Earlier today on David Lose’s blog, he commented on something he had heard about organized religion’s distinction between the ordained and the laity – it was rather like wizards and muggles. At this point I am assuming a familiarity with the Harry Potter series of books. David Lose took the thought in one direction, my thoughts wandered a different direction.

Muggles are good folk who are largely oblivious to the deeper, magical world around them – at least in the series of books. Wizards are the elite group who are ontologically different in their innate magical skills – they see clearly, deeply, and intuitively into the real nature of things.
I suspect, at best, I am a wizardly muggle. As a Franciscan brother and ordained minister I have been afforded the opportunity to formally study Scripture, church history, liturgy, spirituality, and an incredible array of topics centered on the life of faith. And even better- the time to reflect upon it.
I am wizardly only in that I have been gifted to attend a Hogwart’s. That is the adjective, the modifier. The noun part of me is wholly muggle, just less oblivious to the divine loves that surrounds us (I hope!)
But I am also of the opinion that the laity (of which I was officially one for the vast majority of my life) are also wizardly but in a different way, no less open to the divine love that surround us. And with many paths of life and experience by which to consider. It really is a question of making the time to reflect on it all. Which I pray that you do. In the meantime, may we muggle our way through it all by the grace of God.