Inspired by Scholastica

A careful look at the causes behind refugees flooding our southern border is very revealing. The US has a long history of backing political leaders in Mexico and Central America who oppress the poor, eradicate those who resist, and utilize corrupt justice systems. During the Salvadoran civil war in the 1980's, the US supported the military government which was using death squads to wipe out any resistance. Military and monetary aid to the Salvadoran government from the US continued until 1990, averaging 1.5 million dollars a day. Only when the United Nations exposed human rights violations did things begin to change. But corruption and oppression continues, causing the indigenous people to seek a better life. Mexico, Guatemala, and Nicaragua have similar histories with the US supporting right wing leaders who regard any resistance as a threat to their power. Drug cartels and gang wars have been creating havoc and the wealth continues to be in hands of the upper one perc

The path of descent is the path of transformation. Darkness, failure, relapse, death, and woundedness are our primary teachers.                                                                                                                                     - Richard  Rohr Most of us shun darkness, failure, relapse, death, and woundedness. They are things we would not voluntarily seek. Yet Rohr tells us they can teach us how to be transformed.  If we think back on our lives, our so-called negative times have made us more understanding and compassionate people.  Our periods of darkness when we are discouraged and confused  don't seem to have any redeeming features. Failures  make us feel inadequate and humiliated. When we relapse into behavior that drags us down we are ashamed. When we are wounded we fall into self-pity. And death seems so final and hopeless.  How can these lead to transformation? The secret is not to get stuck in these paths of descent, but to learn fr

Through the research of astronomers and improved telescopes we now know that the universe is  approximately 13.6 billion years old. Most scientists believe it began with what is called the Big Bang, a monumental explosive force that formed cosmic gases and dust. About 200 million years after the Big Bang, stars appeared in the firmament. Eventually stars clumped together to form galaxies. The Milky Way, our galaxy, is estimated to be almost as old  as the universe. Recently astronomers have discovered that there are billions of galaxies in the universe.  Humans are a rather recent development, coming on the scene only about 200,000 years ago  after the dinasaurs and other pre-historic creatures became extinct. Conditions had to be just right for humans to survive in this vast universe. The universe story is an amazing story of mysterious origins and monumental proportions that scientists are still uncovering. The main discovery is that everything is connected and dependent on eve

In "Fields of Compassion," Judy Cannato tells a story of beached whales and how they found their way back to the ocean. A man saw first one, then two, then three whales washed up on the shore, flailing,and called for emergency rescuers. When he realized they would not arrive in time, he waded out to the first whale and pressed his hand on its back until it became quiet and then turned it back toward the ocean. He did the same with the second and third. By the time rescuers arrived, the whales were safe in the ocean again. It reminded me of the role compassion plays in our lives, how calming it is to lay one's hand or give a comfortng word to someone who is anxious or upset. It could be a person with Alzheimer's, a child throwing a tantrum, or a belligerant teenager. I tend to back away when someone is angry or shaking. It is better to respond with quiet empathy. In the face of evil and contradiction, a compassionate response can often smooth things out. It has to

As many of us in the Midwest embrace the crisp fall air, we look forward to the splendid array of colors that usually accompany the season. I remember how I used to press leaves with waxed paper to decorate bulletin boards or windows. They always looked like they were dancing and cheering us on. I am often reluctant to let go of summer with its seasonal flowers and sunshine to brighten our days.   Even though I complain about the heat, the fields of sunflowers, rose gardens, and honeysuckle bushes remind me of my childhood and freedom from the rigors of studies. Winter too has its beauty with snow-laden fir trees and ice-covered rivers and lakes.   The frost and howling winds are not so cruel if you have a fireplace and blankets to keep you warm.   The outdoors seem frozen in place like a black and white silhouette. Spring is perhaps my favorite season when the cold, dead earth suddenly comes alive again.   First the delicate crocus peeps out, then the forsythia and t