner has its place and, for some, is or is not their choice. The word companion comes from Latin, meaning “with bread” or “to break bread with another.” Intimacy in companionship is good for the heart because it lifts it up and points it to heavenliness. And, too, nothing is more important in life than having God at our side in prayer.

“Dealing with Life’s Abnormality”

February 4, 2025

“The world is a very abnormal place.”

Daily oddities, anomalies, and irregularities confirm Indian-born novelist Salman Rushdie’s observation of our disordered world. When order is lacking, so is peace, joy, and serenity thus allowing disillusionment to reign. Where might we turn to curtail these negative effects?

Philosopher Epictetus reminds us, “People are not disturbed by things but the view they take of them.” Examining our viewpoint is a good place to start. Is it too narrow or too scattered? Is it earnest to see, as much as is possible, the whole picture? How well informed is it before making a judgement? What influences it most? Most everything we do is governed by viewpoints that act like compasses directing us to the roads to take in life.

Viktor Frankl would remark, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” We can’t change an abnormal world, but we can order our lives to cope with it better. To accomplish this implies withdrawing from daily malaise and becoming contemplative to reflect on what is needed to solidify ourselves.

Psychologist William James points us to one way to achieve this. “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” Implied is to employ the spirit of discernment, the driving power within us needed to pull ourselves together for making true ongoing progress in life.

On the meaning of progress Fr. Romano Guardini begins with the usual ways we envision it: making great strides in science and medicine, increasing speed in completing tasks, working less, and enjoying more leisure, an improved standard of living. The list of achievements is unending but is this the essence of true progress?

Guardini then goes to its heart. “The fundamental correction of fundamental ills does not lie in the adoption of utilitarian reforms…in the last analysis, the quality of culture [true progress] is determined by the decisions of the spirit.” Progress is measured by its decision-making spirit.

Our age faces unimaginable challenges that can only be met with a determined wise spirit aimed at coping with them. St. Francis De Sales would further advise, “Never be in a hurry, do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.”

“Three Principal Institutions Under Duress”

January 28, 2025

“God has established three institutions within human society: the family, the state, and the church. Each institution has a sphere of authority with jurisdictional limits that must be respected.”

Pastor and televangelist John MacArthur identified three institutions that are in decline due to the increase in divorces and radical divisions within state governance and churchgoers. What is behind this?

Unforeseen expectations are one reason. Marriage, thought to be blissful, is often not so idyllic. Worries over sufficient income, trying to raise children in difficult environments, and spouses’ personal adjustments are not envisioned when first married.

No matter how those who govern try to do their best, disenchanted protestors are endless, especially in today’s atmosphere of global discontent.

Increasing numbers of church liberals and conservatives vying with each other are increasingly damaging godly harmony and mutual respect. Politicization in religion is becoming more irreligious than religious.

What might be a principal cause of these institutional perils?

The opposite of wisdom is folly, in which the mind becomes clouded and unable to function properly. We live in mind-blowing, irrational times that imperil our principal institutions. Most worrisome is the institution of the media. Why point to the media? Because it is a powerful institution that controls our minds. As wonderful as the media is, it is often troubling because of its control over the psyche of families, governments, and churches, and even more troubling of controlling our moral fabric.

On the subject of communication, Cardinal Carlo Martini exposes the media's devious means of controlling us: “We see that social media have long ago abdicated their true function in order to become sounding boards, even amplifiers of every kind of conflict, even interpersonal. From the tabloids and scandal-sheets to analysis of important political phenomena, the language and tone of the vehicles of mass communication are always attempting to stir up strong, exciting sensations so as to ‘market’ more news reports better than competitors. …Building on sensational, calculating which details will stir up desire, disgust, or pity, the media generate an electrifying emotional stimulus.”

From all this, a troubling question emerges: At what point do these rationales of mass communication begin to shape and complicate personal communication?

Personal communication is the heart of family, state, and church institutions. The more respectful, truthful, and a moral compass exists the more orderly and successful our principal institution’s function. When malfunctioning, look to the media’s dark side as one reason.

“Seeing the Whole of Justice”

January 23, 2025

I live across from the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., where Solon the Lawmaker, Confucius, and Moses, who are symbols of justice, adorn its east side. And too, reminders of justice as the basis of democracy ring loud throughout Capitol Hill.

As prominent as justice is, what more must be added to understand its fame fully?

The priest scholar Romano Guardini points to a virtue needed to balance justice, “Justice is good; it is the basis of human existence. There is, however, something beyond justice: the free opening of one’s heart to kindness. Justice is clear; but when it goes a step further it becomes cold. But kindness --- genuine heartfelt kindness, arising from one’s character --- warms and frees. Justice orders things, but kindness brings them forth. Justice does what suffices, what is. By contrast, kindness creates something new. In justice the human spirit attains the satisfaction of good order. But out of kindness springs the joy of a creative life.”

It is no exaggeration to say justice is at the core of daily life. Every day, new laws are crafted, court cases are heard, and people are exonerated or convicted. Efforts to maintain just order are endless. And yet we must wonder if a more enduring order was created because a kinder heart was a companion to a wise mind.

How many judges have gone out of their way to try to set a defendant straight? There is no harshness, just deep heartfelt concern for a defendant’s welfare, for a changed life, and especially for a metanoia, a change of heart.

Many police officers have done the same as welfare recipients. As bad as a person may be, no desire to crush him or her exists. Rather, there is heart-swell compassion and a desire for the joy of experiencing a person’s life change for the better and soar.

One of the unwelcomed challenges of our present age is to embrace the spirit of eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. Instead of the spirit of trying to see another’s side of thinking blindly adhering to one’s selfish side is chosen. The “my life and goods” are threatened syndrome.

Adding kindness to justice does not soften it. Rather it is an essential antithesis to heartless justice.

“Anatomy of the Lie”

January 16, 2025

“Constant lying is not aimed at making people believe a lie, but at ensuring that no one believes anything anymore. A people that can no longer distinguish between truth and lies cannot distinguish between right and wrong. And such a people, deprived of the power to think and judge, are, without knowing and willing it, completely subjected to the rule of lies. With such a people, you can do whatever you want.”

The connection between lying, truthfulness, and chaos made by German-American historian and philosopher Hannah Arendt exposes the very soul of a lie’s violence: conscience, its moral compass, and human values cease to exist. Truth and justice, the central barriers against deception, despotic power, and evil are neutered. Prudence, the basis of wise judgment, is scuttled.

Immanuel Kant would add, “By a lie, a man... annihilates his dignity as a man.”

Friedrich Nietzsche goes to the heart of lost dignity in pointing out that lying destroys the true self: “The most common lie is that which one lies to himself; lying to others is relatively an exception.” How true! We are no longer in unity with our authentic self that has been defrauded.

In Washington, D.C.’s National Archives, a quote by Russian revolutionist Vladimir Lenin was posted: “A lie told often enough becomes the truth.” This makes one wonder how many good-minded Russians have been dupped by selfish, lying politicians whose primary role is to care for them.

The quote “There are two ways of lying. One, not telling the truth and the other, making up statistics” by Josefina Vazquez Mota, a former member of the Senate of the Republic of Mexico, alerts us to how modern scientific means for understanding the truth can be misappropriated.

The French philosopher Albert Camus speaks to the heartlessness that lying creates: “Lying is not only saying what isn't true. It is also, in fact especially, saying more than is true and, in the case of the human heart, saying more than one feels.”

We must wonder if there would be more peace and kindness if people examined the depths of their hearts and the degree of callousness it might contain. Lies destroy human dignity and once gone hardness of heart follows.