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Daily Reflections
by Al Fritsch, S.J.

A series of written meditations and reflections

2004

2005

2006

2007

Table of Contents: Daily Reflections 2004 - 2006

Click on date below to read the day's reflection:

February 2004

February 2004 Reflections

February 1 A Prophetic Life Worth Living

February 2 Groundhogs and All of Us

February 3 Meditate Daily

February 4 Simplifying Urban Communities

February 5 Efficient Vehicles and Use

February 6 Start Your Day Well

February 7 Healing the Earth

February 8 Launch into the Deep and Take Risks

February 9 Praying from the Heart

February 10 Telemarketers and Privacy

February 11 Simple Solutions: Solar Cookers and Ovens

February 12 Reflections on Abe Lincoln

February 13 Bird Habitats

February 14 The Mystery of Love

February 15 Get Graphic through Story-Telling

February 16 The American Way for Better or Worse

February 17 Attitudes in Traveling Abroad

February 18 Our Lives Depend on Water

February 19 Responsible Consumerism: Say No to Excess

February 20 Wild and Scenic Rivers

February 21 Five Possible Successes

February 22 Make Local Tours

February 23 Cooperatives and Working Together

February 24 Explore Past Lore and Legend

February 25 Ash Wednesday: Sacrifice and Love

February 26 Meals for Lent

February 27 Enjoy Ecotouring in Appalachia

February 28 Know What You Drink

February 29 Leap on Leap Day

Temptations

February 1, 2004 A Prophetic Life Worth Living

They say hindsight is an exact science. We so often know

exactly what we would have done if we knew then what we know now.

But coming to our current knowledge involved living what we have

had to live -- lived experiences. We would not be who we are

without past uncertainties, successes, and mistakes.

Salvation is for all! Really that was the controversial

message that Jesus taught those who thought he must give his entire

ministry to his own people. Why go elsewhere? What Jesus in Luke

4:21-30 proceeds to do is explain a vision that goes beyond the

place and includes distant people -- which makes his own folks very

mad. I used to wonder why people got so upset enough to kill him

so suddenly, until over time I met those who wanted to sequester a

person's time and, if they are selfish enough, they will argue that

if you don't do this they will tarnish your good name. What's so

different from what they tried to do to Jesus?

Do this, not that. The words that Jesus speaks are directly to

the heart of the matter. He never minces words. His heart goes

out to people in distant places even beyond that of his immediate

ministry -- which is beyond his home town. He is thinking globally

and that is what the local people often omit doing. For them, only

local concerns are of importance.

Called to radically share. It is risky for the prophetic voice

to be spoken if it is a true voice with an authentic and needed

message. Silence is not golden under such circumstances. One must

share and that means sharing the needs of others. The person is to

be upsetting to some degree, for that is part of our message as

anointed in the holy oils of Baptism. We are called to be

prophetic people and that means we can't always remain silent. To

be true is to speak, even when what is spoken is not well received

or even provokes fury -- the inner violence of the persons who are

now finding the excuse to let it all come out.

Helping others. There are examples of parishes which radically

share their resources as well as individuals. One parish helps

another with its additional building funds as did one parish in

Tennessee. In speaking of a prophetic outward vision one must

challenge those who hear or read these words; are the needs of the

individual place of greater importance than those elsewhere? Are

people hungry for Christ in our local county or community? We

could lose our souls if we do not feed the hungry. We start at

home and look beyond. Are there people who are uncared for here?

Are we wiling and able to respond to their needs in some manner?

Liberating ourselves from blindness: How can we radically

share with our neighbors who are the Lazarus types at our doorstep?

How can we truly be Catholic or universal people who see those

beyond our walls, either nearby locally, or those overseas and at

greater distances? Asking ourselves hard questions is part of

hearing the word of God and responding to it in some manner.

February 2, 2004 Groundhogs and All of Us

Shadows. Such is an American fable -- that the groundhog will

retire again for a number of weeks if it sees its shadow today.

We admire the presence of certain creatures which seem contented

and quite self-sufficient. Their possible absence for another six

weeks will be felt.

Appetites. We are attracted to a wide variety of wildlife, but

few of us are drawn to the lowly groundhog. There is something

enlivening about the presence of these humble creatures, for they

scurry about in a rather busy fashion and seem to be satisfied with

simple underground living quarters. And they adjust to about any

plants available for their rather wide-ranging menu. Needless to

say, the groundhog has an appetite: a single groundhog can wipe

out a garden in a very short evening visit. Having an attraction

to indulge in cultivated flora, groundhogs are not always welcome

guests. Besides an ability to traverse barriers, groundhogs do not

hesitate to immediately feast, much in the style of the comic strip

character, "Hagar the Horrible."

Mildness. Few creatures put up less of a fight than a

groundhog which regards its best defense as a hasty retreat into

its borrow. The groundhog is not known to be overly aggressive.

I suspect that its lack of aggression is what makes it an easy

target for dogs and more fierce wildlife. In fact, the young

groundhog is downright cute and contains the same characteristics

as the ground squirrel. Perhaps kids do have pet groundhogs.

Wildlife honored. This is the only day of the year where

wildlife is singled out, with honors going to the most humble of

creatures. It would seem more appropriate to have Cougar Day or

Wildcat Day. Some call Thanksgiving "Turkey Day," but that is not

out of affection but because the bird is a major part of the cooked

dishes. Honors go to the lowly groundhog -- but, in reality,

respect extends to all wildlife. We often see artificial

inducements being added to increase gaming wildlife such as land

set aside, salt blocks installed, or birds being fed. The

groundhog is truly honored because no extra effort is required. It

is resilient and able to take care of itself. No one has ever

devised a groundhog enhancement project, and it speaks highly of

this animal that chooses to sleep a little more. And that's okay.

Have a Heart. If the natural niche of the American carnivores

is missing, then herbivores can have a field day. Hav-a-heart

traps, made to capture wildlife in a humane manner,

may not be appreciated by those whose property or neighboring land

is targeted for wildlife dumping. One humane alternative is to

reintroduce the carnivores which can restore nature's original

balance lost through human development and carnivore eradication

practices. Welcome back wildcats and red foxes which can control

rabbits and other mammals, and black snakes which can control mice.

Let's protect bears and mountain lions as well.

February 3, 2004 Meditate Daily

Rationale. So much depends on how we read the title of this

essay. If said harshly as a strict command, it seems to be lost

before one starts. Yet we know that the Scriptures implore prayer

always but do not command us to meditate. However, many

regulations found in the Good Book, if sincerely followed, would

create an environment in which meditation is successful. If said

in a judgmental manner, meditating daily means we are so totally

dissipated in everyday living that we need to refocus life on

important things. If spoken in a softer manner, it harkens us back

to Mary who "kept all these things in her heart," which meant she

continually thought about the mysteries in her life in the various

moments of the day. Aren't we to meditate as part of Christian

living, but to do so freely so that we can be nearer to God.

Content. Christians are called to action, and when taking

their personal calling seriously, are caught up in the mystery of

being invited into God's family. Part of that calling consists of

reflection upon the goodness of God's gifts and where we fit into

using them properly in the limited time available. The fact of

being stewards of gifts brings us back to wanting more than a blank

mind which can block out the flow of images and phantasms which are

part of the flow of consciousness. We need to focus and that is

part of the practice of meditating. How do we best respond to the

God who calls us? We are drawn to delve more deeply into the

divine Mystery in which we have been baptized. But this is an all

consuming demand and invites our commitment to meditation -- on

Divine Mysteries as expressed in Christ's life, death and

resurrection. Thus our daily meditation becomes more Christic in

nature, that is, entering into the incarnate union of God and man.

Manner. The manner in which we meditate is somewhat diverse

and the final choice depends on one's circumstances and

temperament. We often think meditation is sitting with crossed

legs, eyes closed, and hands outstretched. A very good possible

position, but by no means the only way to meditate. A sick person

or one in prison or other institution will not be able to have a

rigid time schedule or formula; a busy parent taking care of a

growing family will have to be somewhat flexible in her/his

meditation both as to time and place; a nervous person may want to

walk or do a type of exercise while meditation. Some will try to

follow a certain Christian monastic approach, or a Buddhist manner,

or some other religious tradition. All good and well, provided

that the meditating can easily stay focused.

Application. When we ultimately decide upon a meditation

practice we realize that we must try to clear the clutter from our

mind as best we can. I find the process of Ignatian discernment to

be valuable for it cuts through excuses for doing one or other

additional activity and makes us center in Christ as focus of our

life. We are drawn to continue and deepen our meditation as we

strive through God's grace to participate more fully as active

members of Christ's Body.

February 4, 2004 Simplifying Urban Communities

1. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle --

compost kitchen and yard wastes

sort and recycle materials

share common appliances

2. Energy Conservation and Alternatives --

install compact fluorescent bulbs

establish comfort zones

check insulation

know solar energy applications

e.g., passive solar, hot water heating

3. Indoor Environment --

reduce commercial chemicals

curb noise pollution

freshen the indoors with potted plants

4. Transportation --

travel less

drive efficiently

use public transport when possible

5. Water --

conserve water

turn down water temperature

save rainwater

6. Land --

grow backyard gardens

and potted plants

read about edible landscaping

7. Building --

plant trees for windbreaks and shade

install window film

use interior space better

8. Food --

try batch cooking

consider solar cookers

focus on nutrition

9. Wildlife --

feed birds

care for pets

discuss wildlife controls

10. Community --

organize block parties with ecology in mind

initiate ecological discussion

February 5, 2004 Efficient Vehicles and Use

"Car Talk" is a rather humorous weekly radio show on National

Public Radio with callers being subjected to ridicule for not

thinking of the obvious when it comes to "car health." While

listening, we wonder whether we are much better than the caller.

Hybrids. The USEPA advises that a new efficient stove is a

good way to reduce air pollution, but a new efficient car may be

the best. Few older vehicles can accumulate the fuel savings of

some of these newer varieties. They certainly are far superior to

SUVs (the addict's last fling at consuming low-cost gasoline),

which blurred the car/truck standard divisions and have led to the

1990s stalled efficiency improvements. One-fifth of vehicular

resource use over the car's lifetime is in manufacturing, but fuel

economy certainly warrants replacement of heavy gas guzzlers. The

2004 Toyota Prius gets 61 mpg at a price of $22,000; the Honda

Insight gets about the same amount of mileage at about the same

price, but that car has little extra room beyond the front bucket

seats. The Honda Civic Hybrid gets 47 mpg (48 in city) at almost

the same price as well, but it has considerably more interior space

-- comparable to the 2004 Prius. These have multi-year warranties,

and buyers can get a $2,000 federal clean fuel vehicle tax

deduction. These brands utilize electric and gasoline-fuel

internal combustion to reduce fuel use and increase efficiency

through advanced automotive engineering. Fuel savings alone over

a possible ten-year lifetime could be in the many thousands of

dollars depending on the amount of travel done the owner.

Driving habits. Faster driving generally means wasted fuel.

I have a Ford Escort which has gotten 42 miles to a gallon for a

decade and now gone well over 300,000 miles. It is perhaps an

exception for its low maintenance and high gas mileage, but I keep

my fingers crossed when not typing. How long? I reduce my speeds

in senior years, which practice increases auto mileage efficiency,

as many speeders leave me far behind. More moderate speed plus

manual gear shifts (most people claim they cannot drive such

vehicles), lack of repairing a non-functioning air conditioning

system all add immensely to fuel efficiency. The major

inconvenient is on very hot days in a traffic jam, but extremely

rare for me due to very early morning summer driving.

Car maintenance. The car manual says it all, but it is not

our most popular reading material. Keep tires properly inflated,

oil changed at regular intervals, timer belts replaced at specific

intervals of about 60,000 miles, spark plugs and air and gasoline

filters replaced, and on and on. Have those tires checked at the

time the car is up on the rack for excessive wear, and rotate these

tires on a regular basis. We soon begin to learn that a regular

mechanic is like a primary physician; they can remind us of auto

repair needs when we tend to give attention to other matters and

neglect automobile health. It pays to have someone who knows the

car and actually takes an interest in its maintenance and good

service throughout the year.

February 6, 2004 Start Your Day Well

The lingering February cabin fever could be countered:

Rising on time. Some people jump out of bed at the last sound

of a calling infant, spouse or parent and hurry to make up for lost

time even before the day really gets underway. It is the wrong

side of the bed (or clock). A calm beginning is a better start and

that could be done within the limits of time required to launch the

day. If the day is an important event, then it would be well

prepared for on time. Isn't every day important?

Follow a routine. Some of us are early risers and engage in a

ritual of meditation, news programs, physical exercise, showers or

baths, leisurely breakfasts, planning sessions and even writing

periods. For advocates of routine early rising there is the added

routine of early retiring so that the morning person gets adequate

sleep. No burning of candles on both ends. Often the routine

stretches beyond the sleeping and rising periods to include lighter

suppers or refraining from caffeine or other stimulants during the

previous evening.

Not slave to the routine. Late work or social periods may

damage the routine and so some allowance must be made whenever

possible. I never worked late in my life because my study

efficiency went down at mid-night for sure and often quite a bit

earlier. It may be necessary sometimes to break schedules, but the

normal procedure must be picked up again as soon as possible.

A calming bath? Some want to start the day soaking in a tub of

water. Quite possible, but some of us doubt whether we have the

time. However, baths are good places to read, plan, meditate or

even hear or watch the news and we don't fault those that do them.

A healthy breakfast. For those of us making the beginning meal

the main one, special attention must be given to not upsetting or

overburdening one's digestive system. Most know the difference

between nutritious meals and the fast food breakfast consumed by a

growing part of America who fail to fix their own. A hunk of

grease and refined sugar washed down by coffee on the run is not

quite a calming ritual.

A walk for exercise or to work. Some find the trip to the

place of work when much time is required to be a calming

experience. Some walk, some bike and some drive or take public

transportation. I highly suspect that most find commuting the

opposite of a calming experience, and even feel like taking a break

once arriving at work. Many drivers at the early morning rush hour

are late, and this makes life tense for others battling the local

rush hour traffic.

A well-planned day. Plans help reduce stress in the long run.

We all agree that a peaceful beginning is needed in this turbulent

world. It is symbolic of how we wish to heal the Earth itself.

February 7, 2004 Healing the Earth

Collective decisions. What on Earth can I do to heal our

planet? We worry about the planet's problems and how we are party

to destructive forces now at work. We forget that several billion

individual decisions could bring about a cooperative solution, but

also that individual Americans with electric appliances and

gasoline-consuming vehicles can make decisions of greater impact

than those made by less consuming people in poorer places. So our

collective decisions result in major environmental impacts and can

be instrumental in bringing about genuine Earth healing.

Conservation on an individual basis. We each must conserve

resources. How can we ever heal the Earth if we cause hurt by what

we do: waste resources, fail to turn off the lights or the tap of

water, ride to the next block or to the door of the building where

we are going, change our wardrobe at the slightest change of

season, and move to a house double the size of the last?

Conservation leads to healing and we should be constantly aware of

what we need and what is extravagant and harmful. If we waste half

the food we prepare, we can hardly be good environmentalists. We

must begin at home to rework a tired expression -- but that does

not go far enough. In fact, if we do not go beyond our home and

realize the far-reaching effects of individual actions we totally

miss both environmental problems and Earth-healing opportunities.

Renewable energy. The non-renewable energy sources are

exhaustible and being exhausted far faster than we would want to

imagine. Yes, we need to convert to wind and solar energy. But the

"we" who must change is beyond what "I" can do with respect to my

personal limitations, lack of technical skills or lack of financial

resources. However, the "we" is more powerful than is first

imagined. We are democratic people who can influence national and

regional policy through citizen action at different levels. We can

speak up for tax incentives to renewable energy projects; we can

ask questions to elected representatives about renewable energy

applications at the local level or why they continue to allow

unfair tax breaks for non-renewable energy sources; we can start

a letter-writing campaign for an energy policy that moves away from

the fearful consumption of fossil fuels at rates which will drain

the accessible world's petroleum about 2020. The time for

conversion to renewable energy is now.

Environmental solutions involve communities. How do we keep

from the effects of urban sprawl except in a community action

program involving all citizens? What about local waste management

programs, water rates and accessibility, the reserve of lands for

wildlife, and on and on? The somewhat naive notion that if we do

little things on our own the world will be better only works to a

limited degree and can distract us from the bigger picture.

Environmental change involves a collective effort by an involved

community. That is why more permanent residency is quite helpful

as well as a strong and communicating organization at the local

level. We start at home to heal but we don't stop there.

February 8, 2004 Launch into the Deep and Take Risks

"Put into the deep water and lower your nets for the catch"

(Luke 5:4b)

World Marriage Day invites us to we remember our personal

family life and more importantly the life of married couples. For

many it is difficult journey with some bends and detours. For

quite a few folks married life is an "on again, off again affair or

a totally breaking loose and attempting a restart. Marriage brings

with it companionship and joy but it also has its risks -- to

partners, to children, even to in-laws. That brings us to the

point of this essay -- any time we launch into the deep there is

vulnerability and risk involved. The safe haven of utter security

does not exist except in some imagination or daydreams. Just when

we think we have filled our barns for the stormy season, suddenly

the doors fly open, the roof leaks or the mice run amuck. Genuine

security requires ongoing vigilance and trust in God.

Launching. To move out to receive the catch means we must

place our trust in God, or how else can we move forward. It is the

trust that made our forebears decide to come to these shores, to

find a place to settle, to obtain lodging and a means of

livelihood, and to raise a family. They were willing to launch out

in dangerous waters with all that it entails. They gave us the

inspiration and encouragement to undertake grander journeys.

Following. To say we are to walk in the footsteps of Christ

(on the waters) is to mix metaphors. We are in the stormy seas now

and the way ahead of us has its rewards which we are unable to

foresee. We could be like Peter who caught an enormous number of

fish when he followed Jesus' advice and direction. If we follow

the Lord, we will be able to fulfill the purposes of our own faith

journey which can sometimes take us out on fruitless expeditions in

our familiar fishing grounds. A willingness to launch and follow

direction are all part of total service on our journey of faith.

Unworthiness. To be of service in its fullness and be

strengthened by success in small matters makes the honest person

stop and declare as did Isaiah, Paul and Peter that they were

unworthy to even perform such service. We must launch out, see the

fruit of our labor and thank God, the source of all good gifts. We

declare that it is God not our doings. In a full sense, this is

the heart of gratitude, not saying the landscape is barren or the

net is empty, but to see that the produce is God's gift. A second

aspect of unworthiness is that we are not able on our own to use

gifts wisely in the limited time we have without God's help.

Risk-taking in our lives. We are all asked to take risks in

order to become mature adults and responsible Christians. Will we

take our calling seriously enough to seek God's constant help to

carry it through to completion? That is the question of life and

it is answered in an atmosphere of risk-taking on a stormy sea and

haunted by the possibility of an empty net.

February 9, 2004 Praying from the Heart: Sacred Time

Prayer is communication. Not all of us have the power of

speaking, but all of us conscious human beings are called to

communicate in some way. Merely talking to ourselves is not

communication; it can be a form of withdrawal and ultimately anti-

social behavior. We realize early in life that communication

between people is vital to being human being, to living with

others, and to satisfying our own needs. We talk with our parents,

siblings, and an expanding array of friends. And we are invited

through baptism into the family of God. In response to the divine

love we are asked to love God with our whole heart and soul, mind

and body. How else can this be done but by talking with God?

Four kinds of prayer. We talk with God in four ways: We ask

forgiveness for faults committed especially when offending someone

ad we say this prayer at the start of the Liturgy. We have our

signs of praise of God's greatness at the Gloria. We petition or

"pray" in a way that the English meaning of the word "I pray" or "I

beg you." Thus our petitions are for things needed in our own life

or the lives of our neighbors. One of the most profound prayers I

have ever heard was made by one inmate at the Manchester Prison

each Sunday, "For our loved ones who have been hurt by our being

here." And then there is the Divine Liturgy itself which is our

highest form of prayer -- thanking God for good things given.

Find sacred time. We must pray always but sometimes with

greater intensity. We can pray for peace, but we must be at peace

in order to pray. We pray for silence, the peaceful condition

needed to be able to hear ourselves pray. When disorder reigns we

pray that God gives us the silence of the heart, that ultimate

personal space in which God is present in our own lives. Some

people in this noise-filled world are not comfortable in silence

and even find it frightening. Others find prayer in silence to be

personal and quite familiar.

Old Brother Schwakenberg was a gardener at our Milford Ohio

Novitiate; I went past his open door during the meditation time and

he was talking as though someone was in the room -- but it was only

the Lord. My cousin, a medical doctor, would take a half-hour

afternoon nap, no matter how many extra patients were in the

waiting room. He needed that rest, and so did his patients need

his rest. Often people fall asleep at a moment's notice on

airplanes and during talks. Their sleep deprivation affects their

decision-making, their ability to listen and communicate with

others, and their family life and community relations. Stimulants

only exacerbate sleep deprivation problems.

February 10, 2004 Telemarketers and Privacy

Intrusion. We are plagued by intrusion in our lives reaching

such a monumental degree that we begin to take it for granted.

Some will apologize to the intruder for having been curt or

irritated. The apology should be in the opposite direction.

Nothing irritates us more than the telemarketer at meal time. Most

parents have difficulties getting everyone together for a single

meal these days; breakfasts are often at different parts of the

morning and taken on the run by those late for work or school;

lunches depend on where people are at the given time and that is

most likely not at home. The evening "dinner" or "supper" is ideal

for finding all or nearly all at home -- and so the marketers

strike.

Privacy. We strive to be left alone at times, and that is both

for our sanity and the good of others who may have to suffer from

our lack of energy or irritability. In former ages when it took an

effort to travel and visit another the degree of intrusion was far

less. The average person was able to find plenty of private time

to engage in desired pursuits. That is not always the case now.

Begin "wired" means a) that people will contact you and expect a

fired back response in a matter of a few minutes or b) being

stressed by hurried conditions. All people are on call always

through such devices as cell phones and Internet -- that is, if we

let them get away with it. Privacy is a victim of instant

communication.

Daily Reflections by Al Fritsch, S.J.

Daily Reflections
by Al Fritsch, S.J.