Just Thinkin' about the weather and ... ... Sister Rose

Sister Rose

The news and casual conversation revolved around the weather here in Minnesota.  Is it a "normal" winter?  Has it "ever" been like this before?  Can you believe this, people walking around without coats most of this winter?  What is going to happen when spring and summer come and we haven't had any moisture?  Did you read in the paper that flood predictions for spring are really low?  And then there was the lady at the postal counter in the grocery store, "what is going to happen to us?  Do you think that this is a sign we are close to the end."

Well besides the weather a whole lot has been happening in Minnesota and yet we continue to take refuge and comfort in the primacy of "the weather" above all else.  It provides a nice safe way to "greet" strangers and it is a nice safe way for family and friends to steer clear of topics/issues that make us so uncomfortable.

Several days ago I attended a meeting where Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet here in St. Paul gathered to take a good look at who are the people and what are the ministries that over our 161 years here in St. Paul speak to who we are?  One of the sisters called into the present was one "who did great things and who fought great demons."

She wasn't a "let's talk about the weather" kind of woman - her writings describe how challenging it was for her to "see" the injustices around her that others seemed to be blind to.  I knew her for a short while before her passing and find that I call out to her when I get frustrated by our continued focus on the weather, sports, rock musicians, what we can't do instead of imagining what we can do if we just "see" and work together for a better world beyond today's temperature, wind-chill, sun, clouds or lack of snow cover.

In the news this week:
Studies are showing an increase in domestic violence and a teenage girl in Wisconsin escaped the basement where her father, step-mother and step-brothers held her hostage, beat and starved and sexually assaulted her - she is the height of a 9 year old and weighs 70 lbs.  How could her neighbors, extended family not know she was "missing."  How can we spend so much time at the Minnesota Legislature on putting constitutional amendments on the ballot in November while our state budget is in crisis, 62% more children live in poverty in Minnesota today than 10 years ago and our education system is failing our children at an alarming rate, more Minnesota families are living in homeless shelters than our history?  Minnesota used to be a leader in education and our families used to have it better!

But why be concerned about such things, it is now 7:26 a.m. - the sun is up - it is 17.5 degrees - there are small patches of snow on the north side of buildings while the south sides present brown grass ... I should find someone with whom I can talk about the weather!

Dear Sister Rose - thank you for seeing people and the challenges in their lives and for believing you could make a difference.  You did and your ministries continue to flourish making a difference.  Like you there are so many people making life better every day for people.  There is so much goodness and kindness and generosity - we have so much to share - so much more in common than the weather!