Monthly Archives: December 2016
Love Completely Without Complete Understanding
Christmas is a time to remember Christmases past, and Christmases when loved ones were still with us.
I have been without my brother who passed away tragically at age 42 in 2000. Six months later my codependent Italian mamma died of lung cancer. I actually think she died of a broken heart at the tragic loss of her youngest.
Then in 2009, my dad passed away of natural causes, often reminding me that even though life had been hard, that ‘la vita e bella’–life is beautiful.
I never fully imunderstood my brother and the direction he chose to follow that inevitably led to an untimely death, nor my mamma who felt that she could never let my brother face consequences of his choices.
In all our lives we have people we can love completely although we may not have fully understood them.
In the movie, A River Run’s Through It, a dad, also preacher, is speaking at his son’s funeral, who suffered an untimely death due to a reckless life. In this end the father gives us all hope.
Each one of us here today will at one time in our lives look upon a loved one who is in need and ask the same question: We are willing to help, Lord, but what, if anything, is needed? For it is true we can seldom help those closest to us. Either we don’t know what part of ourselves to give or, more often than not, the part we have to give is not wanted. And so it is those we live with and should know who elude us. But we can still love them – we can love completely without complete understanding.
What are you building Dad, Mom?
One of the ongoing challenges that I have and those I coach have is keeping perspective on what they are actually becoming and accomplishing. And especially in the arena of parenting.
It’s so easy to let the details of any day or any responsibility that has become routine, drag you down into the lands of Futility and Boredom and yes, Frustration.
On one of the early days of raising 3 boys under 10 in the 1980s, I was reading Gordon Macdonald’s The Effective Father.
Like many dads, I was really having a hard time managing my own life well, doing exceptional work at my career, and oh ya, raising three boys. Truth be told, I was raising my blood pressure more than raising my boys.
In Macdonald’s book he shared the parable of 3 ancient masons which was a parenting vision breakthrough for me. Over the last 40 years of marriage and parenting, I am still building, forever trying to keep a ‘cathedral’ view of my calling.
“A man came across three masons who were working at chipping chunks of granite from large blocks. The first seemed unhappy at his job, chipping away and frequently looking at his watch. When the man asked what it was that he was doing, the first mason responded, rather curtly, “I’m hammering this stupid rock, and I can’t wait ’til 5 when I can go home.
”A second mason, seemingly more interested in his work, was hammering diligently and when asked what it was that he was doing, answered, “Well, I’m molding this block of rock so that it can be used with others to construct a wall. It’s not bad work, but I’ll sure be glad when it’s done.”
”A third mason was hammering at his block fervently, taking time to stand back and admire his work. He chipped off small pieces until he was satisfied that it was the best he could do. When he was questioned about his work he stopped, gazed skyward and proudly proclaimed, “I…am building a cathedral!”
Boom! I had a huge epiphany that day which I immediately applied to my calling as a dad.
Three dads, three different attitudes, all fulfilling the same role.
I am not just raising nice little boys, I am raising boys who will someday take their place in the world and be responsible, compassionate, visionaries and catalysts in their respective spheres. Having this vision of ‘I am building a cathedral’ has continued to inspire me to never lose sight of the big picture.
As you look at your various roles and responsibilities, especially if you are a mom or dad, how do you see your role?
What would you say you’re building?
Here’s my ‘cathedrals’ in early years and later.
And then with their ‘cathedrals’, our grandchildren. My ‘cathedrals’ are older now and it’s their turn to keep clear on the big picture of what they’re ultimately building.
Get the tools and let’s get building!!
Advent Creates Anticipation for More Reality
On this second Sunday of Advent, waiting expectantly for the Babe in the Manger to show up mysteriously and gently into my life and the lives of my family and friends, I am encouraged by my favourite spiritual life guide, the late Fr Henri Nouwen.
Unlike many believers today who have capitulated to the secularizing of The Christian faith, I choose with Fr Henri to believe there is more than trying to make heaven on earth. There is another Reality I and millions of others long for as did Fr Henri and others who have departed this life.
Call me naive, call me a fool, call me whatever you want but I long for More than this life gives.
You On this second weekend of Advent I choose with Fr Henri to claim my identity as one of God’s beloved sons, and live fully today with a view to meeting Jesus face2face someday, and sharing the story of how my life and His worked themselves out over however long I am blessed to live.
Quoting Fr Henri on life after this life—
Even though I often give in to the many fears and warnings of my world, I still believe deeply that our few years on this earth are part of a much larger event that stretches out far beyond the boundaries of our birth and death. I think of it as a mission into time, a mission that is very exhilirating and even exciting, mostly because the One who sent me on the mission is waiting for me to come home and tell the story of what I have learned.’†
Thank you Fr Henri.
Luciano Del Monte 