Revisiting Ecclesiastes in a Political Season

Today’s first reading is from Ecclesiastes - vanity, vanity, all is vanity! It reminded me of this article I wrote in the summer of 2020, Ecclesiastes and Turning Politics Over to God.

As I shared over this summer, my family and I just relocated away from the center of the world’s politics, Washington, DC, back to a saner place, my home state of North Carolina. I can tell you, I have not missed the politics. It’s like shedding an icky skin.

However: you really can’t escape politics. Even if you want to be unplugged and removed, policy decisions at the local, state, and federal level impact every single one of us, whether we like it or not.

And yet: God is always in control. And that was the purpose of the article I wrote, to remind us all that when things feel particularly politically heated, and when the political outcome you desire does not materialize, life goes on, because it is God’s will. The world is a history of dark times and political upheaval, and yet here we are. And we must take the good with the bad, the victories with the losses, and trust in Him as to what he is doing. As Saint John Henry Newman said: “God does nothing in vain; He knows what He is about.”

So let’s keep that in mind as we head into yet another political season this fall. Catholics, do register to vote, become informed, and then vote. But remember that you are not in control. The Lord of all creation is.

Happy fall to one and all!

Saints for Back to School

It’s August, and while summer is not officially over, I know my own mind is going to “back to school.” Vacations are ending, school supplies are being bought, Old Navy has a million ads with children in popped collars. So, let’s embrace it, and for those going back to school, or sending their children back to school, get to know some saints who can go with you.

Saint Scholastica: the name says it all. The sister (possibly twin) of the great St. Benedict and the foundress of Benedictine nuns, she is considered a patron saint of education, reading, and tests.

Saint John Henry Newman: Ever been to a Newman Center on a college campus? It’s named after Saint John Henry Newman, who famously converted from the Church of England to Catholicism, losing a lot of worldly power and honor along the way ( which was then restored as a cardinal in the Catholic Church). He was himself an academic and wrote The Idea of a University.

St. Thomas Aquinas: He is the OG Catholic scholar and a big ol’ doctor of the Church. ‘Nuff said.

St. Carlo Acutis: He is not traditionally associated with education, but he died while a teenaged student. We see many pictures of him with his friends and in recreational activities, living the life of a normal kid. I always think of that common image of him on a hilltop wearing a backpack. I just learned you can buy a Carlo Acutis backpack.

St. John Paul II: I have to throw him in here as a personal favorite, and because of his extraordinary work with young people and students. He was himself a lifelong writer and scholar, as well as a professor in the 1950s and 1960s. See if you can find pictures of him with his young people, celebrating Mass on an overturned canoe-turned-altar while on an outdoor adventure.

These are just a few of those you can call on to help you prepare and enjoy back to school time. God bless all the students and families of students!

The latest on the radio: keeping the faith through changes

This week I joined the Mark Swartzberg Show officially for the first time. We did one practice take before the show went live a couple weeks ago, which he references, but I don’t think it ever ended up live anywhere. So, it was good to officially be back with Relevant Radio and I am excited for these future conversations. To me, the show feels more like a podcast than a quicker-paced morning interview show, as Morning Air was. As a guest, it’s a whole new way to plan and think about how to approach the topic at hand, drawing much more from personal experience than what would be considered more broad teaching or tips. It must have hit the mark because I got two new subscribers out of it. To those two people and all the others: welcome!

Anyway, we talked about transitions, and you can hear the playback here. And yes, that means I shared some news about a big transition coming for my family, which is a move back to my home state. It’s just time! DC is no place to raise normal humans (because there aren’t any here. Or, at least very few).

My favorite part of the conversation was Sarah’s question: have you been able to see in the past where God has taken care of you, and does that make you stronger and give you more confidence for a future big transition? And she is, of course, exactly correct. I mention the lesson during one part of the 19th annotation prayer retreat that asks the pray-er to recall times in their life when God was present with them. It’s a wonderful exercise, and one that should be done a few times a year. Through relationships, work changes, loss of a loved one - we don’t survive these things alone or by our own grace. God is always there, pulling us through. Indeed, recognizing that is a truly comforting thing.

There were lots of great insights in this conversation. Enjoy!