Inspired by Scholastica

  Everyone Belongs Richard Rohr often speaks of the oneness of things. He emphasizes that everything belongs and everyone belongs. He says that every person is a “holy child of God.” Julian of Norwich, a 14 th century mystic, also speaks of oneness: “The love of God creates in us such a oneing that when it is truly seen, no person can separate themselves from another.”   That sounds good in theory, but I have a hard time seeing certain people as holy children of God, especially corrupt politicians, abusive people, murderers, tyrants, persecutors. etc. I can pray that they will change their evil ways, but how can I love them? Then I begin thinking about my own sinfulness, my own failure to be the kind person I want to be, to be holy.   What if God stopped loving me because I do not measure up to be loving or at least accepting of all? I would be in a miserable state. In fact, I would be in the depths of despair. If everyone belongs, then I have to learn to love those who thin

  Boat Tragedy Recently, I read the news story of the Pakistani refugees on the overloaded boat that capsized on the way to Greece. Of the over 700 occupants, only about a hundred survived. Most of the migrants were desperately poor people who were seeking a better life. Of all these tragic victims, one that moved me the most was    a 14-year-old boy whose father had spent all his savings and sold their tiny home to pay for his son’s fare. The father could feed his other children only a scrap of bread once a day. The family had heard of other boys who helped their destitute families by migrating to Greece, getting work, and sending money back home. The boy wanted to do the same. Now the family has nothing, plus they have lost their oldest son. When I read this, sorrow and anger filled my heart. Sorrow for all those who died and anger that such a tragedy could happen.   I’m afraid I was also angry at God for letting this tragedy happen. Yet who can know the mind of God? I want t

  Can our Planet Survive? Weather patterns are changing around the globe. We hear reports of extreme heat in France, Italy and much of Europe., widespread flooding in Vermont and the Northeast, and high temperatures in Texas and the Southwest. Recent hurricanes have struck in Illinois and Iowa. Environmentalists say these drastic happenings are the result of climate change.   Another sign of climate change is the melting ice sheets which are endangering animals and their habitats as well as our quality of life. Ocean temperatures off the coast of Florida reached 91 degrees last week. Evidence of a warming planet can be seen in natural sources, such as rocks and tree rings, as well as through scientific equipment. Polluted streams, coastal erosion, and forest fires are all attributed to our changing climate. So what can humans do to save our planet and life as we know it? Here’s a start: Eat locally-grown foods, consume less meat and dairy, and shop at farmer’s markets. Plant

  The Genius of the Human Brain Did you know that there are almost the same number of neurons in the brain as there are stars in the Milky Way Galaxy? Each brain cell has several thousand spider-like projections extending out to other brain cells. These projections are called synapses and billions of new ones are created each second in early childhood. Newborns have nearly 100 billion neurons, all they will ever need in their lives.  (See www.onecussion. Com) It is astounding to realize that the neurons in the human brain are as complex and numerous as the stars in our galaxy. No wonder it takes so long to find solutions to the millions of questions and problems facing our world today. We are bombarded with such issues as racism, sexism, wars, human trafficking, and a myriad of diseases. Thank God for the scientists, physicians, and researchers who are trying to find the answers to these challenging issues. As I grow older and my brain begins losing some of those synapses, I am

  Shaper of our Journey While we are living our lives, we make decisions, have jobs, make friends, travel, and do all sorts of activities, and think we are directing our lives. We don’t realize how God is shaping us until we look back. “God shapes us on our journey,” Daniel Horan once said. God uses all we do to make us into the persons we are. He puts us in the family we have, with all its problems and shortcomings. Our jobs and college degrees influence our lives. All our decisions and people we have known have made us who we are. Even the mistakes and hardships are part of us and God uses all of these, shaping who we become.   While we are living day to day, we don’t think about God molding us into the unique persons we are. But when we look back, we can see how it all fits together, the good and the bad, the ups and the downs.   Sometimes we have to change our paths due to circumstances we did not anticipate. Often, we observe this in other’s lives, like Stephen Hawking who