Our Lady of Mount Carmel icon by Kristin McCarthy {daughter of Fr. E.C. McCarthy}
Today, there are voices
crying out in the hot New Mexico desert on this feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
. Voices praying the rosary, in adoration of the
Blessed Sacrament for 24 hour vigil, celebrating mass, all pointed in the
direction of the world’s first atomic weapon test, one mile away, on this same
day, 68 years ago. The first atomic bomb
blast was blasphemously named, “Trinity.”
Nothing holy about it. Persistent
prayer and great grace are required to conquer radical evil, the megadeath
destructive power of nuclear weapons. We
alone in this country still possess at least 50 times the nuclear firepower to
end all life on earth. No to nukes in
Iran, Iraq … no to nukes in the USA. Do
as I do, not just as I say.
he prayer vigil effort
has been going on for 30 years lead by Fr. Charles Emmanuel McCarthy, and the
Mexican American community of Socorro {translates help, aid, assistance}, N.M. It begins on July 15 and ends in the evening
of July 16, the feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Asking the Lord, through intercession of the Blessed
Mother to help heal the wound of weapons of mass destruction, which we inflict
upon ourselves and continues contagious, is the faithful group’s prayer. These are not radical demonstrators but
visionary Christians who see clearly the implication of the Gospel--put away
the atomic sword, put away all swords.
Beat them into tools that give food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty
and heal the sick.
brown scapula was given
to the Catholic community of Carmelites, by Our Lady of Mount Carmel, some 500 years
ago. When worn it is to give one protection from
physical and spiritual harm. In this
same way, the small prayer community in the desert from whence nuclear weapons
come, wants to cover each and every one with the protective garment of Christ’s
love. Renouncing these ultimate death
star weapons is a first step in converting--from choosing death, to choosing
life. Let’s continue to join with these
desert pilgrims in work and prayer, and perhaps join them in the New Mexico desert
next year.
Power
or
Prayer
From the Albuquerque Journal -- July 17, 2005
Illuminations by Kathy Brahney
No comments:
Post a Comment