“Considerable Dance”, brush drawing
by Thomas Merton

“The word of the Gospel is understood only when it is obeyed. It is known to those who strive to practice it.” — Thomas Merton Seasons of Celebration (New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1950) p 217

As the cold and snow continues I did very little today in the way of growing. I did get a chance to practice tonight what I am talking about — reducing the violence being taught at our universities. Tonight we had a small meeting of our group to plan our next action working to get Marquette to Be Faithful to the Gospel and To Stop Hosting Departments of Military Science. Marquette is home to the largest military officer training program for the war in Iraq in the greater Milwaukee area. It is time for Marquette to practice the Gospel of nonviolence that it endorses. Preaching one thing and doing something the opposite is not just a problem for Catholic institutions like Marquette but for many groups and many individuals. Many of us fail to hear the call of our conscience and do what we, in word, are against. This non-practice of what we preach in what we do is also found in gardens. Many organic farmers call for healthy eating and then make the price, perhaps of necessity, not affordable to those who most need it.

That is why at Growing Power, in the G.R.A.F system, and many others the stress is on affordability and access. We can talk all we want about eating healthy food, but we must make it affordable and available to all. Like the Gospel we must practice it in order to understand it. My adult son who lives here tonight at dinner told me a parable about a sheep herder who stood and practiced what he said about protecting his flock from the wolf. However, in the story because of his practice, people in the village ended up not believing him and belittling him. Sometimes when one practices what one preaches, others who believe the same thing are upset. They do not want to hear and see persons doing and saying what they believe but, forever reason, cannot or will not do.

People who strive to practice what they believe recognize each other. Although they might disagree, they respect each other because they know the other is saying and doing the same thing. I guess what we call a “hypocrite” is just the opposite kind of person. A hypocrite says one thing and does another. Now I understand why the followers of Jesus who were trying so hard to practice the Way of Jesus were so upset with those who preached the same good news or Gospel of Jesus but did not practice it.

Being true to your own nature, practicing what you say, reminds me of worms. Perhaps it is time tomorrow to hear in the Diary of a Worm from a worm.

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