Dear Parishioners,

Autumn is a month when change and transition is poignant. The trees give us one last blast of color and then their leaves shrivel, die and fall back to the earth. Temperatures become cooler announcing the bleak months of winter that are yet to come. Autumn sunsets fill the evening skies with resplendent reds and oranges, which although strikingly beautiful, are the colors of war. In classical Christian mythology the archangel Michael, whose feast day is September 29, is thought to replace the warrior god Mars who was always clothed in red. Not surprisingly, so is the angel Michael.

The season of autumn rouses us from summer’s slumber and summons us to the battlefront of life where we must engage in those age old battles of change that are inevitable but essential if we want life to go on. While those battles of change can occur at any time of the year, autumn give us the opportunity to reflect on them in the light of the natural world and the liturgical year.

Change is always difficult. The former abbot of St. Procopius Abbey, Abbot Dismas Kalcic, who recently passed into eternal life, was fond of saying, Little change, little opposition. Big change, big opposition. Always opposition. In other words, conflict always accompanies change, and the degree of conflict is determined by the extent of the change. I share this because we have experienced some major changes here at St. Joan of Arc Parish. Our place of worship has changed significantly, especially with regard to its acoustics. The replacement of sound absorbing carpet with the hard surfaces of terrazzo has intensified sound – the sound of singing as well as an array of other sounds that families bring when they gather for prayer.

Besides our church building, there are some changes on our parish staff. We have a new Finance and Business Manager, a new Director of Adult Faith Formation, a new Director of Religious Education and some changes on our maintenance and grounds crew. In people’s attempts to adjust to these changes and the new personalities that come with them, there can arise various specific conflicts that are unsettling.

When faced with conflicts like these it is easy to resort to practices like complaining, or what St. Benedict refers to as grumbling (sometimes translated murmuring). In chapter 34 of his Holy Rule, St. Benedict writes,

1 It is written: Distribution was made to each one as he had need (Acts 4:35). 2 By this we do not imply that there should be favoritism–God forbid–but rather consideration for weaknesses, 3 Whoever needs less should thank God and not be distressed, 4 but whoever needs more should feel humble because of his weakness, not self-important because of the kindness shown him. 5 In this way all the members will be at peace. 6 First and foremost, there must be no word or sign of the evil of grumbling, no manifestation of it for any reason at all. 7 If, however, anyone is caught grumbling, let him undergo more severe discipline. (Emphasis added)

For St. Benedict, the monastery ought to be a place where peace and tranquility reside so that the monks may focus on their prayer life with God. Benedict is convinced that one of the greatest threats to this peace is “the evil of grumbling.” The grumbling to which Benedict refers is more than ordinary complaining, it is the type of conversation that insidiously erodes the very fabric of a community even causing it to question the presence of God within it. It is the same Latin word found in the Latin translation of the Old Testament in Exodus 16: 2-12 when the Israelites grumbled against God and Moses as they wandered in the desert making their way to the Promised Land. They grumbled because it was time of transition and change for them moving from Egypt to their new future home. Life as they knew it had changed. The food was unfamiliar. The water was not as plentiful. The leadership of Moses appeared haphazard. By their incessant grumbling they created a toxic atmosphere among themselves that not only bred unhappiness but ultimately weakened their faith in God’s providence.

Fortunately, our awareness of the inevitability of change and transition can help us to navigate through it, and when we feel the urge to engage in the grumbling that St. Benedict speaks of, I would suggest we consider, what I call The 4 P’s.

Perspective – that we try to see the change in light of the bigger reality of the world, particularly in the face of suffering and pain that so many people must live with.

Patience – that we cultivate patience, the root word of which is from Latin meaning “to suffer.” By being patient, especially with ourselves, we become more tolerant of others, but there will always be an element of suffering. Suffering can foster growth.

Possibility – that from the changes that initially may cause us to grumble, there can be new possibilities we did not imagine earlier.

Prayer – that we use prayer as the tool that unites us all together and to God, and that we petition God for this gift of patience so that we can live happier, healthier and holier lives.

May this autumn be filled with transitions that we willingly embrace gladly for the glory of God and the well-being of our neighbor.

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