By Alyssa Bormes

Smooth Stones by A. Pitch, 2008. Via Flickr.

“Smooth Stones” by a.pitch, 2008, via Flickr. All rights reserved.

Sometimes people have crazy ideas. And other times there are people who tell the people with the crazy ideas that their ideas are just that—crazy—and cannot be done. Still other times, the crazy idea people keep right on moving with their ideas, and they start to make a difference.

In the Bible, there are many people who have any number of crazy ideas that they are just crazy enough to do. Today, is a day that celebrates this; the first reading is the story of David and Goliath. What was that crazy kid thinking? No one else could stand up against the giant! But David went about his mission, picking five smooth stones from the river. He hurled one stone with his sling, and the giant fell.

Recently, I read an article that explained a possible meaning for the five smooth stones. In order, each stone meant courage, confidence, preparation, trust, and the fifth stone, which was the one he used, was for faith. These seem like wonderful tools with which to enter battle. David put the stones in his shepherd’s bag, but we could put the same stones in our purses, briefcases, diaper bags, or even throw them in the passenger seat of the car.

Who are the Davids today, and what Goliath are they going after? Perhaps we could start with the Goliath of woundedness. The world is bruised, individuals are aching, and the Church has scars. And … it all seems like too much. There just isn’t a way to get after it all. Except, we don’t need to get after it all. We just need to begin.

Who are the Davids? Seems like we are. WINE: Women in the New Evangelization is a David. Right on the website, we read, “… for such a time as this, the Lord is calling to women, asking us to work in the beauty of our natural gifts as women, and is saying to us, ‘Heal my body.’”

It seems that the women of WINE are to get their five smooth stones together, figure out the manner of carrying them, and discover the best means to use them.

As for me, I probably won’t hurl one of them, as my shoulders are unreliable. Instead, I might put them together in a vase to hold flowers in order to have them as a centerpiece for a great meal. Or perhaps heat them, using them for hand warmers in the cold of the world. Maybe the stones could be polished as to be a moment of beauty to the soul who has only been exposed to roughness.

This David and Goliath business is serious. The women of WINE must choose the five smooth stones of courage, confidence, preparation, trust, and faith, and then carry them in a satchel marked Mercy!