Cats and Closets

Now before anyone calls the ASPCA on me, if you ever owned a cat, maybe you've learned that cats have a mind of their own.  In fact, the cats I've known often get into trouble either because they are looking for some attention or because they are, in fact, very curious.  This is a story about the latter.

There was a frantic search this morning for one of my cats.  What was unusual about this particular cat is that she liked to sleep on the master bed throughout the night... but only on her terms.  You couldn't put her on the bed and expect her to stay there.  She often is a little edgy, and for at least one particular dog, she can be unpredictable with her emotions, at one time acting friendly and then at the next taking a big old swipe at your nose.  Between her and her litter sister, she is the more moody and quite frankly, "queenly" of the two.  She rules with an iron paw!  She's also very adventurous, which is surprising because as a kitten, she was very timid; but she has been known to break out of the house just to take a stroll in the backyard.

So, it should have come as no surprise this morning when she was missing, but her two parents were very concerned and didn't want to leave for work until she was found.  I must say, I thought I looked in all the closets, under every sofa, and even bribed the cat with "kitty treats" if she would just come out of hiding.  I'm sure she would have come... if she could.  She was found in the supply closet upstairs.  Last night, I was refilling a soap dispenser and she must have sneaked into the closet while it was open.  Then, without making a sound, she "enjoyed" her solitude once the door closed on her.  Let me tell you, now that she has been found, she is incredibly moody and wants nothing to do with "kitty treats", back rubs, or even cuddling!  I think I might be in the doghouse when I go home tonight.

Might this be a metaphor, though, of some people's reaction to God?  In yesterday's Gospel text, Jesus seemed very cranky, saying things like he did not come to promote peace but rather to bring division.  Might this division be because of our own closet experience (and I'm not necessarily speaking about the gay term here, although I think this might fit many in the gay community).  Out of curiosity, maybe we were the ones who went to places God never wanted us to experienced, we were the ones who got trapped, and even when God opens the door to us, might we still feel loathing due to the experience and feelings of abandonment?

Just remember, God opened a door to something that was very valuable, something God wants to be in relationship with.  God wants to hold us and remind us once again that we are loved.  Let go of the guilt and shame, and feel God come in.  Or, to quote scripture: "I came that [my sheep] may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10) and "But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine" (Isaiah 43:1).  You don't need to be afraid anymore and for goodness sake, stop letting your curiosity keep getting the best of you!  Don't keep God at a paw's length... er, at a arm's length away!