It Doesn't Hurt to Ask

In my life as a parish pastor, I am always encouraging people to ask questions. “Often,” I say, “having good questions is more important than having answers.” For many, this is liberating. I do notice, however, that it takes time to get past some of things that generally cause us to keep our questions to ourselves. That was the case for me as I stepped off the train yesterday in the center of Vancouver, B.C. There were so many things I didn’t know. Which bus would I need to take and where would I catch it? What route would it follow and how close would that come to my hotel? How much would it cost? Would I need to have exact change? And that was just for starters. Since I am on pilgrimage, I decided to be brave and to pose all these questions to real people and not to the internet. Not surprisingly, what I felt within me helped me understand why so many people are reluctant inquirers. First of all, I didn’t want to bother others or impose. Then, as more things came up, I didn’t want to come across as an ignorant fool. But, as reluctant inquirers at church so often do, I got over it. I asked a stranger on the sidewalk which bus to take and he carefully pointed out the stop on the other side of the street. I asked a coffee shop barista for information about the fare and he helped me get exact change. On the bus, I asked a young, amorous couple what route the bus took and they helped me identify the place to disembark. Moments later, at a back street Japanese restaurant, I asked the waitress to show me the right way to eat the food I had ordered. It actually felt good to depend on others in this way. O.K. It is Canada! I get that. But all this gave me a safe environment to gain confidence as an inquirer. Now, it’s on to bigger questions. And, for that too, I know I need help. In a conversation I had with a rabbi today, I even asked for help in identifying some key questions that I can walk with and pray with over the next three months. I’m on a roll!