“You, Yes You”

 

“You, Yes You”

Many of us spend much of our lives waiting to be picked.  It can be stressful when it happens late; it can be demoralizing if we doubt that it will happen at all.  But everyone is called.

When I was young there was a children’s television program called Romper Room.  I really don’t remember too much about it, but I do remember that at the end of the show, the host had a little rhyme.  As much as I can recall, it went something like this: “Romper stomper bomper boo; tell me, tell me, tell me true – did all my little children have fun at play?”  She then held up her magic looking glass that supposedly allowed her to see all the little children staring at her through their television screens.  She then acknowledged some of the children by name, “I see Jimmy, and Sally and Tommy and Judy . . .”  I know that I literally leaned forward, hoping that she would call my name.  And I recall my disappointment when that never happened.  She never noticed me, Danny.

When I was 8 years old, K.C., one of my best friends at school invited me to his birthday party.  It was the first birthday party I was ever invited to and I was super-excited, especially when K.C. told me that the first thing we were going to do was to go downtown to the television station where they filmed a local children’s show – Colonel Caboose.  Despite his high rank, Colonel wore a jean jacket and cap with a red bandana.    

I vividly remember getting herded through these long dark blue curtains and up into the bleacher seats.  Once the show started the Colonel’s adult assistant spun around in a circle and then pointed at the lucky kid who not only helped the Colonel for the rest of the show, but they also got an enormous Slo Poke sucker that was supposed to take you a whole week to eat.  Much to my amazement, when the Colonel’s assistant stopped spinning she pointed right at me!  But, before I could jump to my feet, the Colonel invited my friend K.C. to come down.  K.C. was seated in the row directly below me.  Maybe it was an honest mistake, but I soon began to wonder if the whole thing was rigged to make sure one of the birthday kids was picked.  It was hard to be happy for K.C., but I tried.

I don’t know if introverts are born or made, but that certainly described me (still does).  Inside it seemed that in all my life’s endeavors that I was in the running, but just not quite good enough.  That streak was only broken once when I met and married my wife, Michelle.  I’m still now sure how that happened.  But it mirrors what happened in my faith life.

I had a nice, little and contained faith life.  It fit conveniently into the little space that I afforded it.  But that all changed oddly and unexpectantly one day.  It was the first evening of religious education.  My two oldest were enrolled.  The parish held an evening Mass to start the year off; families of the students were invited to attend.  So, Michelle, the kids and I took our places in our usual spot.  As the time until Mass got shorter I became more and more uneasy.  I couldn’t help but begin to look around.  This was supposed to be a family Mass, but I noticed that many of the children were there unaccompanied by their parents.  Of the parents that were there, I noticed that I was literally the only father.  “Where were all the parents?” I asked myself.  “Where were all the fathers?” 

Those kinds of questions could have easily given me an excuse.  But the answer I got was, “You can change that for your family.  I want you to change that for your family.”  I felt like God saw me, and it wasn’t through his magic looking glass.  I felt like God pointed right at me and then didn’t choose someone else around me to come forward.  He called me.  One of the wonderful things about God is somehow, some way he calls each of us to come closer to Him.  He calls all because He loves all.  If you have experienced that, tell someone who hasn’t heard their name called yet your story.  Maybe they will begin listening; maybe they will begin seeking; maybe they will begin asking; maybe they will begin knocking.  “For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:8      

His Peace <><

Deacon Dan     

Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash