GOOFUS AND GALLANT

1 COR 13:11

When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a woman, I put aside childish things.

Do you remember Goofus and Gallant from Highlights magazine?  (I’m not dating myself - Highlights is still in print!)

Childhood fantasies about being Gallant, the “good” brother (or sister), and never Goofus, the “bad” brother or sister,  have been put aside and replaced with the reality that I am both.  

Last night, during a prayer meeting with women in the local county jail, our talk turned to Peter. The women seemed surprised when I described Peter as a ‘goofball’ (in the most loving sense of the word) – an ordinary man who did extraordinary things one minute, and who messed up the next.  Goofus resided in Peter right alongside Gallant. In other words, Peter is a lot like us, and we are a lot like Peter.  

The good news – actually, the great news – is that Jesus still chose Peter.  And Jesus still chooses each of us today…no matter how badly we mess up or how good we think we are.

Maybe we are called to embrace our Gallant and to hold our Goofus lightly at the same time.  We are chosen in our shadow and our light.

Kathy Flynn, OP

Sinsinawa, WI