MUSINGS - A faithful brother...

"I write you this briefly through Silvanus,
whom I consider a faithful brother..." (1 Peter 5:12).

We were born a little less than a year apart, and we have spent my entire life as friends. Throughout our childhood I was always a tad taller and fiestier. I would pick our fights, and he would end them...with grace.

Adolesence bequeathed maturity of face to me long before it did the same for him. And while this spelled trouble for me, he always kept within arms length... close enough to grab me before I went of the deep end.

Throughout our teen years, I think I took the more sane path to dating. I didn't allow myself to become too serious. Not surprisingly, he took what appeared to be the responsible route. He loved deeply, and his heart became profoundly intertwined with a girl in high school.

We both lost our first loves, but I escaped without too much difficulty. He took the mature path, and experienced great disappointment. I lucked out ~ did the "immature" thing ~ and wound up the better for it. A first!

In college he tried his hand at songwriting. And wrote a few good ones. Even here, his excursion became a good gift to me. One of his pieces became the occasion of my own return to Christ. When my devotion began leading me to extremes, he was the one who brought me back to my senses. His words of wisdom ~ many uttered without the slightest sense of the profound impact that they were to have upon me ~ have served as the rudder of my life on several occasions.

There have been times when we have disagreed about important matters. And, yes, I believe that had he listened more frequently to his crazy brother, he might have been the better for it ~ or at least avoided some unnecessary pain. Nevertheless, throughout my forty-three years (and counting), I have never known someone as loyal and true.

Six years ago, I converted to Catholicism. To his mind this is probably another instance of my extremism. Not surprisingly, he has remained in the Christian tradition of our youth. But while others have been content to sit on the sideline with their doubts about the Christian-character of my new found faith, he has stayed in the game!

We don't talk about God and religion as much as I would like any more, but I have never known a moment when I doubted that I could call upon him!

Throughout our relationship he has gotten better at saying "No" to some of my requests and many of my ideas. But every "No" of his has been crowded in by the "Yes" that he continually shouts about me...and how much I mean to him.

When I counsel my son and daughters about the way they respond to one another in the ordinary details of life... When I correct them for their spontaneous acts of verbal unkindness... I have a firm image in my mind about the kind of relationship that I wish for them to have with each other. That image is itself a gift...

When I read the Apostle Peter's comment about Silvanus in today's readings, I couldn't help but think of my brother, Timothy.

I can't imagine what my life would be like without this one, whom I consider a faithful brother (1 Peter 5:12)

Today's Readings: Tuesday, April 25th, 2006.