“When a strong man fully armed guards his courtyard, his possessions go undisturbed. But when someone stronger than he comes and overpowers him, such a one carries off the arms on which he was relying and divides the spoils.”
Luke 11:21-22
Right now there is so much talk of protection, security and safety. I long for the image of a “strong man fully armed” to guard me and my possessions so that I can remain undisturbed.
Undisturbed. Complacent. Naïve. Ignorant.
Dear Lord, what is the cost of my remaining “undisturbed?” At what price do I live in a cocoon wrapped away from the world? Am I undisturbed about the poor and marginalized I see around me each day? Can I remain untouched by the violence and fears I see in the faces of others on the news? Do I pretend that my everyday actions, purchases and way of life have nothing to do with the conflicts on the other side of the world?
What is in my life, dear Jesus, that I am protecting so desperately? I stand in my courtyard waiting to fend off an outside enemy, but the foe is already here, hiding deep within my own house. What darkness do I have, Lord, that I arm myself against? Tell me what fears I have that I am afraid to bring to you? What ignorance am I too lazy to tackle? Which of your neediest people am I prepared to ignore as I walk by them on my way to worship you?
We have so much to be sorry for, loving God. Forgive us our sins and grant us the peace we long for – peace that will come only when we drop the heavy weapons of our everyday concerns and open the doors of our courtyards to care for others. And finally, as I labor with you for your neediest, then will the tightly locked doors of my house fall open and the light of your love be released.
Maureen McCann Waldron
The most important part of my life is my family – Jim my husband of 47 years and our two children. Our daughter Katy, a banker here in Omaha, and her husband John, have three wonderful children: Charlotte, Daniel and Elizabeth Grace. Our son Jack and his wife, Ellie, have added to our joy with their sons, Peter and Joseph.
I think family life is an incredible way to find God, even in (or maybe I should say, especially in) the most frustrating or mundane moments.
I am a native of the East Coast after graduating in 1971 from Archbishop John Carroll High School in suburban Philadelphia. I graduated from Creighton University in 1975 with a degree in Journalism and spent most of the next 20 years in corporate public relations in Omaha. I returned to Creighton in the 1990s and completed a master’s degree in Christian Spirituality in 1998.
As our children were growing up, my favorite times were always family dinners at home when the four of us would talk about our days. But now that our kids are gone from home, my husband and I have rediscovered how nice it is to have a quiet dinner together. I also have a special place in my heart for family vacations when the kids were little and four of us were away from home together. It’s a joy to be with my growing family.
Writing a Daily Reflection is always a graced moment, because only with God’s help could I ever write one. I know my own life is hectic, disjointed and imperfect and I know most of us have lives like that. I usually write from that point of view and I always seem to find some sentence, some word in the readings that speaks right to me, in all of my imperfection. I hope that whatever I write is in some way supportive of others.
It’s an incredibly humbling experience to hear from someone who was touched by something I wrote. Whether the note is from someone across campus or across the world, it makes me realize how connected we are all in our longing to grow closer to God.
