I had to be so focused this past week on utilizing best the good help from Jean Patrick, that I did not take time to write about the impact, yet again, of these verses from Matthew 5:44-45--Tuesday's Gospel at Mass. Nonetheless, the Lord certainly gave me plenty of life practice lessons this week in which to apply...yet again...the wisdom and perfection of His Holy Will for us in how to deal with those who persecute.
"But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for He makes His sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust."
On Tuesday, Jean Patrick could not come, but I needed to drive to civilization for the black bark mulch in order to have it for JP and myself the next morning when he would return for the day. I also needed to get some tubes of a specialized caulk to re-install the stair treads since I learned I needed this caulk in addition to nailing. (Cuts down on stair squeaks.)
While driving I noticed the sign that tells us what level is the fire potential. It had moved from "medium" to "high". The couple from the parish who bring me His Real Presence on Sundays had told me I'd better burn the burn pile in back, this week, as the ban would likely be in place next week or by July 1 at latest.
So upon return with a huge load of black bark mulch and the needed caulk, I gathered what extra old wood and dried weeds and bits and pieces of cardboard, and lit the pile. There was not much breeze other than a few light stirrings, and never in one direction or another. Had hose at ready, rake in hand, and kept walking the perimeter, using the rake to open air pockets to help the fire. Then I'd rake in and overturn ashes so that more brush would be exposed to continue the burn process so that all would be reduced to ashes.
It was a hot day, and this process took several hours of attentive efforts. Progress!
Lo and behold, as the burn pile was down to about a fourth remaining and all going quite well, my neighbor appeared at the fence, having walked through his thick conifers and 2' high weeds and grass he tends to rarely mow.
He asked me how I'm doing.
"Fine, thank you!" I responded, working the rake around the perimeter, trying to keep the fire to its efficient best. Then the neighbor (the husband of the family) mentioned that he sees I am burning. "Yes, good day for it, want to get it done before the ban is in effect." Since the man or his wife ever approach out of kindness but always with some complaint or demand, I added, "Have my burn permit and hose right here, and am working hard."
So then he asked me to come over, said he had something to talk about.
Oh my, I knew it and did not want to leave the burn pile, and also recognized the tactic that he did not want to demand or complain loudly in case some other neighbor might hear him. But I decided to comply, and got to the fence to hear his complaints and demands. He said he thought his trees were on fire when he was driving home from work.
No, they are not; again I pointed out my hose and the 8' diameter burn pile already reduced. He mentioned he'd burned on the weekend but out in his field. Yes, it is nice he has six acres; I have my designated burn pile area in back yard on a large gravel area of driveway--same place I've burned the past five summers, the safest place. I did not mention, but if anyone should be concerned, it would be me for the deck and pergola could be at risk IF there was any danger of inappropriate burning. There is not and never has been with far larger amounts of branches and such to burn in the past.
He kept at it, though, and said I should come to their house and ask them prior, as the smoke comes to their property. He said it blows his direction. I did not debate, for the truth is it does not always blow his direction and in fact as he stood there at the fence, it was blowing into my pole barn and then toward my house--a light breeze, and nothing to be concerned about whatsoever.
I repeated to him how sorry I was that they smelled the smoke, and that over the weekend people on the other side of me and across the road both were burning their piles, and yes, some smoke got in my house but it aired out easily by evening....
When he would not let up, I repeated a few more times that this is the last burn pile given the ban that will be coming, and also that the pile is nearly down to nothing but ash. I asked him a couple or more times, as he would not stop his complaining, if he could find it in his heart to "forgive me" for burning my brush and dead clippings.
Mercy. Then he complained about some weed poison overspray that had browned along the fence his 2' high grass and weeds--definitely a fire hazard if he'd stop to think that if he'd mow it or kill it and put down plastic and gravel, he'd not have the fire hazard nor the task of mowing it, although it is rarely mowed. I know; I'm battling weeds from the seeds coming into the vegetable orchard area of my property. I said little, other than perhaps he could mow it, and that I was sorry that there was some overspray. He wanted me to put up plastic barriers. I said what a good idea, knowing I am not long for this place, and the next owner will need to deal with the man and wife over the annual burn pile and the other complaints.
Last summer after a rather loud argument between the man and wife, the wife came over and announced that using the power saw past 7 p.m. was not going to be "allowed." She said they hear power equipment all day as they own a contracting construction business.
Oh. It so happened my daughter had flown in for two days to help me level the living room floor and some other tasks, and yes, we every fifteen minutes or so made a cut with the circular saw on the underlayment for the floors. But we took the passive route and stopped that work project and turned to another--although my daughter was stunned. The law states for this area that power tools can be used between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Last summer the man also complained about the annual burn pile at my place. He came to the fence--same scenario, but not as heavy-duty as my daughter and grandson happened to be here helping out.
Pray for those who persecute. It seems a small matter, but the couple tend to feel rather free to complain and set the "rules" for me but burn when they want and so forth, have loud parties to midnight, and teens with loud music at times. Yes, it is just part of being alive and living among others, and getting along. I never complain, for unlike my last neighbor situation, my life has not been repeatedly threatened as it was then.
The daughter who lives elsewhere has called with a problem person--persecution going on for several months. Has to do with an older woman who cannot accept her age and skill level when it comes to the increasingly popular pickle ball sport. Yes--imagine this! The older woman latched onto the daughter who is 24 years younger and an excellent athlete, and who in mixed matches helps the older woman win, for the daughter carries the games. The older woman began stalking, of sorts--finding out when and with whom the daughter was playing, then manipulating others as well as the daughter into including her even though the woman could be playing with those in her age range and skill level.
It has gotten to a point that although the daughter has tried to explain to the woman that she is in a different skill level and thus will not be playing anymore tournaments together, and that she wants to be able to play with a variety of players, not just the woman--the woman has become desperate in an angry way. She goes behind the daughter's back, sniping and trying to find out where she is playing, and on the occasion that she manipulates someone else to let her play which includes the daughter in a foursome, the older woman has started to curse at the daughter and to give her evil looks when the daughter makes an excellent shot.
Here we go again: Pray for those who persecute us.
Of course, in many instances, we also need to do our best to stay clear of them. There are many people with personality and psychological disorders out there. Pride and envy of others might start out as a simple, niggling, little vice, but it can develop into a full-blown disorder of the mind which is not easy to rid out--even if the person would realize he or she has a problem and needs therapy--as well as God's forgiveness and mercy.
In what Jesus tells us about praying for those who persecute us and loving our enemies, he points out how God allows us all to live under the same sunlight; we all get rained on--the just and the unjust alike. I had not pondered that part of Jesus' teaching before, not much, anyway. It does make sense. God will handle the persecutors, those who are psychologically disordered even to a slight degree, or those who are bullies or envious or whatever other aspect causes them to manipulate or detract or make demands on others that they do not place on themselves--or whatever other means of persecuting that goes on quite frequently in our daily lives.
It is work enough for us to make sure we are not doing likewise--not persecuting others. I suspect when we are busy with our manual labor and prayers--at least for consecrated Catholic hermits and hopefully for active and busy lay persons who work in the world and rear children and have spouses and so forth--we will need to be focused and occupied enough with what we must be doing in life than to find time and energy to persecute others.
It is not our place to decide if other people should not have the sun shine on them, or to not have rain fall on their soil, or in what other ways we decide they should be dealt with, in our estimation, our rules, or our manipulations--whether we realize we are doing so or not.
Jesus adds the challenge to us, in addition to praying for those who persecute us, to practice as God does in consideration of others:
"So be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Yes, we have more than enough to attend to in our daily lives and our minds and souls, in trying to keep ourselves from persecuting others, and to perceive and consider as God the Father does regarding the just and the unjust. God will handle us all in His time and way and will.
Little children, let us love one another, for God Is Love!
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