So You Want to be a Hermit?

   Have you ever decided to be a hermit?  Over the span of my life there were several times I just wanted to walk off, find a cabin in the woods and live there away from people, the world, the problems and pressure.

   The news of late has caused those feelings to rise up again.  Why not just be a hermit? I wouldn’t have to work with evil in the world that causes humans to act inhumane.   I just want to quit being part of human kind.

   Yet, I cannot quit being human.  I may not like the things some humans do. After all they commit murders, atrocities so bad how could they even BE human? Yet I must remember there are many more good humans than bad. 

   What I am getting at is this:  we are human, we cannot quit being human. We have to change how humans behave when they are bad, inappropriate or murderous. I raised my children to be good caring humans.  I teach martial arts as self defense to help people know how to stay safe from bad humans.   We all have a job in helping other humans be good humans.  We defend, we provide food, we create laws, we enforce laws, we teach, we cure, we dream and plan.  We try lift up human beings to greater levels because we are human and that’s what we do.

   I am an American.  Despite all the turmoil and strife existing in our political system, despite bad Americans making us look like selfish horrible country, I still believe in being American. I teach about being American, I defend my American country, I raised my children to be Americans and to love what being American means. I love what being American means and I want to lift up every American to living the ideal of what being an American is supposed to be, trustworthy, compassionate, caring and giving.  I will not move to another country because my leaders fight, murder, lie and cheat.  Our country is better than those people and deserves people standing up for her and I will continue to try to encourage other Americans to do that too.

   I am Catholic. I cannot change being Catholic. Oh of course I could become some other religion, but deep down in my heart of hearts and soul, I totally believe in the presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist so that makes me Catholic.  But there are a lot of really bad Catholics in the world too. Do I quit because of them?  No, I must stay Catholic so I can change those behaviors and declare that being Catholic means not doing those things.  I teach what being Catholic is, I raised my children to be Catholic, to love their faith and believe in the presence of Christ in the Eucharist.  I share faith with my family, my friends, I write and encourage other Catholics to be good Catholics.  We have Catholics who lead, who teach, who protect and lift up Catholics to greater levels because we need to be Catholic, that’s what we do.  I will continue to encourage other Catholics in all levels of the faith to be good, moral, caring, compassionate Catholics.

   So, during the many times I’ve thought about becoming a hermit, living alone with none of the news of the world swirling around me,  I realize I would not be doing what God has called me to do. Live in this world, live in my country, live in my faith and be the Catholic, American, human that He has called me to be.  Despite all the sin in the world, we must live in the world and keep waving the flag of truth and love.  Anything else is running away to be a hermit and God didn't call me to be one.  He called me to stand up for the Truth that is Him, everywhere in every circumstance.  

   Joan of Arc, my patron saint, was  called by God to defend France and her faith.  She called out politicians, she called out church leaders, she was called to lead an army, not something many 13 year girls think about doing.   But she did it and so I cannot think about giving up.  

   I must call out those who insult my humanness, my country and my faith when they live as bad examples.  I may not lead an army like Joan, but it sure does feel like I'm fighting a war.