John Tripp: Memory Eternal

I was deeply saddened today to learn of the death of John Tripp, aged 59.

I cannot say John was among my friends, for he was not. He was an acquaintance, with whom I conversed a few times first as a news reporter and second as a guy involved in music who performed in a couple of shows with his daughter Meredith. But without hesitation I say, I would have been proud to have been his friend.

If there was ever a man who could have borne the mantle of Mr Quincy after the passing of Joe Bonansinga, John Tripp would have been a prime contender. Perhaps he could even be called Mr Tri-States, for his involvement and committment extended far beyond the border of Quincy. Take his many years of devoted service to Culver-Stockton College in Canton, for example.

John is an example all of us could do to emulate. Certainly he blogged far more than I ever seem to find time to do. His weekly "Up Down and Around our Town" was routinely cheery, thoughtful, and well worth the few minutes it took to read each Monday. If I may, John displayed great wisdom, the kind that few of us attain. John was blessed.

I will miss him and his quiet optimism.

It is appropriate that his final posting on Monday May 11th was about the departure of Culver Stockton president Bill Fox. It is appropriate that the new president looks rather like John Tripp (to the point of "separated at birth?"). John surely got a chuckle out of being told the resemblance was uncanny.

It is even more appropriate that he began that posting thus:

"So many of us die with our music still in us", as Oliver Wendell Holmes so aptly put. His words were designed to make sure that we share all of our gifts as often as possible with those that are close. It speaks of making sure that those special talents are developed, shared and most of all, improved upon. Such is the challenge of living in a fast-moving society. Reality tells us that there will always be starts and stops; it's the journey that really counts the most.

John, your music was lovely and not long enough, but you shared your talents freely with the kind of largesse made famous in song and story. Your journey will be remembered by the many whose lives you touched.

Memory eternal. Memory Eternal. Memory Eternal.

Great Lent begins Monday, March 2nd

Yes, I know Roman Catholics and Protestants began on Wednesday. We figure the date of Easter differently, which means we start Lent differently as well.

But that's not why I'm posting this.

My friend Ron Fritts has a decent article about "giving something up for Lent" over on QuincyNews.Org. You can find it here.

I don't always agree with Ron but he pretty much has this one down pat.

Fasting and prostrations (the two big Orthodox penitential activities) are meaningless without a heart that is willing to change, and an attitude of repentance and intention to do better, and a firm resolve not to observe the letter without embracing the spirit.

The Orthodox during Great Lent generally refrain from meat, dairy, fish, wine, and olive oil. On Saturdays we are allowed fish, wine and oil, usually. On Wednesdays and Fridays we are asked to fast all day (and that actually applies all year round, not just in Great Lent) and break our fast in the evening with very simple fare.

The point is not to obsess over "oh I can't buy this product at the store because it has milk by-products!" The point is to use the time you would usually spend preparing and eating on spiritual food--reading Holy Scripture, or the writings of our Christian fathers and mothers, or in prayer, or in helping others. The point is to use these ancient spiritual practices to help YOU to grow to be more like God: loving, forgiving, calm, full of grace.

If you miss a day, move on and try to do better. If your non-Orthodox parents offer you a meal that includes your favorite steak and blue cheese, do not insult them by refusing, but accept their hospitality humbly and with a glad heart. Fasting from food doesn't mean you fast from right treatment of others.

We say a special prayer during Great Lent, and we say it often. It's meant to focus us on the real meaning of what we're doing--not as a duty to be borne, but as a means to "deification", an aid to that "narrow way", a staff (if you will) upon the path to "theosis".

It is the Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, and it is replete with prostrations. But look past that to what it says, and what we are saying when we submit to God and to letting His power help us overcome the things which hinder us:

The Great Lenten Prayer of St Ephraim:

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despondency, lust for power and idle talk.
(Prostration)

But grant unto me, Thy servant, a spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love.
(Prostration)

O Lord and King, grant me to see my own faults and not to judge my brothers and sisters. For blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen.
(Prostration)

O God, cleanse me a sinner. (12 times, with as many bows, and then again the whole prayer from the beginning throughout, and after that one great prostration)

Perhaps if you say this prayer you will not do a single prostration. Personally I think you will be missing an incredibly powerful spiritual exercise (not to mention physical :), but just focus on the words all the same.

Therein lies a great gift of God's grace.

One other thing, the Orthodox don't do the Ash Wednesday thing. But we do have Forgiveness Vespers. This Sunday after the Divine Liturgy (although more properly at sundown) we will pray the Vespers service and end by going to each member of the congregation, embracing them and saying "Brother (or sister), forgive me."

This simple act begins our Lenten walk, and the spirit in which we participate colors the entire season.

May God grant that I freely and openly forgive anyone I have offended, and that I humbly and with great compunction request their forgiveness for my many faults.

Glory to God unto the ages of ages.

Reader Nikolai Kevin Payne

Finding old friends

I resisted as long as I could, but some insistent friends finally convinced me to sign up on Facebook. Or actually, since I signed up about 4 years ago, they convinced me to actually USE Facebook.

I have, in the space of about two weeks, reconnected with a host of old friends from high school through college to today.

It's amazing.

People I haven't thought of in years but instantly remember when I see their name (although the pictures tend to be a bit off :), and it's as if the intervening years hadn't happened, we're yacking and laughing as if we'd just stepped away for a few.

Of course I keep getting "OMG you don't look any different!" which I actually hate to hear, probably because for the most part I can't reciprocate. I find most everyone looks older, and that's not always polite to say.

Still, linking up again with so many people I remember with great affection is a real blessing.

Thanks for the push, my friends.

Living up to one's name

I am laid up today after taking a tumble last night while covering a story. Then I made it worse by standing around for an extended period after that meeting talking shop with one of the confraternity of local media folks.

I'd already had a twinge of gout in my left ankle yesterday and made a doctor visit to get something done for it. Of course in my "king klutz" routine I also bunged up my left hand.

Anyway, I'm off the foot for today, propped up and working on blood flow since the gout has kicked in big time. I will spare you a description of the swollen glory of my ankle. The wrist isn't too bad, though.

The killer is I can't take ibuprofen because of my high blood pressure medicine, and tylenol doesn't relieve much of the pain. I am reminded of Bill Cosby describing his wife's "natural child birth": I WANT MORPHINE!

I also hate missing work since it means an exta load for Jim and Mary, and today it also means an extra call for something I was to cover this morning as well as figuring out how to get coverage at the 1844th homecoming tonight (after 5:30 p.m. at the armory for those who want to go and thank these great folks for their service).

At least it is a good opportunity to rest and recuperate, and spend some time in prayer and meditation on dealing with adversity. Practice on that last is sometning we could all use these days, I daresay.

Have a good one, my friends. And may God bless you and keep you.

It's not supposed to apply to ME

You may take that title any way you like. Considering today's action in the Illinois Senate, you would be justified in thinking it is a currently unemployed guy's lament.

But no, really it's all about ME.

You see, my predecessor as "reporter on the spot" at Quincy City COuncil meetings had (still has) a rep for pulling out the watch at "go-time" and announcing "It's 7:30 Mr. Mayor!"

I had no such tag line when I started covering the Council (and other evening government bodies). But I noticed one group of aldermen at those meetings would stay in their seats long after adjournment, usually even outlasting my lengthy chats with various principals about issues of the evening.

Finally one night I walked up to the four or so fellows and said what has now apparently become my tagline. Every week now I am pretty much compelled to remind them.

So, I told you THAT to tell you THIS.

It's late night. I have finished a very long day at work in which a lot of stuff happened and I did a lot of listening, note-taking, and writing.

And I'm too darned tired to get up from in front of the work computer and go home.

So I say to myself my "John Holm/City Council" line:

"You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here!"

Thank you, and good night.

And so, the 44th President

An orderly transition of power. No bullets. No coup. No blood. No warfare. There was probably some hate being tossed around, from all sides of the circle, but we didn't have to deal with it as we watch Barack Obama sworn in as Number 44.

That says much for the quality of American character. Despite or sniping, griping, snitching, bitching, groaning, moaning, and downright unpleasant expressions of all manner of political, social, religious or any other form of thought, when January 20th rolls around we hand over the reins of power without argument. Without a fight. Because it is the right thing to do.

For this I give glory to God. The one who governs His creation gives us a gift of subcreation (thank you J.R.R. Tolkien for that wonderful term) to come up with a way of governing that in spite of its flaws and the flawed people who implement it, still manages to work. In many ways it may be a real Rube Goldberg contraption, but as seen this morning, it does work.

Like President Obama and the policies he says he will pursue or not, like George W. Bush and his policies or not, at 12 noon Eastern on January 20th, 2009, the latter stepped aside and made way for the new President.

Despite the prophecies that Bush would sieze power and declare a state of emergency and stay in office...it didn't happen. Despite the prophecies that some would riot rather than accept a black (or reputed Muslim, or "choose your own complaint") President...it didn't happen. I would remind those "prophets" of the biblical penalty for false prophecy. How fortunate for them that we do not practice it (for those who don't know, it was death by stoning).

Now the weight falls on the man from Illinois, and a heavy weight it is. Every Orthodox service, Vespers, Matins and Liturgy, we pray for the president and civic leaders, multiple times. I shall do so fervently, as I have done now for three presidents. Lord have mercy, and may He grant President Obama the wisdom and grace and power to rule all Americans in a just, right, and beneficial way.

I don't like all he wants to do. I don't like all he had to say (there were implications of blame that I do not believe were appropriate in his speech), but for the most part I will stand behind him because he is the duly-elected leader of our nation. It is not only my obligation as a citizen, but as a Christian.

In Orthodox teaching, our leaders are a gift from God, whether they are blessing or scourge. And because it is America, whatever a president might be, he too will pass in the end, four years or eight years, but he too will pass. As powerful as the position is, no president will destroy the nation by his policies. He may cause disruption and damage, but we can overcome, especially if we have faith in God and put our shoulders to the wheel and work to move forward past our failings.

And this applies equally at lower levels of government too. No matter the corruption, no matter the nepotism, no matter the wild-eyed optimism or depressing pessimism, no matter what divides us, in the end we get drawn together because we can choose to show our leaders the door. But even if we don't THIS time, there will be another chance.

Meanwhile, we can do what we can do to improve our lot and that of those around us, in spite of (and sometimes in association with) those leaders we may not agree with.

I hope that is our attitude going forward now. Whether President, Governor, Mayor, legislator--remember you too are mortal, as the slave used to whisper in the Roman general's ear as he received the adulation of the masses. And to the people--we also should remember they are mortal and will make mistakes, perhaps almost unforgivable ones, but in the end they too will be gone and we will have to move on.

Let's strive to do our best, to be our best, no matter who holds the reins, no matter who occupies the head of the table.

Isn't that some of what it is to be Christian?

And on this day isn't that even more of what it means to be American?

God bless President Obama, those who have led and those who will lead, and all the people of these United States of America.