Part of the semi-daily trek to Parma Heights is listening to a sports podcast based out of Columbus, Ohio. It’s basically a recording of a radio show of a few guys recounting the previous day’s activities on collegiate and professional fields of play with no shouting over one another to win an argument, no intention on demeaning the other hosts or even athletes or coaches or front office personnel, not to mention minimal commercial interruption. It’s an appreciated change of pace from the seemingly standard operating procedure in the media industry.
As we approach this All Saints Day, when the church lifts up those who have departed from our earthly midst, especially those from this past year, I cannot help but remember James Earl Jones. Granted, I did not personally know the man, as we often tend to focus on when names are read aloud amidst our worship gatherings. I only knew him through screens displaying Field of Dreams or Clear and Present Danger or The Hunt for Red October or even a voice in The Lion King (sorry, never saw Star Wars).
A few years ago, I met up with a friend who had just moved to Columbus because of a job opportunity, and part of that transition was finding a new place to worship (and more!). He had been a part of a non-denominational church, and that pastor gave him a list of several other churches, which he considered to be relatively similar to their respective ministry. As my friend checked them out, he didn’t necessarily agree. In his mind, they were all “fluff.” They were just “potatoes” with “no meat,” no substance. No small groups with theological connections with the Sunday message, like he was used to with the previous church. They were, instead, more like social hours, just to hang out.
Tomorrow (October 17) will be the 45th anniversary of the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Mother Teresa, who became synonymous with saint, to say the least, with her seemingly relentless dedication to those in impoverished conditions. And yet, as the years went by in her lifetime, a different story was being revealed about the one who was formally declared a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in 2016. That, as much of a Resurrection faith she exuded for a whole worldwide audience at times, for as much joy and love and compassion and kindness and enthusiasm she shared with “the least of these,” there was something else going on in the depths of her soul.
This upcoming Monday, October 14, will be our neighbors’ to the north Thanksgiving. Although Canada’s version of the holiday doesn’t receive quite the full-blown attention as it does for many families in our country, evidently there’s been a tradition developing there over the years that encourages people to leave the comforts of home and go for a walk in nature. That isn’t to say some of us here try to walk off the turkey and stuffing and pie, but nevertheless, if Canadians in the western portion of their vast land want to go exploring beyond their living quarters, they may just be close enough to one of the earth’s most beautiful treasures: Banff National Park.
