Hello dear listeners. I can’t find a Biblical or Poetic quote for "Words lie heavy on my heart," but I didn’t make up the phrase either. My mind is full of desire to speak out to Putin… but what can I say? What can we say? "Stop it you big bully. Or…." "Or what?" he snears as he turns on me with dead eyes… Yesterday we pondered "What can we do?" I have wondered that for a few years as I wish I could make a difference and stop the "talk and name calling" that our country has descended into. I am called various names that I find offensive as I don’t call myself anything except, "Child of God." But others want to label. Others say, "You are Woke, Karen," (Whatever that means!)… or "You are liberal." Again, whatever that means. Today I am awake, thank God after a long night of talking to myself and making up stories in my head. I try not to do that, using phrases a sleep therapist once said, "This isn’t happening NOW!… Go to sleep!" But the story telling in my mind all just continues. We are supposed to get up and read or write when this happens, and my sister Sarah said, "Didn’t you pray?" Unfortunately I did not… I did however make up some plans I would like to send to our President for how to stop the war in Ukraine… Again, Sarah tells me, "I don’t make plans for others." Oh dear, what’s a fellow to do?
Yesterday and today in Mass, the readings were very clear: A rich man whom the Lord punished for his selfishness wants a drop of water from a man he ignored. "Just a drop." "No," says Abraham. "God sent the prophets to give you water, and you rejected it. You did not help anyone when you were alive; you rejected the laws of the prophets." We sputter, "But, we miss seeing the poor and the suffering; we are too busy ‘getting and spending.’ We have agendas, things to do, rules of politics." Whatever… (see Jeremiah 17 and Luke 16). "But they are not the rules and things of God." says Jesus. A lot of people don’t believe in the future because we can’t see (beyond our noses.) Today we read the story of Joseph thrown into a dry well and then sold down into slavery into Egypt by his brothers. "That’s a terrible story," my sister says. "Yes it is an awful story," I ruminate. It’s exactly what man has done since Cain and Abel. Wow we are a loathsome bunch. How does a human being dare to enslave and mutilate other human beings? And believe me, we mutilate with knives and our tongues both equally. Every day we listen to the Good News (Gospel) say, "love one another; pray for your enemies."… about Joseph, "You (Joseph’s brothers) meant your actions for evil, but God turned it into Good. You reject the cornerstone, but God turns it into good." Look out and up! The blue sky, maybe no flower buds yet! but the promise of flower buds, and Thank God!