Showing posts with label miracles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label miracles. Show all posts

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Elijah and Pushing a Rock

10th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2016:

Third Sunday of Easter, 2016

by Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas June 5, 2016

I have chosen to speak to you today on our first reading, from 1st Kings. In part because I couldn't believe that a part of the story I hadn't read before, and if I have, I have forgotten it.

The story comes from the time of Elijah the prophet. It was a difficult time in Israel's history. The kingdom had fallen into idolatry. Baal worship had become the official state religion. And there was a terrible drought and famine in the land. Food was scarce, and Elijah the prophet was on the run from the King and his wicked wife, Queen Jezebel. The Lord led Elijah to a brook where he could drink, but soon it dried up. And thus the word of the Lord came to him: "go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there."

Zarephath was located on the Mediterranean coast between Sidon and Tyre in the heart of pagan territory. In fact, it was not far from where Queen Jezebel's home town is located. It was a most unlikely place for Elijah to hide from Ahab and his henchmen. Then God said something else to Elijah that was equally as unlikely: "I have directed a widow there to supply you with food."

This sounds counter-intuitive because nobody struggles more mightily during a time of drought and famine then do widows unless they have grown children to provide for them. The government certainly didn't do it. Their neighbors didn't do it either, as they were probably in as bad a shape as the widow. As Elijah made his journey to is Zarephath , he was certainly thinking that a pagan town and a widow and her young son with little resources could not be of very much help but he went where God told him to go.

This appears to be the first secret, of course, of a fulfilling life. If God tells you to do something or to go somewhere, then get a move on.

There's story about a weak and sickly man who was unable to afford a doctor. He lived in the deep backwoods in a log cabin. In front of his cabin was a huge boulder. One night he had a vision in which God told him to go out and push on the rock in front of his home, all day long, day after day, until God was to tell him to stop. The man got up early in the morning and did as he was told. He pushed on the rock as long as he could. After rest he pushed more. Each day pushed a little harder and a little longer. Day after day he pushed. Days rolled on to weeks, and weeks into months, as he faithfully pushed against this rock.

After several months of pushing this rock, however, the man was getting tired. He began to doubt that his vision came from God. He decided to measure how far he had been able to move the rock during those months, and he discovered that it had not budgeted all.

The man was disappointed and in despair. He sat on his porch and cried, because he had invested so much time and effort for nothing. This day the sun was setting, and Jesus came and sat down next to the man. Jesus asked, "son, why are you so sad?"

The man replied," Lord, you know how weak I am, and the vision you gave me built up false hope. I have pushed with all that was within me for many months and that old rock is right where it was when I started."

Jesus said to him, "I never told you to go move the rock, I told you to push against the rock." Then Jesus told him to step in front of the mirror and look at himself. The man did so and was amazed. He had been so sickly and weak, but now what he saw in the mirror was a strong muscular man. And it dawned on him that he had been feeling better the last two months and it was all because he had been pushing the rock. Suddenly the man understood that the plan of God was not to change the position of the rock, but to change him. That's how obedience to God works. Our task is not to understand what God is seeking to accomplish. Our task is simply to obey.

Later we will see the blessings that will flow due to our obedience.

Elijah then, heard the word of the Lord that he was to go to the town is Zarephath were God had instructed a widow to supply them with food. Elijah did as he was told even though the plan seemed to be misguided. When he come to the gate of the city, he encountered a widow who was gathering sticks. Since this was Baal territory, we may assume that this woman had been raised to worship idols. Yet she was a giving person, a kind person. Elijah called to the window and asked, "would you bring me a little water so that I may have a drink?" Amazingly she did as he asked, even though there was little water to go around. And, as basic as his request for water was, she was going to get it, Elijah called after her and said, "and bring me, please, a piece of bread."

She and her son were on the verge of starvation yet she honored the request of Elijah, as Elijah says to her, "don't be afraid."

I'm sure you all remember the story very well for the oil and flour that she used for baking just never seemed to run dry.

The part of the story that I have to admit I just did not remember and is the part of the story where her son becomes gravely ill and dies in her lap. She was concerned that she was being punished for her sin by having her son taken away from her.

How sad it is that we too sometimes have the same concern.

Yet Elijah picks the boy up from her lap and takes him in his arms carries him upstairs to his room and lays them on the bed. Then he cries out to the Lord, "Lord my God, have you brought tragedy on this poor widow that I'm staying with, by causing her son to die?" You think because Elijah is a prophet that he has life all figured out. But he has no idea how this widows son is dead or at least on the verge of death. After all, he had stopped breathing, so Elijah stretched himself on the boy three times cried out to the Lord, "Lord my God that this boy's life my returned to him!" And so it happened and Elijah picks up the boy and return him to his mother's arms alive.

Similarly is the story in the Gospel where Jesus restores the son of a widow lady on the way to his burial place. Jesus, "says, young man, I tell you, arise!"

How can we wrap ourselves around these stories unless we have the firm belief that when God speaks, it is. Plus!, When God speaks we are, not only to listen but to get busy and do.

One final comment: don't tell God He can't do that! Listen and believe!

You all be Good, be Holy, preached the Gospel always using Words and Holy Actions!.
'Thank you' to Deacon Kaas, for letting me post his reflection here.
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Friday, July 12, 2013

Science, Sainthood, and High-Temperature Superconductivity

I had the pleasure of reading about the science angle of Sainthood this week: written by someone who checked the facts.

We may also be discovering a new dimension in quantum physics.
  1. Science and Miracles
  2. Quantum Physics: Waves, Particles, and Maybe More

Saints?

Depending on who's talking, saints might be:
  1. "King's kids"
  2. An American football team
  3. People who've been dead for centuries
  4. Disciples of remarkable fidelity
I'm Catholic, so "A" doesn't apply. I've written about the prosperity gospel and other bad ideas before. (May 17, 2013)

Spelled with a capital "S," answers B or D are correct: and so is C, sort of. This isn't a 'sports' blog, though, so I'll concentrate on saints (lower case "s") and Saints (capital "S"), Catholic style.

I am, God help me, a saint with a lower case "s." I'm a Christian. I follow Jesus, and am part of my Lord's Church, so I'm a saint. (February 14, 2010)

I don't feel particularly saintly, but I don't need to: and that's another topic. (November 24, 2009)

With a capital "S," a Saint is someone who has lived a holy life, shown heroic virtue, and is currently dead. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 828)

Quite a few Saints lived in the centuries before steam power replaced horses, but we're still finding new ones. 20th century saints include Padre Pio and Maximilian Kolbe. I haven't heard of a 21st century Saint, but we're only an eighth of the way through this century.
"SAINT: The 'holy one' who leads a life in union with God through the grace of Christ and receives the reward of eternal life. The Church is called the communion of saints, of the holy ones (823, 946; cf. 828). See Canonization."
(Catechism, Glossary)

Tools and Documentation

The Catholic Church didn't use science to identify our early saints because it hadn't been invented yet.

Scientific method as we know it is fairly new, although its roots are deep. Folks like Anaxagoras, Pythagoras, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, and Copernicus had been developing ways to analyze knowledge for about two millennia when Francis Bacon and others jump-started scientific method about five centuries back.

As the Church gets new tools for sorting through facts, old records get reviewed. For example, about 50 years ago, when folks at headquarters discovered that St. Christopher had never been canonized.

Personal devotion to Christopher is still okay, but his feast day isn't on the calendar now. (April 5, 2011)

We'll probably see more adjustments like that, as the Church's archives get converted to machine-readable formats. I have no problem with that, since human beings will still make the decisions. What will change are the tools we use while analyzing facts.

Faith, Science, and Raising Kids

My wife and I home schooled our kids for grades seven through 12: their choice.

Part of our job as parents is teaching them that God and ethics matter. We're also expected to help our children learn the skills and knowledge they'll need as adults. (Catechism, 2221-2226, 2228-2230)

I thought they should get an overview of the size and workings of the universe. Even if they didn't become scientists, knowing basic science will help them be better citizens.

Love and Learning

The Catholic Church says:
Learning about this vast and ancient creation is optional, but valuable. (Catechism, 159, 282-289, 2293)

1. Science and Miracles

"The Science of Miracles: How the Vatican Decides If They're Real"
By Tia Ghose, LiveScience (July 9, 2013)

"When Pope John Paul II died eight years ago, supporters chanted 'Santo subito,' or 'Sainthood now!'

"It looks like his supporters will finally be getting their wish. The former pope's path to sainthood is almost complete, with the Vatican recently confirming that he performed two miracles. Now all that's left is the official canonization ceremony, which has not been scheduled yet. The process of certifying miracles in the Catholic Church goes back centuries and involves an investigation by scientific experts....

"...Though it may seem strange to outsiders, verifying that miracles have occurred can strengthen people's beliefs, said Michael O'Neill, who runs the website MiracleHunter.com...."
I believe in miracles. Being a Catholic, I have to. (Catechism, 547-549)

That's not the same as believing television advertisements for 'miraculous' glow-in-the dark Jesus junk.

Here's a quick look at what the Catholic Church says about (real) miracles:
"MIRACLE: A sign or wonder, such as a healing or the control of nature, which can only be attributed to divine power. The miracles of Jesus were messianic signs of the presence of God's kingdom (547)."
(Glossary, Catechism)
More about miracles:

"No Natural or Scientific Explanation"

"... In the Catholic religion, saints are people who are in heaven with God. Though many more people may be in heaven and technically saints, those deemed official saints of the church are ones that the Catholic church knows are in heaven. As such, people can pray to these saints, who sometimes intercede on their behalf with God.

"But determining who is in heaven is a tricky proposition. That's where miracles come in. According to the church, miracles, or divine events that have no natural or scientific explanation, serve as proof that the person is in heaven and can intercede with God to change the ordinary course of events...."
(Tia Ghose, LiveScience)
I think it's likely that we don't know everything about how the universe works. What doesn't have a "natural or scientific" explanation today may be a natural phenomenon that we understand: a thousand years from now.

The Catholic Church doesn't put off decisions about Saints until we have all the answers. I'm okay with that.

Medical Miracles

"...Nearly all, or '99.9 percent of these are medical miracles,' O'Neill said. 'They need to be spontaneous, instantaneous and complete healing. Doctors have to say, "We don't have any natural explanation of what happened," ' O'Neill said.

"A woman whose breast cancer was cured wouldn't qualify, for instance, if she was given a 10 percent chance of survival - she would need to be told there was no chance of survival before any divine intervention, said the Rev. Stephan Bevans, a theology professor at the Catholic Theological Union...."
(Tia Ghose, LiveScience)
These aren't 'medical miracles' like aspirin or neural interfaces. When terminal cancer disappears suddenly, completely, for no natural reason: that's a miracle.

"Recent:" by Catholic Standards

"... In 2010, former Pope Benedict XVI confirmed that John Paul II had posthumously healed a French nun suffering from Parkinson's disease. The church recently confirmed a second miracle, when a Costa Rican woman's brain injury spontaneously healed after praying to John Paul II.

"Miracles can be confirmed only if the healed person prayed solely to one person, such as John Paul II, during their ordeal. That way, there can be no mix-up when determining which person in heaven interceded on their behalf, O'Neill said.

"Recent tradition

"The process of using miracles to determine saints has a relatively short history in the Catholic Church. Prior to 1531, when a Spanish peasant reportedly saw an image of the Virgin Mary in the slopes surrounding Mexico City, miracles weren't required and saints were agreed upon mostly through tradition or martyrdom, O'Neill told LiveScience...."
(Tia Ghose, LiveScience)
I like being part of an outfit where a process that's more than four centuries old has a "relatively short history."

By the way, that "Spanish" peasant is Juan Diego, a Native American with a Spanish name. He's famous for being involved in the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Tepeyac Hill.

2. Quantum Physics: Waves, Particles, and Maybe More


(Robert Goddard at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Tallahassee, Florida, via Simons Foundations, used w/o permission)
"The strange properties of superconducting materials called 'cuprates' (bismuth strontium calcium copper oxide is shown in this microscopy image), which cannot be described by known quantum mechanical methods, may correspond to properties of black holes in higher dimensions....."
"Signs of a Stranger, Deeper Side to Nature's Building Blocks"
Natalie Wolchover, Simons Foundation (July 1, 2013)

"According to modern quantum theory, energy fields permeate the universe, and flurries of energy in these fields, called 'particles' when they are pointlike and 'waves' when they are diffuse, serve as the building blocks of matter and forces. But new findings suggest this wave-particle picture offers only a superficial view of nature's constituents.

"If each energy field pervading space is thought of as the surface of a pond, and waves and particles are the turbulence on that surface, then the new evidence strengthens the argument that a vibrant, hidden world lies beneath.

"For decades, the surface-level description of the subatomic world has been sufficient to make accurate calculations about most physical phenomena. But recently, a strange class of matter that defies description by known quantum mechanical methods has drawn physicists into the depths below.

" 'I've grown up as a physicist just living on that flatland, that 2-D space,' said Subir Sachdev, a physics professor at Harvard University who studies these strange forms of matter. Now, there is a whole new dimension to explore, he said, and 'you can think of the particles as just ending on that surface.'..."
It's nice when new data confirms that explanations we've found for natural phenomena are correct.

It's exciting when we find facts that don't fit established theories, particularly when it looks like we've found "a whole new dimension to explore."

"A New Way of Looking at Nature's Building Blocks"

"...Of all the strange forms of matter, cuprates - copper-containing metals that exhibit a property called high-temperature superconductivity - may be the strangest. In new research published online June 24 in the Journal of High Energy Physics, physicists at the University of California-Santa Barbara have explored the deeper phenomena that they claim are connected to the perplexing 'surface-level' behavior of cuprates. By focusing their calculations on that underlying environment, the researchers derived a formula for the conductivity of cuprates that was previously known only from experiments.

" 'The amazing thing is you start with this theory and out you get the conductivity of these strange superconductors,' said Sachdev, who was not involved with the work.

"The results bolster the evidence that this new way of looking at nature's building blocks is real and that it is 'strikingly literal,' said Jan Zaanen, a theoretical physicist at Leiden University in the Netherlands.

"What's more, the results could be seen as an unusual, indirect kind of evidence for string theory - a 40-year-old framework that weaves together quantum mechanics and gravity and is as mathematically elegant and profoundly explanatory as it is unproven.

"With looming questions about the nature of dark matter, the mysterious substance thought to constitute 84 percent of the mass in the universe, and the search for a 'theory of everything' that mathematically describes all of nature, researchers say the findings could have sweeping implications...."
(Natalie Wolchover, Simons Foundation)
Having an elegant set of equations is nice, at least for mathematicians. Discovering that the elegant math is 'real,' that it reflects how part of the universe works, is good news for scientists.

I'm impressed at what looks like another example of recursion. We see forms like circles, spheres, and spirals in a vast range of scales: from microscopic creatures and sunflower heads to whirlpools and galaxies.


(Brandon Weeks (August 7, 2004), via Wikimedia Commons)

Finally, "high temperature" superconductors aren't what I'd call warm. 'Ordinary' superconducting metals become superconductors at around 243 degrees below zero centigrade. The high temperature variety change at a comparatively high temperature of minus 135 centigrade, or 211 below zero Fahrenheit.

Even by Minnesota standards, that's cold.

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Sunday, February 24, 2013

Jesus, God, and Something Thomas Aquinas Said

Readings for February 24, 2013, Second Sunday of Lent 2013:

Second Sunday of Advent 2012

By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas
February 24, 2013

The great painter Raphael eloquently envisioned the Transfiguration in what is considered his last painting. Jesus floats in midair before softly illuminated clouds, with Moses and Elijah at his left and right. Below Jesus, the disciples cower in terror as the Transfiguration reveals the light flooded promise of eternal life. It is a revelation of Christ's Divine Glory.

In the lower part of the painting. Raphael depicts the apostles attempting to free a possessed boy of demonic possession.

The painting seems to show the Redemptive Power of Christ contrasted with the flaws of mankind. Raphael died in 1520; the work was finished by his pupil Giulio Romano. And today it is housed at the Vatican.

The Transfiguration was an amazing event. It is reported to appear like a person bursting forth into flames from the inside out.

How often do we meditate on the Transfiguration, especially that now we have one of the mysteries of the Rosary dedicated to the Transfiguration.

Then, wouldn't you know, as I was reading in preparation for this homily: I find that there are some modern Scripture scholars who think this never happened! How come it is that our so-called "modern scholars" know more than the people who actually lived through it. Maybe the question should be asked of them, why are you trying to disprove this great happening of the Transfiguration? One account stated that it is just a preview of the resurrection, written after the resurrection to make the latter resurrection more acceptable. Yeah I know, it doesn't make any sense to me either.

Thomas Aquinas wrote that it was a miracle that suspended a previous miracle. That is, when God became human, the divinity would have overpowered the humanity of Jesus every minute of every day. So, God miraculously shaded the divinity to give the humanity space to be itself. Then on that mountain, God suspended that continues miracle for a few moments, and the divinity of Jesus was free to break forth in splendor.

But exactly what broke forth? What would have overwhelmed the humanity of Jesus had it not been suppressed? The infinite compassion of God for all his creatures; the stunning wisdom of God; the dazzling brilliance of God's beauty; the overpowering crush of God's justice; the dissolving tenderness of God's Mercy. All this converged and exploded on that mountain.

Jesus was not a mere channel for Divinity, not just a vehicle for some divine display. Jesus was equally human and he did not simply appear at that moment. He worked his way there from the beginning of time and evolution. And that is when his personal genius took command. He learned a skill, appreciated nature, loved children, became a notable storyteller, attracted friends, discovered a poetic talent, became passionate about God's kingdom, grew in wisdom and grace, became proficient in prayer, called God his own father. And all of that perfect humanity came to a head on that undistinguished hill. The humanity of God met the divinity of a man and exploded in ecstasy.

Lest someone should think we are confusing the issue we should be reminded that God is so far beyond our vocabulary, we get sloppy with words. We say that God became human. But of course, God did not become anything. God cannot become because God simply is. What we mean to say is that God took our humanity; God assumed a particular human nature.

We also can accurately say that Jesus is equally God and man. But of course, nothing is equal to God. Any human person would be shattered like a mirror in the face of God. What we mean to say is that Jesus is fully divine and fully human, that God did not lose any divinity by becoming human and that Jesus did not lose any humanity by becoming divine. Both natures are miraculously protected.

Jesus is not a combination of two persons, or a split personality. Jesus is one Divine Person. Just as you may have a whimsical or tragic personality apart from your essential self, so Jesus had a unique human personality that is expressed as a Divine Person.

It's complicated, I know. We must speak of God in human terms because that's all we really have. But once we arrived at some human notion of God, that tells us something more about ourselves. It says that your essential self is to live in Christ. You spend a life- time forming your personality around the person of Christ. Then you die, imperfect.

But God transforms your mortal life into God's Divine Life. You become living proof of Irenaeus' conviction: "The glory of God is you fully alive."

So do not doubt, but believe!

Be Good, be Holy, preach the Gospel always, and if necessary use words!
'Thank you' to Deacon Kaas, for letting me post his reflection here.
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Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Jesus, Knowledge, and Stories From Egypt

Folks often use words like "infinite" and "almighty" when trying to describe God.1 (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 268-271)

The idea of God being immeasurably vast, all-powerful, and all-knowing, isn't too difficult to believe.

Believing that Jesus is God: not so much. Folks have had trouble believing that from the start, even when Jesus was right there, talking to them:
"So the Jews said to him, 'You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?' 23

"24 Jesus said to them, 'Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.' "
(John 8:57-58)
"Philip said to him, 'Master, show us the Father, 7 and that will be enough for us.'

"Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, "Show us the Father"? "
(John 14:8-9)
Maybe believing was hard because God was right there, quite visible, taking up a specific amount of space, speaking literally face-to-face. Later, after Jesus stopped being dead - - - and that's another topic. (March 11, 2012)

Metaphysical Knots and Pondering the Infinite

Folks have tied themselves in metaphysical knots, trying to explain how God Almighty could fit 'inside' one human being: or explain that God didn't.

I like to understand things, but have long since had to admit that God's God, and I'm not. I'm a finite creature, using a few pounds of neural circuitry to ponder the infinite and eternal.

The Incarnation

That brings up an interesting point. God is almighty. A human being is not. How could Jesus, the Son of God, possibly be God and human: and keep all that infinite power?

He didn't. As Paul put it, Jesus "emptied himself" to become one of us. (Phillipians 2:7)

I'd better back up a little. Jesus is human. Jesus is God. How, I don't know: and I don't need to. I accept the Incarnation as the least-complicated explanation for what's happened. Occam's razor, and all that.

Some folks balk at the idea that God would really become human. Maybe it doesn't seem 'spiritual' enough. They've said that Jesus is:
  • Is not really human (Gnosticism)
    • Catechism, 465
  • Is human, with a God implant (Nestorianism)
    • Catechism, 466
  • Started human, then became purely divine (Monophysitism)
    • Catechism, 467
    (December 26, 2012)
Then there's the currently-fashionable notion that God isn't involved, and that's yet another topic.

A Human Soul

A decade or so back, I ran across a discussion of the stories and parables Jesus told. Apparently they're a lot like stories folks told in Egypt around that time. That's hardly surprising. Jesus spent time in Egypt. He or his parents could easily have picked up a few stories while there. (Matthew 2:14-21)

I think it's a mistake to imagine Jesus as merely a wise man - who said "before Abraham came to be, I AM"?! I also think it's a mistake to imagine Jesus as purely 'spiritual,' someone who was just pretending to be human.

Jesus has a human soul: and had human, limited, knowledge. He was born in a particular time and place, learned to speak, and grew up: just as we all do. (Catechism, 472)
"And Jesus advanced (in) wisdom and age and favor before God and man."
(Luke 2:52)
"He asked them, 'How many loaves do you have? Go and see.' And when they had found out they said, 'Five loaves and two fish.' "
(Mark 6:38)
"6 Now Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say that I am?' "
(Mark 8:27)
"When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed 7 and deeply troubled,

"and said, 'Where have you laid him?' They said to him, 'Sir, come and see.'"
(John 11:33-34)
About questions like "Who do people say that I am," I suppose Jesus could have been using the Socratic method: asking questions to elicit answers. It's a pretty good method for getting students to think about a subject, rather than just record what an instructor says: and that's yet again another topic.

Some commentary on the fifth chapter of Mark focuses on belief that physical contact and faith in Jesus' saving power. I'm also interested in this brief glimpse of my Lord's awareness:
"Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who has touched my clothes?'

"But his disciples said to him, 'You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, "Who touched me?" '

"And he looked around to see who had done it."
(Mark 5:30-32)
Jesus not knowing everything doesn't make my Lord seem 'too human,' as far as I'm concerned. If the Son of God wasn't human, Christ's death on Golgotha would have been an interesting bit divine play-acting. And that's still another topic.

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Saturday, March 31, 2012

Brought Back to Life By God

Noted:And yes, miracles happen.

A tip of the hat to Matthew Menking, on Google+, for the heads-up on that post. His blog:
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Friday, February 24, 2012

My Take on the News: Death; Religious Freedom; Resistance; Burned Books; and Saints

More posts about forcing Catholics to violate our conscience:
The Department of Health and Human Services vs. Conscience
I'm a little more aware of 'last things' today, partly because Lent has started; and partly because of what I've been seeing in the news:
  1. The Seventh Death
  2. Religious Freedom and Living in a Big World
  3. The Spirit of Resistance
  4. Apology for Burning Quran
    Particularly
  5. Kateri Tekakwitha - Canonization Slated for October
"Memento mori" means "remember death." Or "remember your mortality," or "remember you must die," or "remember you will die," or something equally cheerful. It's Latin, and - like it or not - true. The special case of Elijah notwithstanding, one of the few things human beings can count on is that, sooner or later, we die.

What a person does with that knowledge is up to the individual. We've got quite a few options, including:
  • Denial
    • 'Anything I don't like is an illusion'
  • Evasion
    • 'Let's talk about something else'
  • Morbid fascination
    • 'Oh, goody! Another funeral!'
I think a sensible choice is 'none of the above.' Death happens, I think it's daft to make believe it doesn't, and there's more to life than death.

1. The Seventh Death

Monday was a really bad day for driving in Minnesota. Seven people were killed in three separate accidents:
"Six lives lost in three hours"
Echo Press; Alexandria, Minnesota (February 22, 2012)

"In the space of three hours, six lives were lost in three separate crashes on snowy, slushy roads near Alexandria and Glenwood on Monday.

"The first crash happened during a heavy snowfall at about 3:05 p.m. on Interstate 94 about three miles west of Alexandria.

"Four female students from North Dakota State University died at the scene – the driver, Lauren Peterson, 18, of Prior Lake and passengers, Jordan Playle, 19, of Elk River, Megan Sample, 18, of Rogers and Danielle Renninger, 18, of Excelsior...."

"...Tragedy struck again at about 6:15 p.m. on County Road 82, west of Alexandria, about a quarter mile east of Townhall Road.

"Kristy Carlson, 40, of Alexandria was driving east with her 13-year-old daughter, Megan Victoria Carlson in a 2002 Oldsmobile that collided with a westbound 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer driven by Erin McCoy, 38, also of Alexandria, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

"Megan Carlson was pronounced dead at the Douglas County Hospital.

"Kristy Carlson was transferred to Hennepin County Medical Center where she was listed in satisfactory condition Tuesday morning...."

"...A three-vehicle crash on State Highway 28 in Pope County in Glenwood at about 3:30 p.m. Monday also claimed a life.

"Steffanie Dahlseng, 26, of Starbuck was killed in the crash...."
These weather-related fatalities were hard to miss in regional news. I put more excerpts at the end of this post.1

Perhaps understandably, most news was about the four college students. Three of the four young women were roommates, they were well-liked by friends and family, their lives were tragically cut short, and I'm sure that they'll be missed.

This is just a suggestion, and no pressure: but prayer couldn't hurt. Quite a few families are mourning just now.

Remember, I said that seven people were killed in three crashes? The seventh victim died at the scene of one of the accidents, but hasn't, as far as I can tell, been mentioned in the news.

When Steffanie Dahlseng was killed on State Highway 28, her baby died, too. She and her husband were expecting the birth in May.

I posted about that little omission on Wednesday:

About the Four NDSU Students

Don't get me wrong: I think the death of all seven people last Monday was a sad set of circumstances.

All three accidents were, as far as I can tell from the news and what I've heard, the sort of thing that tends to tug at the heartstrings. I'll focus on the four North Dakota State University (NDSU) students, since that's the instance that's had the most coverage.

They had every reason to expect that they'd arrive at NDSU and get back to studies. Interstate 94 is a well-engineered road, and the part near Alexandria, Minnesota, is far from the most likely to cause trouble in bad weather.

Sure, in 20-20 hindsight, they might have looked at the weather and decided to wait until the ice, snow, and slush got cleared off. But like I said: I-94 is a well-engineered road. Besides, I've been a college student: and skipping class generally isn't a preferred option.

They'd apparently been driving sensibly - seat belts fastened, and no alcohol in evidence. Seat belts improve the odds of surviving a crash, by the way: they don't guarantee it. The same goes for any safety gadget.

So, one minute they were very much alive and looking forward to several decades of living. The next - they were dead.

I don't think constantly brooding on the possibility that something's going to kill me is sensible. But neither, in my considered opinion, is blithely assuming that I've got all the time in the world before I die.

2. Religious Freedom and Living in a Big world

America has, to a remarkable extent, allowed folks to worship the way they want: or not worship at all. I think that's a good idea.

Which is just as well, since as a Catholic: I'm required to support religious freedom. It's 'in the rules:'
  • Catholics must support religious freedom
    (Catechism, 2104-2109)
    • For everybody
      (Catechism, 2106)
  • Freedom comes with responsibility
    • For the individual
      (Catechism, 1731-1738)
    • For the state
      (Catechism, 2431)
Like I said, America has a fairly good track record when it comes to freedom of (not from) religion, as well as the freedom to not enthusiastically applaud the country's establishment. I've discussed aberrations like McCarthyism and political correctness before.

Other countries aren't doing quite as well, dealing with folks who follow their conscience: instead of their country's leaders.
"Iran court convicts Christian pastor convert to death"
Lisa Daftari, FoxNews.com (February 22, 2012)

"A trial court in Iran has issued its final verdict, ordering a Christian pastor to be put to death for leaving Islam and converting to Christianity, according to sources close to the pastor and his legal team.

"Supporters fear Youcef Nadarkhani, a 34-year-old father of two who was arrested over two years ago on charges of apostasy, may now be executed at any time without prior warning, as death sentences in Iran may be carried out immediately or dragged out for years....

"...'The world needs to stand up and say that a man cannot be put to death because of his faith,' said Jordan Sekulow, executive director of The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).

" 'This one case is not just about one execution. We have been able to expose the system instead of just letting one man disappear, like so many other Christians have in the past.'..."
There may be more to the case of Youcef Nadarkhani, than simple religious intolerance. Iran's Ayatollahs have been trying to run a fairly large, technologically advanced, country - using a set of rules that might have worked when Abram left Ur. Three dozen centuries later? Not so much.

I've made the point, in another blog, that places like much of the Middle East and Sudan have been dragged over several thousand years of change in a few generations:
"...To people still accustomed to burqas and Sharia, a world of Barbies and sports cars must be terrifying. It's no wonder that they go a little crazy, trying to adjust...."
(Another War-on-Terror Blog (November 28, 2007))
I'm not making excuses for Iran's leadership. But I think it's worth noting that they're old men, who seem to be trying desperately to hang onto a way of life that much of the rest of the world left behind centuries - at least - back. That doesn't excuse their actions: but it may help explain them.

'Religion Kills People?'

One thing I emphatically do not think the death sentence proves is that 'religion kills people.' Yes, the occasional homicidal maniac with weird religious beliefs makes the headlines. Sometimes folks get confused about what God says, and what they want to believe. But there's more to faith than than. A lot more. I've linked to a few posts about that, near the end of the blog. There's also a sort of quick link list under "Background."

Death Sentence as Distraction?

There may be more going on in the 'death to the apostate' sentence than cultural rigidity or religious intolerance. Iran's economy has not been doing too well. Sanctions haven't helped, and that's another topic.

The Ayatollahs may have decided that killing infidels may distract their subjects from shortcomings of leadership - and might force foreigners to stop pestering the Ayatollahs. I'm not saying that it's a sensible thing to do.
"...It is also feared that Nadarkhani will be executed in retaliation as Iran endures crippling sanctions and international pressure in response to its nuclear agenda and rogue rhetoric. The number of executions in Iran has increased significantly in the last month...."
(FoxNews.com)
Compared to what's happening to Youcef Nadarkhani, the Department of Health and Human Services forcing Catholic doctors to abandon their conscience or their careers is a relatively minor threat.

3. The Spirit of Resistance

Before getting to the third news item, some quotes:
"The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it always to be kept alive."
Thomas Jefferson (3rd president of US (1743 - 1826))

"Silence is the virtue of a fool."
Sir Francis Bacon (1561 - 1626)
The bad news is that folks in America's government are trying to force Catholics to abandon their conscience.

The good news is that Catholic bishops - and others - are not being silent.
"ACLJ: Obamacare Contraceptives Rule 'Blatantly Unconstitutional' -- 70,000 Sign Petition to Reverse Reg"
Elizabeth Harrington, CNSNews.com (February 22, 2012)

"The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) and almost 70,000 Americans are urging the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reverse its controversial mandate that requires all health insurers to offer sterilizations and contraceptives, including those that induce abortion, free of charge because it potentially is a violation of religious liberty under the First Amendment.

"Along with the petition, the ACLJ sent a legal analysis to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Feb. 21 that finds the mandate 'blatantly unconstitutional.' The legal group says the regulation violates the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which protects individuals and institutions' right to freely exercise their religion against burdensome laws.

"Thus far, 68,794 people have signed on to the 'Defend Religious Liberty – Stop Forced Abortion Pill Coverage' petition that states, 'The Obama Administration has launched an all-out assault on people of faith.'..."
I think this HHS mandate is a very bad idea. It's bad enough that killing people who are too young, too old, too weak, or too sick, to defend themselves is legal in America. Forcing folks who think that murder isn't nice to help the assassins is unacceptable.

The good news is that Catholic bishops in America are doing their job. I'd rather that they not have to say that murder isn't nice, and we shouldn't do it. But at least somebody with authority in this country isn't stark raving bonkers.

There's an election coming up, by the way. Just a thought.

From Bishops: Leadership

Here's an updated list of resources from Catholic Bishops in America:

4. Apology for Burning Quran

"Barack Obama apology to Afghanistan over Koran burning"
BBC News (February 23, 2012)

"President Barack Obama has apologised to the Afghan people for the burning of Korans by American troops at a US base.

"In a letter to President Hamid Karzai, Mr Obama expressed his 'deep regret' and said the incident earlier this week was a genuine mistake.

"Demonstrations against the desecration have continued for a third day across northern and eastern Afghanistan.

"Two US soldiers and two Afghans were killed in an attack on a military base. Elsewhere there were four other deaths.

"On Wednesday, another seven people were killed and dozens injured in protests.

"Mr Obama's letter, delivered by the US ambassador to Afghanistan, assured the Afghan president that US authorities would question all those responsible...."
I'm inclined to believe what this general said:
"NATO commander orders probe of 'improper' disposal of large number of Islamic religious materials from air base"
Associated Press, via FoxNews.com (February 21, 2012)

"More than 2,000 angry Afghans rallied Tuesday against the inadvertent burning of Korans and other Islamic religious materials during trash disposal at an American air base. They demanded to meet the country's president over the issue and threatened to demonstrate again if their demand was not met.

"U.S. Gen. John Allen, the top commander in Afghanistan, apologized and ordered an investigation into the incident, which he was 'not intentional in any way.'

"The incident stoked anti-foreign sentiment that already is on the rise after nearly a decade of war in Afghanistan and fueled the arguments of Afghans who believe foreign troops are not respectful of their culture or Islamic religion...."

Apology: It's a Start

I have no problem with the American president apologizing for desecrating books that many folks in Afghanistan take as seriously as I take the Bible. Looking at it from a strictly diplomatic point of view, it's one of the few things the American president could reasonably do in this situation.

Burning those Qurans - almost certainly an accident - was a monumentally stupid and destructive action. And an insult to the faith of a great many folks in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

Now, if the current administration could start treating the beliefs of Catholics in America with the same respect - - - well, that's probably a bit much to expect.

I've already been over this administration's disregard for conscience. (Spirit of Resistance, earlier in this post)

Error, Consequences, and Spelling

I don't envy whoever is responsible for torching those Qurans. Even if it was the result of ignorance or negligence - there are likely going to be personal consequences.

By the way: I've generally spelled the book in question "Quran." Quite a few folks who speak English and use the Latin alphabet write "Koran." It's actually spelled القرآن‎ - and I've discussed transliteration before.

At least this time the book-burning seems not to have been a deliberate insult:

5. Kateri Tekakwitha - Canonization Slated for October

"Oct 21: Canonization of 1st Native American Saint, Kateri Tekakwitha"
"Nun Who Cared for Hawaii Lepers Will Also Be Canonized That Day"
ZENIT (February ,21 2012)

"On Saturday, the prefect of the Congregation for Saints' Causes announced that Oct. 21 will be the date for the canonization of the first Native American saint, Kateri Tekakwitha.

"Blessed Kateri will be raised to the altars along with Marianne Cope, a German-born immigrant to the United States, who followed St. Damian in caring for the lepers of Hawaii...."
Also scheduled for canonization October 21, 2012:
  • Jacques Berthieu
    • Martyr
    • French
    • Priest of the Society of Jesus
  • Pedro Calungsod
    • Martyr
    • Filipino
    • Lay catechist
  • Giovanni Battista Piamarta
    • Priest
    • Italian
    • Founder of the
      • Congregation of the Holy Family of Nazareth
      • Congregation of the Humble Sister Servants of the Lord
  • Maria del Carmen (born Maria Salles y Barangueras)
    • Foundress of the Conceptionist Missionary Sisters of Teaching
    • Spanish
I'd probably be interested in folks who greeted Brendan the Navigator, vikings, and that lot that started coming over about five centuries back, even if I didn't have family connections to the Oglala Lakota. And that's another topic.

Anyway, Kateri Tekakwitha was born in the Mohawk tribe. Her mother was a Christian Algonquin who had been captured by Iroquois. There's a fairly good - and brief - biography of her on a page of the online Catholic Encyclopedia:It takes two confirmed miracles for canonization to be authorized. Here's the one that put Kateri Tekakwitha on the list:
"Sainthood nearer for Kateri Tekakwitha"
The Gazette, Montreal (December 20, 2011)
"Credited with miracle, Lily of the Mohawks to be canonized

"A Mohawk woman whose remains are entombed inside a Kahnawake church has moved one step closer to becoming a saint.

"On Tuesday, Pope Benedict XVI cleared the way for the canonization of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, known as Lily of the Mohawks, and six others.

"Kateri died in 1680 at age 24....

"...The decision was made on Tuesday after the pope signed a decree approving a miracle attributed to Kateri. She is credited with interceding to save Jake Finkbonner, a child in Washington State who developed necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating disease, after cutting his lip while playing basketball.

"With Jake gravely ill in hospital, his parish priest asked his family and other church members to ask Kateri for intercession. Soon after, the bacteria stopped spreading and Jake recovered, his family says....

"...In 1980, Kateri was beatified by Pope John Paul II, the final stage before sainthood. To be declared a saint, a miracle must be attributed to the candidate after he or she has been beatified.

"The Vatican has been receiving requests to canonize Kateri for more than 100 years. The first recorded instance came in the 1880s, when Jesuit missionaries delivered a petition on behalf of Mohawks...."
I've posted about miracles before. Yes, they happen. And that's almost another topic.

Related posts, getting a grip about:
Background:
  • Religion, reason, and emotions
    • Faith and reason are compatible
      (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 159)
      • Reason
        • Isn't opposed to faith
          (Catechism, 35)
        • Is a critical part of
          • Conscience
            (Catechism, 1778)
          • Human law
            (Catechism, 1902)
          • Natural law
            (Catechism, 1954-1960)
        • As intellect, an attribute of God
          (Catechism, 271)
        • An ability which makes human beings like God
          (Catechism, 1730)
      • Emotions
        • Are "natural components of the human psyche"(Catechism, 1764)
          • Aren't "good" or "bad" by themselves
            (Catechism, 1762-1770)
        • Should be governed by reason
          (Catechism, 1767)
    • Catholics are not allowed to hate anyone
      • No exceptions
      (Catechism, 1033)
    • Jesus told us that the Commandments boiled down to 'Love God, love your neighbor.'
      (Matthew 22:36-40; Mark 12:28-31)
    • Everybody is our neighbor
      (Matthew 5:43-44; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 10:25-30; Catechism, 1825)
  • Death
    • Jesus
      • Died: really
        (Catechism, 624-628)
      • Didn't stay dead: really
        (Catechism, 631-635, 638-655)
      • And is currently seated at the right had of His Father
        (Catechism, 659-664)
    • I will
  • Freedom
    • Catholics must support religious freedom
      (Catechism, 2104-2109)
      • For everybody
        (Catechism, 2106)
    • And responsibility
      • Of the individual
        (Catechism, 1731-1738)
      • Of the state
        (Catechism, 2431)
    • Threats to freedom
      (Catechism, 1740)
    • And property
      (Catechism, 2402-2406)
  • Last Judgment
    • You can't miss it
      (Catechism, 1038-1041)
    • After the end of time: a new universe
      • When God says so
        (Catechism, 1048)
      (Catechism, 1042-1050)
  • Life issues
    • Human life is sacred
      (Catechism, 2258)
    • A human being is a person from conception to natural death
      (Catechism, 2270)
    • Euthanasia is wrong
      • Even if the person is
      (Catechism, 2276-2279)
    • Science can help people
      • Provided the research is ethical
      (Catechism, 2292-2295)
    • Organ transplants are okay
      • But don't kill someone and break him down for parts
      (Catechism, 2296)
  • Miracles
    • Why Jesus worked miracles
      (Catechism, 515, 548-544)
    • Charisms and miracles
      (Catechism, 2003)
(This isn't even close to being a complete index on these topics.)
1 Excerpts from the news:
"Six lives lost in three hours"
Echo Press; Alexandria, Minnesota (February 22, 2012)

"In the space of three hours, six lives were lost in three separate crashes on snowy, slushy roads near Alexandria and Glenwood on Monday.

"The first crash happened during a heavy snowfall at about 3:05 p.m. on Interstate 94 about three miles west of Alexandria.

"Four female students from North Dakota State University died at the scene – the driver, Lauren Peterson, 18, of Prior Lake and passengers, Jordan Playle, 19, of Elk River, Megan Sample, 18, of Rogers and Danielle Renninger, 18, of Excelsior...."

"...Tragedy struck again at about 6:15 p.m. on County Road 82, west of Alexandria, about a quarter mile east of Townhall Road.

"Kristy Carlson, 40, of Alexandria was driving east with her 13-year-old daughter, Megan Victoria Carlson in a 2002 Oldsmobile that collided with a westbound 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer driven by Erin McCoy, 38, also of Alexandria, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

"Megan Carlson was pronounced dead at the Douglas County Hospital.

"Kristy Carlson was transferred to Hennepin County Medical Center where she was listed in satisfactory condition Tuesday morning...."

"...A three-vehicle crash on State Highway 28 in Pope County in Glenwood at about 3:30 p.m. Monday also claimed a life.

"Steffanie Dahlseng, 26, of Starbuck was killed in the crash...."
"Four NDSU Students From Twin Cities Killed in Snowy Crash"
Michelle Knoll, KAAL TV (February 21, 2012)

"Four women from the Twin Cities were killed in a crash on I-94 near Alexandria Monday afternoon. The women were freshman at North Dakota State University. Three of the women were roommates.

The Minnesota State Patrol says 18-year-old Lauren Peterson of Prior Lake, 19-year-old Jordan Playle of Elk River, 18-year-old Megan Sample of Rogers, and 18-year-old Danielle Renninger of Excelsior died when they lost control of their car and went through the median into oncoming traffic.

Peterson was driving, and roads were slippery at the time of the crash. Authorities say all of the women were wearing seat belts, and no alcohol was detected...."
"4 college roommates killed in Minnesota crash"
News8000.com (February 21, 2012)

"The four young women who died in an interstate crash west of Alexandria were college roommates heading back to North Dakota State University.

The Minnesota State Patrol says the teens' car crossed the median of Interstate 94 near Alexandria Monday afternoon and was struck by an SUV, which was hit by a third vehicle...."
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Marian Apparition: Champion, Wisconsin

Background:Posts in this blog: In the news:

What's That Doing in a Nice Catholic Blog?

From time to time, a service that I use will display links to - odd - services and retailers.

I block a few of the more obvious dubious advertisers.

For example: psychic anything, numerology, mediums, and related practices are on the no-no list for Catholics. It has to do with the Church's stand on divination. I try to block those ads.

Sometime regrettable advertisements get through, anyway.

Bottom line? What that service displays reflects the local culture's norms, - not Catholic teaching.