VIGNETTES

     Occasionally, Bible passages will provide us with windows into the everyday nuances of life, but those glances are limited in scope. Yet, I find myself pondering the everyday ups and downs, the peculiarities of their day. It is unclear when I began considering the aspects of their lives. I can only assume it is an unforeseen characteristic resulting from the way I approach Scripture and the rosary. Adapting advice from A Catholic Guide to Mary, by Fr Oscar Lukefahr, instead of merely viewing the Bible as a book or reciting prayers as a mechanical exercise, I dive in. Superimpose myself, if you will. In adopting that counsel, passages and prayers come alive.

     You may be thinking to yourself, Yeah, sure, I do that. Karl is talking about nothing new. There is no doubt that this is nothing new, except for me. As a result, my spiritual experiences are fuller, more nourishing. For instance, have you ever considered how difficult it must have been to travel back then? Ancient roads were nothing in comparison to what we take for granted today. We have comfortable shoes; whereas, they had sandals that would undoubtedly permit pebbles to periodically, and without warning, become lodged under foot. Ouch! Imagine stubbing your toe? It's also not as though they enjoyed the performance clothing that our culture does.

     Being that we are currently observing the season of Lent, there is another opportunity to explore. When Jesus was fasting for forty days in the desert, how did he manage? It's not as though he had a large backpack strapped to his back with a change of clothes, tent, sleeping bag, cooking utensils, food, and so forth. (It is plausible that he could have loped around on a camel, which would have accommodated limited creature comforts and foodstuffs.) This begs to question, at night did he curl up next to a fire and sleep with nothing more than what he was wearing? What did he lay his head upon? It's not as though he could pull into the parking lot of a hotel and rent a room, enjoying a continental breakfast in the morning.

     As for the apostles, with or without Jesus at their side, how did they interact? Did they joke around, have fun, and tease each other? When they were hungry, did each person in their traveling procession have particular tasks in order to achieve efficiency? When in the wilderness, did they sit on the ground, stumps, or boulders? What were their complaints as they sat around and ate together (it's our nature to complain, surely they did, too)? Was their life all business, no levity?

     I don't know about you, but I enjoy exploring these possibilities. Such do not really lead anywhere, other than I somehow feel more connected when pondering and reflecting on what life must have been like for them.

     As of late, each morning as I walk to breakfast, I wonder what they must have eaten, if anything. A bowl of porridge? Certainly not with a couple spoonfuls of sugar! Perhaps wild berries and flask of milk from a goat (warm milk). How did their day start? Was there water to cleanse oneself? In our culture we are constantly concerned with our outer appearance, did they even care?

     Recently, I shared these thoughts with a few people. They first looked at me like I was crazy and felt compelled to knock me down with a few condemning words. One response was, "If it's not in the Bible, such is not worth considering.” Well, excuse me (satire)! The next fella had the same look of incredulity on his face and responded in a similar fashion, “I doubt that they sat around discussing frivolous matters”! Ouch! Quite frankly, I began to wonder if they had a point!

     As the day progressed, I expressed these accounts of being knocked down with a couple of other people, half expecting they would commission that I be placed in the loony bin. Much to my delight, they too agreed with the practice of meditating on the experiences of people in the Bible, the whole of their ancient culture. In an unexpected turn, we actually had quite a long discussion on the topic. The result of this interaction gave me hope that we are not merely looking at the surface accounts set forth in Scripture, but the lives of the people who were experiencing Jesus firsthand. To me, to do otherwise would be akin to being half interested in the author. You know, when you hear somebody talking but are only listening because you have to.

     I am sad for those who have not taken the opportunity to reflect on the nuances of daily life of those persons depicted in the Bible. They are missing out on a spiritual richness. Which begs to question, do you ever superimpose yourself, or wonder……