Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Denise Bossert

Home
Catholic
No Place for Reluctance in the Gospel Mission

No Place for Reluctance in the Gospel Mission

Last updated on: July 1, 2014 at 4:36 pm by Denise Bossert

No Place for Reluctance in the Gospel Mission 2014-07-01T16:36:05-05:00 Denise Bossert

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The book is done. The editor has it. She wrote to say that it is moving to marketing and final copyediting. Time to open the champagne, right?

I couldn’t figure out what was going on inside me. Was I just having trouble accepting the end of the season of writing? Shouldn’t I be kicking up my heels and dancing about now? Was it like the Robert Frost poem I read in graduate school?

“Reluctance”

Ah, when to the heart of man

Was it ever less than a treason

To go with the drift of things,

To yield with a grace to reason,

And bow and accept the end

Of a love or a season? (19-24)

No. It was more than saying goodbye to the book-writing season. Sure, I love writing. But it was more than sadness that the writing was over. It was a fear of what comes next. The phase that isn’t a comfortable fit. The phase that challenges me, calls me from my comfort zone, comes with a little cross.

Now, it is time to share the story with the world, but not just by way of editors or in the pages of newspapers. This time, the sharing will come by way of my own feet, by my own lips, by where I go and what I say. Not simply by what I write.

Here, the words take on flesh. And I leave the comfort of home to share with others.

Today at morning Mass, I realized that I am a little intimidated by this next phase. Sure, I have given talks. I have even been on TV. But it has been the smaller part of what I do. Never first or foremost. This morning, I realized that I’m not merely reluctant to put the pen down. I am reluctant to go out to the world – out of myself.

I don’t know… this me. I know me-the-writer. I know me-the-contemplative. But the me that does radio shows and TV shows and gets on planes (okay, that part is kind of fun)… but the me that ascends the steps to share with crowds of a thousand or more… that me I don’t know so well. Strange, my articles have gone out to billions–yes, billions–but I have hid in the shadows while it happened.

Can I begin to see the sharing in the world as the primary thing? Yes. I had figured out what was going on.

But the Blessed Mother only permitted me to stay in this uncomfortable place for about two days. That’s when she looked at me like a mother does. She smiled at me as a mother smiles. And she reminded me…

I am not so different from her. Mary had her comfort zone. She had her bedroom, her family, her Nazareth. It was one thing to say yes to pregnancy, but then, that little boy was born. And she was being asked to pick Him up and share Him. With Joseph. With God in the Temple – and Anna and Simeon. With everyone.

Suddenly, that little baby that grew in the quiet, dark place of her womb–He had to go beyond the hidden place. And she had to take Him there. She had to do it. The gift had to be shared.

Mary is telling me something today. What is she telling you?

Is she saying that you have stayed too long in your comfort zone? Is she nudging you away from the shadows? Is she encouraging you by reminding you that she, too, was meek and preferred anonymity… but God had something else in mind for her?

Up…up…up. She says. A pen is good, but feet are better.

Go…go…go. She says. A writing chair is comfy, but the people will never come to you. The people will never come to Christ! Unless you go out.

Suddenly, the book is heavy. It was so light when I was writing it.

Suddenly, the baby Jesus was heavier. He was so light when she carried Him.

But now, He had to be shared…by way of her arms.

By way of her feet.

By way of her.

So, get up. Pick up the phone and do the interviews. Pack the suitcase and get on the plane. Mount the steps and take a place at the podium. The one who was most meek, most mild, most inclined to remain in the shadows has mounted the heights of Heaven. This Queen of Heaven has gone so far beyond her comfort zone that there is no land, no time, no people too far away.

And so it must be for us.

Previous Post

June 30, 2014

Grace flows from wounds such as these.

Next Post

July 6, 2014 Mere Steps

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Diocesan Column Holy Land Travel Writing Let's Go On A Pilgrimage Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the "Great Commission" Jesus gave his followers?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Build a temple Gather riches Stay hidden Go and make disciples