I recently have taken small steps
into the world of Twitter. Hobbit steps you might call them, tenuous and
clothed in a vague awareness that there is no real turning back from it. Odd
how the fast-changing world of finger-prompted media-forms pulls people into its
orbit. Fascinating, Spock might say. And like Sam upon seeing Rivendell, one is
struck by the beauty and strangeness of this place.
I have taken the name-tag of Amigo de Frodo, because names are like
sacraments and parables, they reveal and conceal at the same time. They help
you know and not know at the same time. The not knowing might make you want to
know more. Maybe not.
Instant communication that shares
a thought or a joy or a concern or a sadness is amazingly strange, and
strangely beautiful, and for that reason is like the perilous realm Tolkien
wrote about when he wrote about the land of Faery. There are great and strange
and powerful beings in this realm. Even their goodness can frighten you. And
there are fierce beasts that dwell there.
Still, in a few short weeks, I
have heard from people I might never in my life have communicated with. Surely
this is a blessing. But it is a blessing that leaves a strange sadness, because
I know most of them I shall never meet face to face, this side of eternity.
That is probably a good thing,
the strange sadness, I mean. For the good things of this life are at their best
when they remind us of what they cannot provide. In this case, a connection is
not quite enough. It is a knowing that knows what it lacks. On the other hand,
the good things of this life are at their worst when they make us forget about
what they cannot provide. I am quite sure the inscape of new media could propel
a person into this kind of forgetfulness. It is very powerful; the
communicating can become an end and joy unto itself. Strange, beautiful,
perilous.
Communion is the deepest longing
of the human heart, and it is not fulfilled in connections; connections only
can point to the possibility of communion. Even communion is not full in this
life, and rightly leaves us wanting and willing something more (as Augustine
says somewhere about the Eucharist).
I like the fact that to send a
Tweet requires that you be brief. I have always thought I take too long and too
many words to say something simple. The approach to simplicity is a move that
mirrors the call of grace, and in the best scenarios, is actually informed by
it. Somebody asked me recently what prayer is. I have often gotten that
question. Only this time I answered it differently than I have in the past. In
a simpler way: Prayer is reading the Gospel and letting Jesus say something to
you, then responding to Him. This is not different than what I have said
before, just simpler. Not simple enough yet, but it is something.
Most of my recent Tweeting has
been just that. After reading the Scriptures of the Liturgical Day, I let the
Lord say something to me, so that I can say something to those who are perhaps
seeking a word from Him. Seems to me this is a bishop’s principal job. So, after
listening to the Word a bit, I write something. Then I shorten it. Then I
shorten it some more. Then I can send it out. This is wonderful. A boon to my
spiritual life!
But the strangeness continues
along the same path. It is a strange responsibility to Tweet. To send out a
message is to ask someone to take the time to read, think, see, to enjoy
something beautiful, or to remember something forgotten. I think I should never
do this lightly, in the sense that I should never forget that what I ask is never
given without a sacrifice of time. Time should not be lightly requested. But at
the same time, to step into the world of the instant message that hurls itself
into inner-space should only be done lightly, that is to say, without taking
ourselves too seriously. Keep to yourself, I tell myself, when you Tweet. Not
in the sense of staying apart and separate, but in the sense of being yourself
as you do it. You cannot be another. It is in that spirit that I offer of few
samples of recent messages sent out on the wings of a little blue bird.
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Amigo de Frodo (@DFlores74319386)
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LA Times story on Sacred Heart
Respite Center: Texas church, volunteers offer more than sanctuary for new
immigrants fw.to/IKXEbAY
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Amigo de Frodo (@DFlores74319386)
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Mt14,13-22:
El Señor les da, multiplicando los panes. Los discípulos dan, distribuyendo.
El Señor nos da para que tengamos algo que dar.
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Amigo de Frodo (@DFlores74319386)
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God raises up saints, for sure. I
think He raises up great writers as well. A fine article on Flannery
O'Connor: twitter.com/antoniospadaro…
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Amigo de Frodo (@DFlores74319386)
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"Al
atardecer de la vida me examinarán del amor". No se olviden de los
ancianos, los inmigrantes, los no-nacidos.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=IuysY2… |
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Amigo de Frodo (@DFlores74319386)
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Jn6: En el
Señor Jesús, la entrega es la verdad, y la verdad la entrega. Señor, ¡aliméntanos, necesitamos la verdad, nos queremos
entregar!
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Amigo de Frodo (@DFlores74319386)
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Juan
Manuel de Prada, gran admirador de Chesterton, escribe sobre una novela
profética del Argentino Castellani.
osservatoreromano.va/es/news/un-arg… |
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Amigo de Frodo (@DFlores74319386)
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A poem from Joseph O'Brien. A
friend I do not often see but do esteem with high regard:
americamagazine.org/issue/ballade-… |
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Amigo de Frodo (@DFlores74319386)
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A very thoughtful article:
Outraged over Cecil the lion? It may help you understand the rage over Planned Parenthood fw.to/kAjjBtj |
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Amigo de Frodo (@DFlores74319386)
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Mt13, 36-43:The Lord teaches final
judgment.The one who knew to seek and give pardon will receive, on that day,
what he had sought and given
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Amigo de Frodo (@DFlores74319386)
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Mt20,20-28:"Can you drink of
my chalice?" He offers them a share in what is his own.He thus shows the
only ambition allowed in the Kingdom.
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Amigo de Frodo (@DFlores74319386)
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Ah, my friends, to add a little
joy to a Saturday morning. Artie Shaw, recorded ages ago. Cool is cool in any
age:)
m.youtube.com/watch?v=pCXVxE… |
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Well, you get the idea.
+df
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