Feast of Archangels

Today, Sept. 29, is Feast of the Archangels. In popular imagination, angels find us parking spaces or take the wheel while we are texting. In the Bible, they are tough messengers of God who exhibit limited patience with hardhearted men. Don't cross them!

"Where does the power come from, to see the race to the end? It comes from within. Jesus said, behold, the Kingdom of God is within you." Eric Liddell, Scottish runner and missonary to China.

The interior life

The interior life of man must be open to the mystery of that which is beyond him.

Are we still a First World nation?

Being reported today: Los Angeles is limiting households to just ONE rooster each.

What's next? Forced culling of our goat herds?

Are atheists bad for the planet?

Pope Benedict argues that a life lived only in material terms will, in the end, understand the earth as a material thing to be used (up). Yet, many atheists seem sincerely interested in 'saving' the environment.

Perhaps the modern Godlessness is actually pantheism recycled as environmentalism. Even atheists need to worship something.

Meanwhile, the earth and it's wonders are the treasure God has entrusted to us. We are called to be gardeners, not pourers of concrete.

If you knew...........

If you knew that lending $25 to a woman in Uganda would empower her to start a small business and change her life for the better, would you do it?

Well, now you know.

Kiva.org

St. Meinrad Archabbey and Seminary

Probably because it is cool today, with a light mist, I have been thinking about St. Meinrad Seminary. I did seminary there and miss it most come fall. Set in the lovely hills of southern Indiana, the campus is expansive and peaceful. Here, the stunning Archabbey Church, which towers over the adjacent valley.

Remember the victims

And the heros........

Eight years and the event's evil mastermind goes unpunished. Sigh.

It's the feast day of St. Peter Claver, 'slave to slaves'. He devoted his priesthood to the care of African slaves brought to South America. Reportedly, he baptized 300,000 souls. This photo is of a sculpture we placed in the garden of an African-American parish I pastored.

Recently, I traveled New Mexico for a few days. Beside the roads, beneath the mountains, sunflowers greeted us like crowds of excited onlookers. Sunflowers have a 'presence' about them; as if they are aware of our need for them.

Come this way

The path between my rectory and the Church....the Apple tree is a favorite of mine.

Labor Day 2009

Would that the close of summer 2009 also signal an end to the economic downturn; an end to war; and an end to the silly partisan bickering that has marked the last several months.

In the meantime, enjoy the last hurray of the season.

Their agony; our passive interest

Lance Cpl. Joshua Bernard's agony was captured on film and published by the American press. The nation, oddly disconnected from the wars in Iraq and Afganistan, was allowed unflitered access into the struggle in which our troops are engaged.

It was a passing, passive interest. Labor Day, after all, is upon us.

May this Marine rest in peace. May his sacrifice not be in vain.

Moon Struck

As I write, a bright full moon reigns over the night sky. I've always thought of the moon as the earth's exclamation point.

Marsden Hartley, cont.

One of my favorite paintings. Yesterday was the anniversary of Hartley's death.

Marsden Hartley, American Treasure

His work remains so remarkedly modern and spiritual.

Afganistan makes no sense

Why are we still in Afganistan? With no clear goal, no measure by which we can mark 'victory', what are we doing there except expending the lives of young American heros?

Bring them home.