Zombie hunting in a bounce castle of reality

"Be careful of the zombies" yelled the birthday boy to the rest of the party goers, turned zombie hunters. The skinny, goofy looking eight year old leads four other adventurers in the bounce castle and that's how I spent the first hour of my six hour shift at the rec.

"Come on guys," cried out another passionate zombie cowboy. "We have to get those zombies."

"No zombies allowed in the castle," shouted the eldest of the posse of zombie catchers.

As this all took place before my eyes, through the nets of the bouncy castle set up in the field house, I stood there making sure there was no horse play, fighting or actual zombies inside while the boys made gun noises and bounced around in search of imaginary zombies somewhere inside the 12 by 12 inflatable structure.

Minutes later a kid came out with a scraped knee and I sat him down on the bench next to the castle. While looking at the six year old's knee and helping him get back to his search of imaginary dead mutants I told him that in a few seconds he'll be all cleaned up and ready to go back in and then he can continue killing the zombies.

He looked at me, just as any confused six year old might by what he had heard, and said: "There aren't real zombies in there." Then looked over to his Mom, who was standing behind me, "Mom, he thinks there's real zombies in there, but there isn't. They're made up. There are no zombies."

It's funny that in just one week's time I've not had two "run-ins" with zombie related conversations. This one with the bounce house zombie bounty hunters and another on Sunday with the teens at youth group. That conversation was a bit more to my maturity level as we - in grave and well thought out detail - discussed and debated defense measures, survival techniques and everything else zombie.

It's that as I type here now a few things have come to mind. Important issues that I struggle to put into actual words that make sense or even are worthy to share, but none the less intrigue me and will attempt to create coherent points and sound logic.

They come in this order:

1. As the young boy fought imaginary zombies he was quick to point out it was fake; he wasn't in fact fighting actual zombies. He knew the difference about what was real and was in his mind. How often do we forget that about whatever it is in our lives we're pretending? Work, a relationship, potential changes in our lives, etc. And can we tell the difference between the two?

2. The Mayan's believe the world will end on Dec. 21 of this year, the end-date of a 5,125-year-long cycle. If the Mayan's believe the world is to end, how should I feel as a Catholic? Maybe just as importantly, if the Mayan's are right, will zombies be a part of any of the demise of life as we know it? I believe it's an honest question, which leads to question #3...

3. What would be my strategy against zombies? Especially if the world is supposed to end this year and we don't know for sure what will happen?

That zombie fighting little knee scrapper reminds us that in our lives we must force ourselves to disconnect our "wants" and our "hopes" for ourselves from reality and what's actually happening.

Prime example in my life right now, I've waited nearly seven months now for a job. Interview after interview I waited for the perfect gig to present itself and convinced myself it would, but it wasn't until those moments when nothing came across my eye that I realized I had to keep searching, networking, asking friends and praying. Every time I had an interview I convinced myself someone else - much more qualified - would get the job and I took myself out of the game before it even started. Instead of looking at it as if I'm on the level playing field as other candidates and need to go in and "sell" myself to them. And when a job came by that I thought was the perfect job with years of success to follow with it, was it my own thoughts that made it seem ideal or is it because it's what God has called me to do next on my journey?

A close friend of mine thought everything was all hunky-dory with a girl he was recently dating, not listening to everyone else advising him differently. Then one day found out quite the different story was unfolding, and in this particular instance, I mean quite the opposite of what he thought. If it were a baseball game he wasn't in right field, he wasn't even on the same team...

It's those times that we must forget what we want to see happening before us and accept reality. Putting our trust in the plan and letting things unfold as they may. Surrendering ourselves to God and accepting His Will along our journey...Even if it involves zombies, or in a more serious manner, darker days full of a doubt.

As we anticipate an end of the world in December, according to the Mayans and other philosophies/ beliefs, and get caught up in all the hoopla of "End of the World" gimmicks we must think what would the end of the world me like or at least the end of our own life? I'm not smart enough, well informed, nor studious enough in my theology to shed light on this, but all I say is that if Church hymns remind us anything we are to "be watchful and careful" for we don't know when the son of man is coming. We don't know when the end of the world is coming and we read this through scripture. "Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day, nor the hour (Matthew 25: 13)." In terms of scripture that depicts a devastating and brutal end I believe fully - with every ounce of faith I have - that it details the end of our life if we live an unmoral, God-less life or even a life where we believe we will live forever, unstoppable and untouchable. Better put from another blog: "If we live as though the finite horizons of this life were the whole of reality, we are fools indeed." (That's all plenty heavy for another post at another time)

Zombies or not, we all seem to live throughout our how horror film that is haunted by life changing decisions or as I call them big kid responsibilities. Doubt, dismay and displeasure with aspects of our lives slowly creep into our sight and follow us creepily along our journey. As if we are in a horror film being chased down by our own zombie. But reality too can haunt us, especially if we can't separate the difference between what we want to see and hope to see, and what is really unfolding in front of us.

With all that being said, I believe full heartily that with my extensive back country survival, my physical abilities to hike and gather in challenging terrain and a collection of friends with diverse background in hunting and hiking to make a zombie survival squad I could survive against zombies; real or imaginary. The sad fact is that upon beginning this entry I wasn't going to go into detail about this in hopes to retain any sense of respect I have from anyone who actually reads this, but now the wheels are turning and I am deep in thought now. Inspired by the creativity of those zombiebusters in the bounce castle I am actually stewing over this one.

Stay tuned...


Until next time...

Why a mustard seed and not a Tic Tac?

There comes a time in everyone's life where you feel as if you're wandering among a dried-out field, saturated with misery and disarray. Dark and cold, the field is so far gone, so lonely, that it seems that nothing can ever grow and blossom into anything worth bearing any fruits.

For some of us, that hypothetical "field" - that cold, lonely, unforgiving stretch of our lives - might be taking on a new chapter of your life; going it alone and navigating it off the cuff, not knowing what's around each corner. For others it may be mourning the loss of a dear friend(s) or family member. While for someone else it may be just losing hope in whatever mountain it is you wait to climb, that path you're afraid to set out on. Right now, for me it is seeing where it is God calls me to be. Which righteous path it is He wants me to journey down. As I anxiously cling on to faith as my life raft this week.

As I went over next week's Gospel with the teens at YM last night, I couldn't help but find the anecdote I've been praying for. The reading comes from our buddy Mark. He shares of a time when Jesus was speaking to a crowd. He told them all that the Kingdom of Heaven is as if a man were to scatter seeds among the land. He doesn't know how, but through night and day, somehow, the seeds grow. First the blade, then the ear, and then the full grain in the ear...then the harvest comes.

Then he said: "It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade."

Everyone then understood (in the Gospel), but not all of the teens. I was asked what a mustard seed was and why Jesus chose a mustard seed...and like any good YM...I quickly moved on and changed the subject of conversation.

I had the teens put out their hand and imagine a Tic Tac resting in the middle of it. Cut it in half I then said to them. Now you have the exact size of the seed of faith you need to plant. That tiny little seed, when planted, will grow and flourish into something you could never imagine. That little seed of nothingness can grow into something that bears great fruit, moves mountains and provide new life...through time.

The mustard seed is mentioned many times throughout the Gospels, my favorite coming from my main man Matt. He writes: "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you would be able to say to this mountain, 'move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible for you."

It's hard to imagine that such a small seed can grow such fruits, even in a time of such drought. That little seed of faith can move mountains. Yet as we struggle with our day-to-day worries, we often forget that.

For me, as I worry about a thousand-and-one things this week I focus on that imaginary Tic Tac that I had each teen place in their hand. That tiny little seed that we must focus on replanting in the fields of fear and trepidation in our hearts. Then we will stand by, watch it grow and know that with just a the tiniest of faith we can look at that mountain that stands before us in our lives and say "move" and it will move. Nothing will be impossible.

That as you, in your life today, worry about wealth, fret about future endeavors, struggle with life's temptations or mourn the loss of someone close to you. There is that tiny seed of faith that needs planted in your life, in your heart. A seed no larger than half a Tic Tac. Once that small seed is planted, nothing will ever keep you from moving mountains; even if you're lost among the fields of nothingness, or lost in the shadow of death. Like Thomas Merton wrote: "I will not fear, for You are ever with me and You will never leave me to face my problems alone."

Amen.


Until next time...