Peace be with you, dear reader, and also with the young man across the street who appears to be arguing with a pigeon. I, your humble Pope Popsicle, find myself once again pondering the mysteries of this modern world, specifically why everyone seems so determined to 'seize the now' on these… *streams*. My goodness, it sounds like a lovely afternoon activity, perhaps with a fishing rod and a nice cup of tea, but apparently, it involves many moving pictures and quick decisions.
My editors, bless their swift fingers, have asked me to investigate why these 'streamers' – I believe they are companies, though I confess I still imagine a kindly old man with a long beard and a staff, like Moses at the Red Sea, perhaps – are so keen on this 'now.' It seems they wish to offer entertainment *instantly*, before one has even finished one's elevenses! They want to be ever-present, like the omnipresent Lord, but with more dramatic series and catchy tunes. One can watch a film about a talking badger, then immediately a show about a young lady who bakes marvellous cakes. It is all so terribly quick!
'Tempus fugit,' as we say, or 'time flees,' but I always thought that was a gentle reminder to enjoy the moments, not to rush headlong into the next one like a flock of very enthusiastic sheep. As Saint Augustine, or perhaps it was my Aunt Mildred, once noted, 'The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.' I suppose these 'streamers' are trying to make sure we read *all* the pages, all at once, which sounds rather tiring for the eyes.
This reminds me of a delightful kerfuffle in the Vatican library many years ago. A very earnest young seminarian, eager to catalog every ancient scroll by hand, thought he could do it all in one afternoon. He ran from shelf to shelf, making notes with such speed that his quill pen eventually snapped in a most dramatic fashion, scattering ink like holy water over a very important papal bull. We all had a good chuckle, and he learned that some tasks, particularly those of great import, benefit from a slower, more considered approach. It’s like the Lord’s work, my child, which unfolds according to a divine plan, not a broadcast schedule.
These 'streamers' want to be everywhere, all the time, for every person. It is a noble ambition, perhaps, like the apostles spreading the Good News, though I doubt they have quite the same message about salvation. They speak of 'engagement' and 'subscribers,' which sound a little like parishioners, only perhaps less inclined to sing hymns. May the Lord bless their endeavors, and may their bandwidth always be abundant. I pray they remember that even in the rush to 'seize the now,' there is still much to be gained from quiet reflection, a moment of prayer, or even just waiting patiently for the kettle to boil. After all, wasn't it Jesus who said, 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth,' and not 'Blessed are the first to download the latest episode'?
I must confess, all this talk of 'now' makes me wonder if anyone remembers the joys of *later*. Peace be with you all, my children, and may you find grace in the pauses, too. And may the engineers of these internet streams ensure the pictures always arrive without buffering. Amen.
