Song Yet Sung - a Book for all Marylanders

Song Yet Sung, by James McBride, is the selection for One Maryland One Book for 2009, a program of the Maryland Humanities Council.

According to the MHC website:

"One Maryland One Book is Maryland’s first and only statewide community reading project. It is designed to bring together diverse people in communities across the state through the shared experience of reading the same book and participating in book-centered discussions and other related programs at public libraries, high schools, colleges and universities, museums, bookstores, and other organizations."

As a supporter of reading and literacy, and as a native Marylander, I felt compelled to participate in the One Maryland One Book program. Currently, I have no time for pleasure reading. My full time job with the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development has me working extended hours - especially during this economic crisis. But, as part of my job, I spend 12 to 15 hours per week driving up and down the Eastern Shore. So I downloaded the audio version of Song Yet Sung, put the 10 hour, unabridged edition on my ipod, and began listening as I traversed the roads and scenic byways of Dorchester, Talbot, Caroline, Kent, Wicomico and Somerset Counties.

I've never enjoyed an audio book so much.

The way James McBride describes the Eastern Shore of Maryland, naming familiar places like East New Market, Blackwater, Bishop's Head, Cook's Point, the Spocott plantation, the reader would presume he was a native - but he's not. Set in pre-Civil War Dorchester County, (birthplace of Harriet Tubman) the story is rich with suspense and drama bringing legendary characters like Patty Cannon alive. Cannon is not a fictional character. She actually lived in Dorchester County, very near the Caroline and Sussex County lines. She was a legendary slave-catcher and murderer, who committed suicide when she was finally arrested. McBride brings Cannon's character to life in Song Yet Sung.

The tale McBride weaves about the trials of escaped slaves and free Blacks that were captured and "sold down the river" is poignant and riveting. It vividly paints a picture of the Eastern Shore when the Underground Railroad was in operation.

McBride also links the details of this story - set in 1850 - to future America. The main character, a slave named Liz Spocott (aka "the Dreamer") is captured by Patty Cannon. She soon escapes capture and spends the rest of the story as a fugitive being led by other slaves and free blacks to freedom through use of a "code." Liz had a unique clairvoyant gift that allowed her to see into the future, and see her people in the present day, with their present challenges. McBride shows how complex relationships between Blacks and Whites evolved, and became the relationships of today. His juxtaposition of the race relations of then and now shows that there is still much work to be done towards healing.

Phoebe Stein Davis, Maryland Humanities Council Executive Director states, "Song Yet Sung offers Marylanders the opportunity to come together around the state in our communities and talk about this beautiful and important novel and the picture it paints of this chapter in Maryland history. ... This is not simply a story of slavery, but rather a tale of freedom, hope, redemption, and identity, with a generous dose of commentary on modern American society."

The story is a great story for Marylanders but and even better story for all Americans. If you love America, and her heritage, if you love descriptive settings and compelling characters, if you're curious about pre-Civil War race relations in a border state, or if you've ever visited Maryland's Eastern Shore - Song Yet Sung is a MUST read.

Seeing What Isn't There

After attending Church this morning, I am so bewildered. There were over 300 people present in the worshipping community. Lifeless and seemingly uninspired, this congregation didn't sing, mumbled responses and resisted any contact with each other. During the sign of peace four people shook my hand. Three never made eye contact with me, and the fourth briefly glanced at me, but while shaking my hand looked on to the next person he would "shake" with.

If only the travel-size bottle of Purell in my purse could wash off the lingering scum of lukewarm spirituality.

The priest stood in front in his congregation and spoke in mono-tones. His words were uninspiring and his delivery of prayer lifeless. It was as if he was programmed, and his flock mirrored this quality... rote motions, boring and repetitive.

Then came the proclamation of the Word ....

This Sunday's readings have the despondent Job declaring he will never see happiness again. Then the gospel takes an opposite turn dramatically telling the story of Christ healing Peter's mother-in-law. This healing ignited a spark that spread into a conflagration in that community's sick, lost and despondent - pushing them to rush towards Jesus - overwhelming him in order to grasp some share in the miracle of his presence as seen at the sick woman's bedside.

This gospel never fails to move me - no matter how many times I hear it. Yet, I could feel no ripple of inspiration from my fellow worshippers today - even during the consecration, the priest didn't seem to notice the miracle. How can you not notice? Perhaps he's shy about showing emotion. Perhaps he's bored with it all.

I was not in my home parish this weekend, so Fr. Porter need not fear I'm speaking of him. I was out of town, but I see the same apathy and spiritual deadness in many churches I attend as I travel. This inspired me to write If I were Pope for a Day back in 2006, an article for which I received hundreds of responses - mostly critical, from readers that were quick to assure me I was committing a grave sin by leading others astray. Complaining about apathy and deadness in the Church always seems to stir up the ... what's the word?? ..... apologists! Their fury dominates the stage and seizes the spotlight. But if you look closely you can see that the stage is floating. It rests on no base.

I wonder if Ruth Gledhill, religious correspondent from The Times Online got hate mail when she commented on the article If Obama were Pope by Prof. Hans Kung. This article aligned Pope Benedict with much reviled George Bush and claims they both are "suffering from lack of trust." Kung, who was a colleague of Pope Benedict at Tubingen, claims the Pope still favors people who reject the freedom of religion. The article is just another liberal vs. conservative argument that plagues political systems and religious institutions globally stalling progress.

Still, where's the fire? The fire of the Spirit is never found in rhetoric or criticism. It's not that spirited discussions should be unwelcomed - but what good are they when the foundation is already lost? We've lost the fire in our faith communities, but we turn away from our community members and chase after the steely, cold support of ideals - ideals on which we can proudly pontificate - ideals that dominate those we turn from. We'd rather be right than be loving.

I recall a quote I love by the not-so-popular Donald Rumsfeld:

"Look for what's missing. Many advisers can tell a President how to improve what's proposed or what's gone amiss. Few are able to see what isn't there."

While the theologians and prophets of today advise the church on how to fix what's wrong and win souls back, they miss the glaring vacancy. They miss what isn't there.

If I Were Pope For A Day

this was originally posted on the Writing the Vision Website in March of 2006


If I were Pope for the day ...
... I would insist all Bishops and Cardinals leave their separate residences and live with their priests in their local community. The title bishop should not exalt the ordained but humble them, reminding them that they are shepherds called more to serve their flock, and less to dominate it.

If I were Pope for the day ...
... I would challenge all pastors to rediscover the wonder and mystery of the Eucharist. If they believe in their hearts that bread and wine is transformed into the true divine presence during the consecration, it should show in their faces at Mass. It should be revealed in their eyes as they distribute communion. Each priest should hunger to spread this belief.

If I were Pope for the day ...
... I would issue a proclamation to the faithful stating each person should be less interested in reforming the social injustices of the Church and more interested in reforming their own lives. If the time spent chanting about priests being free to marry and women being ordained were spent on helping the poor, forgiving a foe, or loving a neighbor, the Church's lingering injustices would sort themselves out.

If I were Pope for the day ...
... I would remind my faithful - especially priests, teachers, and parents - that love relationships are like bank accounts. Affirmations are the deposits. Corrections and criticisms are withdrawals. Overdrafts carry penalties and bad credit is hard to shake. Don't offer a correction without making a few deposits first.

If I were Pope for the day ...
... I would pose this question to every woman ... "When does life begin?" This is an unanswerable question as no one has effectively proven when life actually begins. Then, I would beg women everywhere to give "life" or "potential life" the benefit of the doubt. If you're into being free to choose - choose not to get pregnant.

If I were Pope for day ...
... I would ban the song One Bread, One Body and Hail Mary Gentle Woman from ever being sung in a Catholic Church. They gives overkill a new meaning.

If I were Pope for the day ...
... I would ban choir robes for they give liturgical exaltation to servants and divide the worshipping community.

If I were Pope for the day ...
... I would ask the head of the Church of England what she has in that pocketbook.

If I were Pope for the day ...
... I would require religious leaders (priests, pastors, bishops) to devote two to four weeks a year for a personal retreat - not a vacation - but a retreat specifically designed for reflection, devotion and spiritual growth. How can the leaders expect to be able to feed the flock when they themselves are starving?

If I were Pope for the day ...
... I would tell my priests and pastors that the most rampant sin of the priesthood is leading a dead faith community. I would also add that no excuses for having a dead faith community are necessary because none will be accepted.

Administrative tasks should never supersede spiritual leading. A pastor's job is to breath the life of the spirit into his community and that life should be felt by all who enter. This is the core of the vocation - to love as Christ loved. To live according to Christ's teaching. Priest and Pastors should be striving to capture that essence of Christ and bring it to their people... always .. every day ... without tiring. Neglecting to do this is sinful and provides a ripple effect off apathy that fractures and weakens the Church.

If I were Pope for the day ...
... I would spend at least half the day in jeans and a sweatshirt in a poor neighborhood listening to the mothers, the elderly, the children, the marginalized and powerless. I would pray with them and for them. And I would beg them to pray for me.

If I were Pope for the day ...
... I would guide the Church to spend some money on a worldwide marketing campaign that encourages praying the rosary, complimented by free rosaries, pamphlets of instruction and video commercials featuring testimony by those who have experienced great change in their lives for having prayed the rosary.

If I were Pope for the day ...
... I would warn all priests and bishops that Ecclesiastical ambition is sinful and lines the roadbed to hell. Reject the desire for title, power and recognition. Transform it into the desire to know yourself and give yourself to others by serving. Christ rejected titles and the ones who sought power and control were the very ones who organized his crucifixion.

If I were Pope for the day ...
...I would make a new rule that requires all priests and bishops share a meal at the table of a poor family in their community once a week. What does one learn by dining with the rich? Since I believe few clergy would take this rule seriously, I would require a written postcard from each priest be sent to his bishop weekly. I would command the bishops to display the cards with his own somewhere prominent in the diocese or community where the faithful can read them and learn from them.

Writing Avoidance

This morning, while I was avoiding working on Thin Places; Celtic Doorways to the Otherworld – a book I’ve been trying to write for about 12 years now, I thought I’d motivate myself by leafing through some of the many books I have on the craft of writing – just another ploy to psyche myself into getting to work.

I came across some great stuff – so as another ploy to avoid writing, I’m sharing these gems with you, – my fellow writers, publishers, readers, etc.

Hope they give you a smile or at least a few entertaining moments of reflective thought..

My favorite is one I’ve read before. It takes me back to my days as a publisher, and I smile at its irony – fearing I’ve become what I used to hate. It was written by W. Adolphe Roberts in March of 1921. Roberts was the editor of Ainslee’s Magazine and this quote came from his article entitled, Why I Rejected Ten Thousand Manuscripts:

“The unsolicited manuscripts fell into two natural groups, the amateur and the professional. The former comprised 90 percent of the total, the latter 10 percent. The large army of untrained and, for the most part, talentless persons in the United States who seem to be determined to become writers is a constant source of astonishment to this editor. The aspirants are well educated and generally earn their livings in semi-literary callings, such as the church, teaching, library work, etc. But they have nothing original to say, and their technique consist of a stilted imitation of classical models. …. The 10 percent of workmanlike stories and articles by professionals constitutes the raw material which this editor tests and weighs, from which he selects – however 90 percent of that 10 percent had no worthwhile content.”

Ouch! Hope I’m in the 10 percent – No wait, the 90 percent – No wait again, the 10 percent of the 10 percent.


Here’s another one I like by Charles Baxter – one sentence, short and sweet:

“Feeling of inadequacy are the black lung disease of writing.”

Suddenly, I can’t breathe.


Finally, (and then I’ll get back to writing), a quote by Robert Haas

“It’s hell writing, but it’s hell not writing. The only tolerable state is just having written”

Bye for now.
I’m going to try for that Robert Haas "tolerable state."

Hope all is well with all of you.