Osmosis and Ordination


When I was a kid, I had a teacher who was a Garfield fan. My favorite poster was "I'm learning by osmosis." Garfield had books tied to his head, his arms, stomach, feet, and tail. (By the way, Garfield is an overweight orange cat and proud of it.) Osmosis, as I learned in Biology, is the absorption of liquids and nutrients through porous membranes and partitions. It's what happens when you put a wilted flower into a vase of water. The flower absorbs the water through osmosis and it revives.

We had two bishops ordained in Dallas the past Tuesday. Many people come to the Mass because of the music, the majesty of the ceremony, and the importance of the occasion. I come because I get to see the Book of the Gospels placed upon the bishops' heads. Literally. The book is opened and two deacons stand on either side of the bishop's head. The opened book is laid upon the bishop's head for a good minute.

The gospels by osmosis.
Gospel is Greek for good news.
Good news by osmosis.

It's nice to know that sometimes it's okay we are unable to believe the Gospel because Jesus says so. Or 2000 years of church history says so. Sometimes, the good news comes to us through osmosis.

By being near it.
Through someone else's hands.

And when push comes to shove (we do need our church's leaders to really get the good news), perhaps we may consider having it "rested" upon our heads.

It depends if we want the good news.

ps. Video of the Ordination and more info on our two new Bishops.
http://www.texascatholictv.com/

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