Good Enough

Dear Sisters,

Happy Feast of the Assumption! (and Happy Birthday to one of our favorite priests, Fr. McC)

At the beginning of Lent our family attended a wonderful talk by Archbishop Prendergast of the Archdiocese of Ottawa. He recently instructed the parishes within his see to kneel during the Eucharistic Prayer. From our brief time here in southwestern Ontario we are seeing how difficult it is to find what I would term authentic Catholicism. Archbishop Sheridan is one of those bright lights.

One of the comments he relayed during his talk on faithfulness, referring to the tricks of the devil, cited C.S.Lewis' "Screwtape Letters." This was in reference to the sin of perfection. Odd, huh!

But this sin of perfection was summed up in the woman who could only tolerate her tea being made just "so." The temperature had to be perfect, tea leaves steeped the correct amount of time, tea cup made ready, etc.

The reason I'm recalling this is to remind myself, and perhaps you, that perfection is important, but only for the right reason. Spiritual. Perfection on the temporal plane, imho, is not what Jesus was asking us to strive for.

I do not have a problem with an athlete striving for his/her best. Nor a musician, or any other professional. Even moms while we assume our humble tasks in our homes. What I do have a problem with is when we place achieving perfection above those who have been given to us to nurture.

Most of our children are young adults now. With two still with us, and still in training, so to speak, I have learned and relearned how important it is that they learn the best way to do things, followed by remembering that perfection is not the goal.

There are times when good enough is the best we can achieve. If I choose to spend time trying to accomplish perfection, but neglect the really important living that is surrounding me, I am giving away time that is not mine to lose.

I hope this makes sense. Dusting is important, but getting every last little bit of dust removed isn't. Vacuuming is important, but moving all the furniture, all the time to get at every bit of debris isn't. Spring and fall cleaning make sense, when they need to be done, but expecting to keep our homes deeply cleaned all the time does not make sense, any more than it does to neglect to clean at all.

Find your balance, and know that this point of balance will shift as your family matures, moves on, moves back in, and lives! Insisting that it can only be done "your" way implies that "your" way is the only way. Teach, certainly, but remember that you aren't the ideal, only God is!

Your Sister in the Trinity,

Yvonne