Inspired by Scholastica

Flight into Egypt The Holy Family’s flight into Egypt shortly after Jesus’ birth made me think about the refugee families today fleeing their homelands. Herod’s decree to kill all boy infants in and around Bethlehem  must have been terrifying for Mary and Joseph, forced to flee in the dark of night to protect their child. We do not know if they encountered barriers, but apparently they found safety in Egypt. The refugee families today fleeing violence and drug cartels in countries like El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico, are also fearful. When border patrol separates parents from their children, the parents do not know if they will ever see them again. At a time when children need warm relationships, special care, and nutritious food, they are being treated inhumanely. What will happen to their newly forming brains and bodies? They may experience trauma that can affect or follow them for years to come. Some people can easily say these families are here illegally a...

I used to like to walk in fluffy snow, to hear the crunch of packed mounds of white under my boots, to taste icy flakes on my tongue, to see my breath make foggy clouds, to make angels in the powdery flakes. Now I’m no longer excited at a forecast of six to eight inches of white precipitation, no longer thrilled at a possible free day. It just means hours of shoveling or plowing streets and sidewalks. I guess that's what happens when age creeps up on you, and you worry about slipping on slick paths and keeping warm as you clean off the car or search for the hidden newspaper. I try not to be too irritated when I see gleeful children sliding down hills in makeshift sleds, or throwing icy balls at random. I just hope they don’t cross my path and knock me down. So don’t expect me to jump for joy when the next flurries appear. I’m ready for greening sprouts and forsythia gold, for gentle rains and soft breezes. Enough ...

“We do not exist for ourselves alone, and it is only when we are fully convinced of this fact that we begin to love ourselves properly and thus also love others.”  -Thomas Merton I have a friend who is always ready to help others. She sees a need and automatically responds. I admire her ability to be so aware and so concerned about others. Those of us who are more wrapped up in our own needs have to work harder to be aware of the needs of others. Yet s ometimes people who give themselves so completely to others, fail to take care of their own needs.  We know people who think the world revolves around them. Sometimes we want to tell them, "It's not all about you." Others prefer to stay in the background due to humility or shyness. They may need to extend themselves more.  Merton says that it's all about loving ourselves properly while also loving others. Sometimes we find it hard to love ourselves when we look at our weaknesses, our imperfections, our fa...

The candles of the Advent wreath remind us that Christ the light of the world is coming. The candles signify that Christ breaks through the darkness to bring light to our broken, war-torn world. Jesus said to his apostles, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." We are called to be people of  Light. There are certainly many dark places in our world to brighten. We have homeless people who need the light of kindness and warmth. There are people carrying the cross of sickness and pain who need the light of caring and compassion. Those imprisoned could use the light of companionship through letters and visits. Those who are unemployed or underemployed need the light of food pantries and/or soup kitchens to survive. We also have immigrants seeking asylum who need the light of justice and humane treatment. In order to be light-bearers we have to nourish light in ourselves. We have to be filled with peace, joy...

In Georges Bernanos' novel, Diary of a Country Priest , I learned a lot about humility and self-knowledge. The author tells of a newly ordained priest (who is nameless) who decides to keep a diary for a year. He is a pastor of a poor parish in northern France in the early 20th century. He has high ambitions to serve his parishioners, and plans to visit each family once every three months. His big drawback is that he is sickly and can only digest bread dipped in wine. On one occasion the priest visits a woman who has been grieving the death of her baby son for 11 years and is unable to love her daughter. He is concerned about the teenage daughter who hates her mother. In his quiet, simple manner, the priest is able to bring the mother to repent and be at peace. He has other encounters with people and shows great understanding of their human weaknesses. However, he is looked upon as an alcoholic by some and incompetent by others. The priest himself lacks self-confidence and feels...

I read recently in th e New York Times that Dr. Scott Warren, a teacher from Arizona, faced federal charges for the third time this year for providing humanitarian aid to migrants crossing the border. He  was  providing life-saving aid, not smuggliing people into the U.S.  This is just one example of the governments's ongoing prosecution of aid workers in the midst of a crisis of death and disappearance. Is it illegal to give food water and clean clothes to people in need? Dr. Warren, a member of No More Deaths, gave aid to two migrants and was arrested. This can intimidate people who offer care and compassion to victims of discrimination and persecution. These acts should not be criminalized in a country that used to welcome those seeking freedom and safety. Thankfully, Dr. Warren was acquitted.  Aid workers are carrying out the mandate of Jesus. In the story of the Good Samaritan a young man asked Jesus:"Who is my neighbor?" Jesus told of the actions of a...

. India has the highest rate of recycling plastic waste in the world. India recycles 60% of its plastic waste whereas developed countries like the U.S. recycle only about 10 %. According to data, 91% of plastic waste isn't recycled. By 2015, 6.3 billion metric tons of plastic waste had accumulated. Scientists are estimatinig that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. An entrepreneur in India wanted to do something about plastic waste several years ago and found that there were 2,000 informal recyclers on street corners in Hyderabad alone. He decided to form them into groups and train them to separate the pure plastic from the pollutants. He then set up a milk cooperative to make plastic milk bottles. India became the best recycler of milk in the world. If a poor country like India can recycle plastic waste into a money-making industry, how much more developed countries like the U.S. ought to be able to do this. We certainly have the scientists and busin...