July 6, 2021
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Years ago, in Grammar School, I was introduced to the Boy Scouts of America. The Scout Manual was the guidebook for being a good scout. It contained all the information that a good scout should possess in order to reflect the scouting standards. The first thing that one learned was the Scout Oath: “On my Honor I will do my best to do my duty to serve God and my country…”
Then there were the Scout Laws indicating what a scout should be: “Trustworthy, Helpful, Friendly, Loyal…” But the one that always captured my imagination was the Scout Motto: “Be Prepared.” This motto was the manner with which we should approach life. We must always be ready to enact those characteristics and abilities we learned as scouts.
Strangely this scout motto came to mind after a few incidents reminded me that we must always be prepared. We never know when we will be challenged to step forward and respond to situations that demand our attention. Certainly the pandemic called us to consider how we might respond to this unprecedented social crisis. How do you prepare for something you might never envision?
We do not prepare for the unexpected by imagining the unexpected. Instead we prepare ourselves by maintaining ourselves in the best shape possible on the physical, mental, and spiritual levels. Many approached the pandemic as a challenge to creatively utilize those things at our disposal to support ourselves and others. Reinventing a physical exercise routine; reaching out using social media to keep in touch with loved ones; and praying daily, strengthening our confidence in God. This was not discovering the extraordinary but using the ordinary to address our response.
“Be prepared” expresses a readiness to respond and to put into action our life lessons for our good and the good of others.
Perhaps my subliminal response to “be prepared” emerged from the recent and unexpected deaths of a few friends. We have all had that experience of talking to a friend or family member, pledging to get together, only to find out suddenly a week or two later that they died unexpectedly.
As a religious leader I pray that we are all ready to meet God. How do you prepare for the unexpected? By doing the ordinary… going to Mass, confession, praying daily and meditating on the Scriptures. This may sound like a simple response, but it shapes who we are and focuses our vision on the one who will eventually call us to stand before Him and be accountable for the gift of the life we have been given. You could not be more prepared to meet God than to open your spirit to His presence in this life.
So “be prepared” to meet all the unexpected by living His command to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Sincerely,
Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
