Frank McCourt: Learning from the Teacher Man

A number of years ago I read the book, Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt. It was a riveting story and I couldn’t put it down. It chronicles McCourt’s life in the town of Limerick, Ireland, growing up with his alcoholic and abusive father and his strong-willed and doggedly determined mother who raised seven kids and struggled through the deaths of three of them.

I’ve been feeling sad ever since I heard the news of his death. He was a great writer and storyteller who allowed the reader as well as the rest of the world to know what he was thinking and what he had suffered through in this life.

What was so refreshing was that he wrote about all of the difficulties, hardships and even misery that were a part of his life in both Ireland and the United States, with a sense of humor. While sometimes his was a little wrier than most of us are used to, I always like my humor with twist of lime, some sarcasm seeping through.

And in his book, Teacher Man, he chronicles with brutal honesty what most teachers have to go through when they actually face students in the classroom.

Frank was made to order for a guy like me, both in his writings and when he spoke. I had the pleasure of listening to him at my daughter Allison’s graduation from Manhattanville College and, of course, his tongue was not tamed by the setting.

One thing I remember him saying as he addressed all of the would-be teachers looking into their futures, was that when he walked into classroom he used to say, “There is at least one person who will learn something in this class and that person is me.”

When I heard it, it brought a smile to my face because I’ve often pondered how much people have learned from me teaching them in Sunday School, confirmation class, adult forum, book studies and Bible classes. Hmmm ... I suppose it’s best not to do follow up on that. But I will say that I have learned immensely from every classroom setting I’ve been in.

My only regret is that I came upon this realization somewhat late in the game. As the old saying goes, “If I only knew then what I know now, who knows, I could be president.” (Hahaha.)

I do know one thing that the old admonitions from kindergarten stop, look and listen still apply. You’re never too old to learn and to grow. It’s too bad that many people think they’ve arrived and you can see the calcification taking place in their minds as you converse with them. Whether it’s literature, travel, theology or just a lively conversation, a new horizon can appear in your mind is widened by the encounter.

Take Five – Reflections on Dave Brubeck

Recently I was watching an interview with jazz great Dave Brubeck. He is now deep into his 80ies and still playing. The story of many jazz musicians is that they die young, have huge addictions to cocaine and other drugs, and leave a trail of broken relationships. Many of the biographies, such as Charlie Parker, Billy Strayhorn, Stan Getz, and others, are simply tragic stories of talented people dying way before their time. So, as I looked at this old man and his wife of nearly 60 years, I saw this picture of someone who not only loved music and continues to love it and perform, but also someone who made the right choices in a world of dark joints and surrounded by a world of shady people. So, here we have his wonderful wife, six children, and a whole trail of a person who created great music and stands as an inspiration to all of us on a personal level.

What I also find interesting is that in 1980 he became a Catholic. He claims he was “nothing” before that, but it was perhaps the invitation to write a jazz mass entitled “To Hope” that brought him into his deep encounter with the Christian faith. I could tell from the interview that when it came to his faith, he knew what he was talking about. This is not a person who joins anything easily, without thorough examination. To hear him talk about the Eucharist and receiving bread and wine with joy almost caused my mouth to fly open with astonishment.

Dave Brubeck is about hopeful music. He sees music as enriching, but religious music as transforming. Every time he sees a church, he wonders if the music is hopeful and uplifting. I guess going to church is like “taking five”, a few minutes of your week for inspiration.

New Orleans Dispatch II.

We have only very limited time to write this, as we are super busy with all the other 38,000 youth members here in New Orleans and have barely time to eat and sleep. But do not feel sorry for us as we are having the time of our lives.

Tag sales are over, the fundraisers seem now a distant memory as we are awoken in the middle of the night to meet at St. John’s to travel to New Orleans. We (Bobby, Michael, Lukas, Jimmy, Andrew, Casey, Rehema, Jack, Jason, Andrea, Suzanne, and Pastor Henk) left on Tuesday very early in the morning.

All of our fundraisers, many meetings, preparation courses seemed as if they h ave been the headwinds for our flight south to the land devastated by Katrina and Rita. But ironically these efforts were not a drag on us but enabled us to go. The first leg of our journey has everyone laughing and enjoying themselves as the plane takes off into a bit of turbulence.

Just think a piece of junk nobody wanted, a bowl of chili that someone made and sold, all of those Christmas wreaths and the Lucinda Pins that all many ordered, and that Cabaret Night where everyone brought their dishes. All these efforts added up to taking 12 of us on a trip that will live forever in our memory bank.

It is a big joy to see our Youth Group with their eyes wide open and their jaws dropping over more than just the sights of the city but over the great music and spirutal songs that we sing every evening in the Superdome. In addition we are so enriched by the fascinating speakers we are listening to from all over the world. People who have helped to rebuild New Orleans, people who have built 500 schools around the world and started by being inspired by a past Youth Gathering. We listened to a women who came out of retirement to help 10,000 girls not to fail in school. We heard a guy, not much older than our kids, who got his legs amputated at his pelvis, inspire us not to get discouraged by our own shortcomings and not to let us be bullied by anyone. In addition to this sermons have been flying left and right and guess what no one fell asleep. (-: There is still much more to come and what is more than just a little surprising and even very inspiring we never hear a complaint about going to the Superdome to listen to all this.

Additionally we did a swamp tour and saw some alligators in their natural habitat. Unfortunately some of our youth members felt right at home too (yeah, that was a little joke). Believe it or not we all held an alligator and we have pictures to prove it. We walked around the wonderful French Quarter, where our hotel is located, and convienently near to Cafe du Monde - love those Beignets - and Jackson Square. We walked the historic riverwalk, but what we really enjoyed was the new National World War II museum, which each of our youth members found more than informative - even very moving. It was great to see their response. Also on the fun side was our exploration of the wonderful restaurants in the city, here is to Cajun, Creole and Southern Louisana cooking. We will all have another order of Crabcakes, Jambalaya, Gumbo, Alligator Sausage and Crawfish. When we get back to New York, we'll have to go on a diet (at least the adults??!)

We walked miles and miles (so maybe no diet necessary). We visited the Interaction Center where we learned among lots of other things how Habitat of Humanity is helping to rebuild New Orleans, we visited a FEMA trailer and we learned how difficult it is to maneuver a wheelchair through a house. We even visited the place where the levies broke and where the new ones were put in place.

So everyone, time is flying. We need to get off this computer to get everything else done, we have not done yet. We promise to tell you all about it when we return.

When you are worshipping today we will be worshipping with our fellow gathering members - all 38,000 of them - as well. We will be thinking of you, even though we are far away. We are united in Christ. We miss you and look forward to seeing you soon. Thanks again for making this all possible.

New Orleans Dispatch I.

Tag sales are over, the fundraisers seem now a distant memory as we are awoken in the middle of the night to meet at St. John’s to travel to New Orleans. We meet to climb aboard a silver bird and fly away to our destination. It is dark and wet outside and we find Bobby, Michael, Lukas, Jimmy, Andrew, Casey, Rehema, Jack, Jason, Andrea, and Suzanne huddled in the upper room like Jesus’ disciples – all but one missing: Judas (Pastor Henk). Please note all YOUTH were on time.

Our stomachs feel empty and they are, but a messenger of mercy brings us muffins, croissants and other delicacies. Thank you, Carolynn Dilworth.

Soon car keys turn and engines revv, and we head down the Hutch. We are leaving for the Big Easy but it hasn’t been so easy…. All of our fundraisers, many meetings, preparation courses seem as if they are the headwinds for our flight south to the land devastated by Katrina and Rita. But ironically these efforts were not a drag on us but enabled us to go. The first leg of our journey has everyone laughing and enjoying themselves as the plane takes off into a bit of turbulence.

Just think a piece of junk nobody wanted, a bowl of chili that someone made and sold, all of those Christmas wreaths and the Lucinda Pins that all many ordered, and that Cabaret Night where everyone brought their dishes. All these efforts added up to taking 13 of us on a trip that will live forever in our memory bank. Hey, New Orleans may not be the same after we make it our home for a week, or at least after we and the other 36,000 young Lutherans will leave on Sunday afternoon.

We want it to be home. We want to see this famous place in the history of our country that has experienced so much tragedy, heartache and pain when the levees broke only a few years back. We want New Orleans to get into our blood and into our hearts as we meet the people who live there. They are our brothers and sisters, just as the 36,000 Lutherans who will be coming from Iowa, California, South Dakota, and even Brooklyn. We come to learn, to be enriched, and to grow from this experience. New Orleans has a lot to offer and we want to be open to its great food, its music that makes you snap your fingers, and its unique architecture that inspires and takes you back to another time in Southern life. That is not the only trajectory of this journey because we will encounter a whole community of people who are labeled Lutheran. They will come in all shapes and sizes, different political beliefs, and different ways of being a disciple to our Lord. They can teach us a few things and even inspire us to bring home a few ideas for our congregation and community.

“That’s the Way It Is”

Walter Cronkite died last week, but his voice will always live on in the minds of listeners who grew up with his very famous newscast that always ended with “And that’s the way it is”. He became known as the most trusted man in America, and, of course, became an icon in journalism history as he covered the civil rights movement, the JFK assassination, the Vietnam war, numerous political conventions, the landing on the moon, and Watergate. A lot was being said about him these past few days, but Dan Rather said it best when he said that he had the ability “to get through the glass”. A wonderful phrase that simply describes how Cronkite came through the television set and appeared in your living room like an old uncle.

The more I thought about “getting through the glass”, the more the metaphor reminded me of the glass ceiling that women had to break through to get equal positions in business. Basically, it captures the feeling of distance between people. Cronkite was able to bridge that distance to really communicate with his audience that consisted of much of America. In a certain sense, our goal, as we try to communicate with each other, is to break through that invisible barrier to connect with people in a genuine and authentic way. We live with so much falsehood and hypocrisy, within and without the church. It is always refreshing to come upon real communication of compassion and true caring. We all want to be heard and understood. For Christians, Jesus’ ministry was always one of “getting through the glass” as he spoke to those on the margins of society as well as those in the center.

Getting through that glass is often not easy because most of us have insulated ourselves pretty well. We don’t want to be vulnerable; yet, vulnerability is what opens us up to living life more deeply. So, here is to “getting through the glass” of our self-centeredness, our attempts to be invulnerable, and our need to be the center of attention, and discovering the world of others.

Solidarity of the Sick

Today I was trying to listen to a presentation on the internet when the sound was drowned out by sirens. I shook my head in annoyance, but as I looked out the window I noticed it was an EMS ambulance speeding by the church. A fling of guilt for feeling that way ran through my body. After all, it was only two or so weeks ago when I was in an ambulance myself with two paramedics who were both professional and had a great sense of humor which made the ride a bit more comforting. Of course, when you are taking a ride like this, the journey can be a bit harrowing – something has hit you like lightning that says that for the moment you are helpless and in need of others. That vulnerable, dependent feeling is at first very frightening and later becomes a haunting ghost that visits you from time to time with a reminder by something like an EMS siren that tells you that you are not the master of the universe you once thought you were. Life can be changed in an instant, and you can even be taken out of the picture altogether.

So, I am sure I will never look at an ambulance again in the same way. Maybe even a person in a hospital bed will never look quire the same again. There is a solidarity among the sick who know the feeling of vulnerability and powerlessness. However, you are not powerless altogether. I can remember a conversation in my drugged, dizzy, and dream-like state between the patient in the bed next to mine and me. Talking through a curtain, I found his words of welcome reassuring, and later he would find my words comforting and even asked me to pray for him.

It was Paul who said: “My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Sometimes it takes a visit to the hospital to realize that.

Idols, Scandals, and the Bible

Having recently been sick and watching what seems like thousands of hours of TV, I somehow missed “sweeps week” and was stuck with “death-and-scandal week”. It seemed like I was endlessly watching the life of Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon, and Michael Jackson, as well as the confession of Mark Sanford, Governor of South Carolina, and the ensuing commentary. It seemed like what hell may be like – hearing a voice telling you that you will be forced for the rest of your life to watch this kind of TV. It seemed like more than enough punishment for anyone’s sins.

I came across the following paragraph written by Martin Marty, who makes an observation about the death of Michael Jackson and the recent scandal of Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina, which sums up my feeling better than I could:

Any phenomenologist looking in on the idol-worship upon the death of icon Michael Jackson would say that in this celebrity-adulation she has located our real religion. And we have only a line or four left for the most religiously-covered event of the week: the confessions of Governor Mark Sanford, who came back from one of history’s most publicized trysts to apologize for his “mistake” and to announce that he’s been rereading the Bible. He’s used the Bible for years in his political efforts to smash everyone who reads it differently than he does. Now it’s a more personal issue: He calls in King David, to identify with that lecher-of-old. What a week!—in “secular” America.

I guess most of us have our own way of interpreting the Bible, so that it agrees with what we think. Maybe it is just good to let the Bible address our lives, and let the chips fall where they may.