Lately I have been feeling somewhat disoriented, not quite sure how to get back to the groove of things. As I reflect on the possible source of this disorientation I keep thinking of the importance of consistence and grounding in our lives. As exciting as new realities can be, we are hard wired for consistency. What makes going away on holidays exciting is that we have a home to come back to. Our home is what is consistent, what grounds us, and what allows new adventures to be enjoyed. The minute we lose that grounding we seem lost in the ever-changing reality. We can only enjoy new experiences when they are grounded in that which is secure and consistent in our lives. I went away on a motorcycle trip last week, and while in Thunder Bay I needed to spend some time at the HD dealership to fix my motorcycle. While there I met a man who was traveling on his motorcycle. He told me that he was heading back from his trip out west, but that he did not want to go back home. He wanted to continue riding. This man did not seem happy, but rather anxious. He clearly had a home to go back to, but something about that home situation did not make him want to go back. I’ve thought about that man as I continued on my own trip. As exciting as our holidays are, we should want to go home. After all, our home is where we have stability and consistency. This made me think about my own disorientation lately, which is probably connected with many changes to my own home. In the last month I moved out of the rectory which I called home and into a rental house which does not feel like home yet. I also moved into a new office, which also feel a bit foreign so far. With the Covid-19 shutdowns our entire way of ministering to people has been changed, and again we are in a new and foreign territory. But even in the midst of all these changes there are still some constants that should keep one grounded, especially when we look at our life of faith. God remains constant, unchanging, always loving and always ready to encounter us in prayer. This brings me comfort, and it allows me to renew my orientation. God is the only consistency in our lives, and once I recognize that truth all the uncertainties of my present life will find their proper place.
Fr. Wojtek Kuzma