Coloring between the lines.

Recently I had the joy of watching my two year old granddaughter receive her first coloring book and crayons. After a brief explanation by her mother, she pulled out a crayon at random and attacked the coloring book with reckless abandon. She was not concerned with whether she was using the "right" crayon or if she was coloring between the lines.
After a few minutes she decided that she had completed her artwork and showed the finished product to anyone who would take the time to look. I must admit it was quite a mess but she received the appropriate praise and congratulations. I will never forget the smile on her face and the twinkle in her eye. You would have thought she had created the modern day Mona Lisa.

My first exposure to coloring was much the same experience as my granddaughter. But overtime the praise and congratulations I received was determined by the colors I used. You see, a face was not purple and the sky was not yellow. When I would ask why? I was told that other people far more knowledgeable than me had made those decisions long ago. I was also encouraged to color between the lines. Even though those lines had been determined by someone else, I was told that my finished product would be more accepted if I stayed within the already established diagram. Since I wanted to be accepted, I chose to CONFORM. Coloring was never quite the same after that.

I began to reflect on our Catholic Church and the approaching year 2000. Some of you might be wondering how I could make the transition from coloring to the Third Millennium. Its easy for a right brained evangelist.
We have many challenges and problems in our Church today. We must be willing to identify the realities of where we are and where the good news will take us. This will require looking at and possibly changing the colors and lines of the past. Are we willing to be stretched? Remember, once a mind is stretched by a new idea, it never regains its original form.

Many people today have what I call the "Rip Van Winkle Syndrome." They are waking up and asking if the Catholic Church of today is offering practical solutions to their everyday needs. When religion is no longer relevant, it can become meaningless and alienating.
Our efforts must come from the bottom of our heart and not the top of our heads. We must know and name the needs of our people and than be willing to respond to those needs and concerns.

Scripture and the new Catechism can be a spiritual corrective lens. They can heal the cataract of pride, the glaucoma of unforgiveness and the blindness of hatred, bigotry and prejudice. This will require dialogue, tolerance and acceptance. It will demand the asking of new, challenging and possibly painful questions to ask. We must allow anyone to ask the questions and no one should be alienated from the process.
Einstein once said that No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that created it.

Since Jesus established our church 2000 years ago, I believe there have been four basic types of people. They are all needed to create a balanced church, but tension and intolerance is often exhibited when they come together.
First there is the Shifter. This person plays a prophetic role. They have a vision and are able to read the signs of the times. However, they are often misunderstood and looked upon as strange and two cards short of a full deck. Does John the Baptist come to mind? How could he possibly have anything of value to say, he ate grasshoppers and honey and wore strange clothes.
Next there is the Pioneer. This person understands the shifter and is willing to take the prophetic vision that is offered and venture into uncharted territory. Do the twelve Apostles come to mind? Next is the Settler. This person is happy when there are well defined boundaries and they are more than happy to let others establish those boundaries.
And lastly there is the Entrencher. You will know these people by their seven favorite words. "We've never done it this way before." They do not like change and are upset with anyone who suggest it. Do the Scribes and Pharisees come to mind? For the most part, Jesus did not color between the lines and quite often suggested using new and different colors.

In closing, I believe that as Pope John Paul II calls us to a new evangelization, he is challenging more Shifters and Pioneers to step forward. Will you accept the challenge? Our Church depends on it!

Glenn Harmon © 2002