Illumination by Kathy Brahney
Monday, December 24, 2012
MERRY HOLY CHRISTMAS -- REDEEMING GRACE IS BORN -- VIOLENCE VANQUISHED
Illumination by Kathy Brahney
Monday, December 17, 2012
CHRISTMAS STAR TO DISPEL VIOLENT DARKNESS----GOD’S UNCONDITIONAL MERCY, NONVIOLENT LOVE
Scene from Newtown Conn. mass shooting -- Dec. 15, 2012 -- NBC News photo
Jihad Misharawi, of BBC Arabic, cradling the body of his
11-month-old baby Omar after his house was struck in Israel’s air strike on Wednesday 14 November 2012—AP photo
The death of Holy Innocents is all around us. Too many children destroyed. Over the past years a couple of thousands in
Syria, 35 in eight days in Gaza, 20 in less than one hour in Newton,
Connecticut. We are appalled at
some—those that make the media. The
images of suffering children in Gaza are sequestered and little seen. My dear Ande watched their online video for
minutes and tears of compassion came quickly, with a resolve to say the rosary
daily till Christmas. Countless children
killed in all wars day after day; in abortion they number millions each year.
We pray with Thomas Merton for light in the darkness—a
Savior is born in a stable.
Into this world,
this demented inn, in which there is absolutely no room for Him at all, Christ
has come uninvited. But because He cannot be at home in it, because He is out
of place in it, and yet must be in it, His place is with those others for whom
there is no room. His place is with those who do not belong, who are rejected
by power because they are regarded as weak, those who are discredited, who are
denied status as persons, who are tortured, bombed, and exterminated. With
those for whom there is no room, Christ is present in the world. He is
mysteriously present in those for whom there seems to be nothing but the world
at its worst.
--- from Thomas Merton’s essay ‘The Time of the End is the Time of No Room’.
An idolatrous lie replaces the Credo--the Great Deceiver insinuates: I
believe in Gun the power almighty, protector of heaven and earth.
Lord Jesus, save us from evil one, who whispers that killing is
sometimes required to secure the way to the Kingdom of God.
This sign to appear in downtown Port Huron, Dec. 24th . May we unite against violence everywhere it lurks. May we unite the devotional charity [The Merciful] and social justice [The Just] aspects of our churches--conservative and liberal sides of our community--which have too often been at odds. They both must work and pray for each other---repent of violence-based cliff-hanger politics, and commit to the common good.
Pray for all the children --
To help with those in Syria see Catholic Relief Service active during the whole past year of hostilities https://secure.crs.org/site/Donation2?df_id=5080&5080.donation=form1&s_src=emergencypage
or our local contact http://www.optrans.org/syria.html
And please see my report on the complex Syria war-- http://mccarthysweekly-paxvobiscum.blogspot.com/2012/08/making-sense-of-syria-dominoes-of.html
For help in Gaza see http://crs.org/jerusalem/jobs-in-gaza-helping-grads-connect-with-work/
Some ideas to support families in Newton, CN http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/News/newtown-connecticut-community-effected-shooting/story?id=17998133
http://tv.msnbc.com/2012/12/17/nra-endorsed-sen-joe-manchin-calls-for-assault-weapons-ban/
Monday, December 10, 2012
THE “RIGHT TO WORK” IS THE RIGHT TO SHIRK—REPONSIBILITY TO CO-WORKERS AND COMMUNITY
Political cartoon from 1955--era of a different perspective
Michigan is the latest target of, powerful moneyed people who want to explode solidarity--want to wipe from consciousness the idea that employers have responsibilities to their workers, and workers to each other, and both of these, to the whole community. Walter Reuther, Pope Leo XIII, Cesar Chavez, countless union maids, and so many others are rolling over in their graves.
Michigan has just been voted by its lame duck legislature, a “right to work” state.
The rust belt {insult to injury} is now made the union bust belt—Indiana,
Wisconsin, Michigan, and more, the targets.
If they can break the UAW and teachers unions in Michigan of strong labor tradition, they can do
it anywhere.
After many slick operators like Bain Capitol have shipped
most of our manufacturing out of the country, then corporate groups like ALEC
and the Mackinaw Center cleverly engineer legislation that says we have “the
right to work”-- not having to join the union that’s won the right to represent
the worker at their workplace. These
think tanks like to say this makes states more likely to draw business. But on important indicators of a good
economy, right-to-work state studies show conflicting, murky results. Some “job creators” are becoming job
devastators.
Soon there will be no more good paying jobs, and no more
unions. Because the “right to work” is
really the right to shirk—reject your responsibility to co-workers. Get the benefits that the union wins in
negotiation, but no personal by-in, no shared sacrifice.
Every man and woman for themselves, divide and conquer. The
gospel of Ann Rand tries to marginalize the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Unions are disparaged; disunion is
celebrated. I’ve got mine, good luck
getting yours. Selfishness battles
shared destiny.
Our grandparents sacrificed to build unions which
bargain for the middle class with upper class owners. We do live in two different worlds. If you don’t believe so, just try to visit a
gated community, join an exclusive club, or fly in a private jet. There doesn’t
have to be class warfare, but there surely is class distinction. The need for mediators to negotiate between
bosses and workers should be self-evident.
Yes, there is bad union behavior, just as there’s bad boss behavior, but
paying a little attention to the history of organized labor in the USA should
convince, that good unions are the foundation for good jobs and
productivity. Many employers now
recognize this. But they didn’t always.
At a hospital emergency room seeing patients, shoveling
in a mine, hoeing sugar beets, or working the assembly line, all the long
day—these teach a lesson. Having done the first and third of these, I’ve
learned something. Most working
people know what’s fair and what’s not, if management sits down and levels with
them. This is the purpose of sensible
union activity, to achieve the goals of the company / organization, all
contributors at the table. For the rich especially, a thorough contemplative reading of the Gospel of Luke and his Acts of the Apostles, would be a wise prayerful choice during this troubled, holy, season.
St. Luke the Evangelist was bullish on the responsibility the Rich have for the rest of us.
********************************************
From Sec. 20 Rerum Novarum, 1891, Pope Leo XIII---“Lastly, the rich must religiously refrain
from cutting down the workmen's earnings, whether by force, by fraud, or by
usurious dealing…”
From Economic Justice for All, a pastoral letter of the
National Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1986)
“No one may deny the right to organize without
attacking human dignity itself. Therefore we firmly oppose organized efforts,
such as those regrettably seen in this country, to break existing unions or
prevent workers from organizing.”
Another form of rights--that includes everyone--Today
December 10th -- Human Rights Day
Sunday, December 2, 2012
DOES THE LEFT HAND OF OUR CHURCH KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT IS DOING?
Two sides of card offered by "Catholics United"
After these elections: less politics, more
Jesus. The answer to the “fiscal cliff”
is found in our looking to the heavens for the Second Coming as in today’s gospel, erect, unafraid, because we’ve listened to the Last Judgement message
of Jesus in Matthew 25:40 —“whatsoever you did to the least of your brothers and
sisters, you did to me.” And there is
practical evidence the “cliff” is just another manipulation by the powerful of
the public’s dire imagination, to keep people so anxious they can’t think
straight, and forget that it is in God, not Wall Street, that we trust.
Why was there such fierce animosity and
distrust this last election? Where did
this come from? Why do those that
disagree have to call each other--lost souls?
Many crusaders for respecting life, and ending war, competed in
disrespecting each others’ persons.
We need to unite the social justice and
devotional charity aspects of our churches, which have too often been at
odds. They both must work and pray for
each other.
Does the right hand of our church know what
the left is doing? Or does the left know
the right? Our conservative and liberal
elements have been placed in pitched battle, especially in this past election
season. Yet red and blue we worship in
the same pew. If both hands can be
clasped together offering each other their best strength, depth and humility,
maybe the proposed “new evangelization” can become a reality. “See how they love one another.”
Monday, November 26, 2012
THANKSGIVING, AND PRAYER FOR FORGIVENESS
Gaza homemade rocket Israeli tank in recent conflict, ~1500 rounds launched by each side
This Thanksgiving Nov. 22 the people of the Middle East,
and all of us worldwide, had something to be particularly thankful for – Israel
and the Palestinians of Gaza did not go to full-scale war. The Israelis did not invade, and halted its
air assassination campaign; Hamas stopped its rocket launches, an uneasy truce
holds. Thank God, and God forgive us
all -- 169 Palestinians dead, and 6 Israelis.*
We don’t know where this will go next, but we know it’s very difficult
to follow the divine admonition—“harden not your hearts.”
Lord have mercy on our souls--too accepting of the
violence and injustice that, instead of you, we often choose to give us our
daily bread.
11-25-12 USA Today, “Gaza cleric calls violation of Israel truce
sinful” -- excerpt below
The fatwa, or religious edict, was issued late Saturday
by Suleiman al-Daya, a cleric respected by both ultra-conservative Salafis and
Hamas. Salafi groups oppose political accommodations with Israel.
"Honoring the truce, which was sponsored by our
Egyptian brethren, is the duty of each and every one of us. Violating it shall
constitute a sin," the fatwa read. ... The fighting
killed 169 Palestinians, including dozens of civilians, and six Israelis.
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[
Monday, November 19, 2012
GAZA CRISIS—WE ARE ALL POLLUTED BY PREMEDITATED MURDER
Palestinian men gather around a crater caused by an Israeli airstrike at a home in Gaza City - CNN photo-11-18-12
The figures as of today: > 90 Palestinians dead, 3 Israelis.
As war once again heats up between Israel, and Gaza, a
tiny sliver of land on southern border that they ceded back to Palestinians in 2005,
it seems the inaccurate rockets of Hamas, and pinpoint lethal Israeli air-force
executions, are again stoking the fires of hatred. The lines have hardened since Israel’s
previous “Operation Cast Lead,” and five years of embargo are making things more
desperate in Gaza. Israel wants rocket
attacks from there to halt.
The residents of Gaza want the embargo, and
extrajuridicial executions of their leaders to stop. This recent escalation of violence stems from
an October 24th rockets skirmish in which 4 Palestinians died, and
then more rockets--followed Nov. 14th by Israel’s air-attack
assassination of Hamas Military Commander, Ahmed al-Jabari.
There have been sometimes thousands, and mostly hundreds
of rockets launched from Gaza each year.
They appear to have not much more direction than fireworks launch tubes. From the Israeli Defense Force blog site we
have 44 Israelis killed by these in the past 6 years. Comparatively--“Israel's
three-week ground war [‘Cast Lead’] against Hamas in 2009 left more than
1,000 Palestinians dead, and destroyed entire villages and much of Gaza's
infrastructure. Israel's image tanked internationally as it fended off
war-crimes accusations.” And the Israeli computer guided missiles shot from
attack airships almost always get their man.
srael
disregards international law and cheapens respect for life when it takes 100 or
10 Palestinian lives, for one of its
own. This has been the pattern since at
least the first Intifada. I wrote
against its political assassination method in 2008. I’d already been writing Amnesty
International “urgent action” letters to dictators across the globe for years,
protesting this illegal extrajuridicial executions tactic. Two Wall Street Journal editors answered my
email submission [first and last time they’ve given my many letters personal
response]. There was interest, but it
was not published. Here it is. That time another Palestinian political
target died—but still no end in sight to the violence.
Dear Editor Timothy Lemmers,
Wall Street Journal, Feb. 24,
2008
In your Valentine's Day 2008
editorial "Dead in Damascus" you list some horrific crimes attributed
to Imad Mughniyeh--and then congratulate the Mossad as his probable
executioners, only lamenting that it should have been the CIA. I'm old enough
to have seen Adolf Eichmann on TV at his trial* in Israel for his crimes
against humanity. His were more heinous than Mr. Mughniyeh's, yet Israel
captured him, and brought him to trial, before exacting judgment. Our societies
have suffered a tragic loss of decency and due process since that time.
Now you trumpet this
simultaneous arrest/trial/execution by car bomb in the streets of Damascus as
"an unambiguous victory." Not for the rule of law. This
counter-terrorist behavior is against international law. It mimics the behavior
of the terrorists themselves. Mr. Mughniyeh obviously did not act alone. Such
extrajuridicial executions only confirm to his confederates that surprise
killings are the effective way to address grievances. Fighting fire with fire
is incendiary policy. We play with fire in attempt to have two wrongs make a
right. In the end everyone gets burned again and again and again. Lets get back
to the golden rule found in scripture, "Do unto others as you would have
them do unto you."
Yours truly, -- Michael McCarthy, Port Huron, MI
s
part of and preceding the current crisis, Israel’s leader Netanyahu has
stonewalled negotiations in general with Palestinians, marching on with
settlements construction in the West Bank, and ignoring international and
national court injunctions against the wall Israel is unilaterally erecting between
Israeli and Palestinian communities.
Resuming assassinations of Palestinian leaders, and a pending second
invasion of the Gaza strip, are part of this hard-line strategy that believes
in war as the natural way to solve the ancient land, water, and oil conflicts
of the Middle East. This belief is
shared by some of Hamas surely, those who vow destruction of Israel.
The
U.S. backs the strongman, Israel, in the struggle, with billions of dollars
annually in military aid. But there is
no solution other than a “two state” solution.
The rights and lives of both peoples must be equally respected. Bring back Arab Spring, and get Israel’s
leadership and Hamas involved in the nonviolence. And may the U.S. lay aside also its illegal
killer drones—we are all polluted by premeditated murder.
Historical problem of the "two state solution"
Gaza is the middle strip on the ocean in the 2 rightmost frames
Illuminations by Kathy Brahney
* The Jewish philosopher
Hannah Arendt wrote of Eichmann—Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil
Recent Gaza events--articles
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203897404578076123317470976.html?mod=ITP_pageone_3
Oct 24
http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/16/world/meast/gaza-israel-us/index.htmlhttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324556304578122211869099292.html Nov
17
Monday, November 12, 2012
FACING UP TO THE TRUE FACE OF POVERTY
For many years I’ve been disturbed by the advertisement
of the poor that the organization, “Food for the Poor” [FFP] promotes. They have full page articles and glossy
insert brochures in many Catholic newspapers.
Clergy and editors are given tours of needy areas from Jamaica to Haiti.
Professional photos of teary-eyed/or smiling children and infomercial stories
abound. These are paid for stories, not
journalistic efforts to describe the unjust situations of poverty.
Luxury hotel gala events, lavish media buys, and priests
employed to travel and preach for Sunday contributions, provide the capital. These measures must cost thousands upon
thousands of dollars—money that doesn’t go to the poor, and little done to help
correct the structures that keep them poor.
This stratified form of charity that keeps donors from the doing has a
downside that can lead to corruption of the mission. The CEO of FFP, Robin Mahfood, makes over
$300,000/yr, and the previous one, his brother, resigned in controversy. {see
links* at end for history}
+President+Robin+Mahfood+at+the+Haiti+boys+orphanage,+run+by+FFP+in+Port-au-Prince.jpg)
Food for the Poor (FFP) President Robin Mahfood at the Haiti boys orphanage, run by FFP in Port-au-Prince
From "Cross International" brochure
“Food for the Poor,” the 5th largest U.S. charity {as per Forbes magazine}, and a smaller spinoff, “Cross International”, have a method which has certainly done some good-- $1.1 billion
of goods delivered this past year. They
both have various listings as responsible charities. Yet this does not help resolve the gulf
between rich and poor—the shameful gap criticized by Jesus in this Sunday’s
Gospel of the widow’s mite. The
criticism of “bandaid” approaches to poverty has a long history.
The metal "trumpets" into which one tossed coin contributions--the more coin, the more noise
Many believe that
haves and have-nots must meet and work consistently with each other face to
face for injustice to be solved. This is
difficult to do, but provides the way for our mutual salvation. We cannot afford to sentimentalize our
interconnectedness and the shared suffering it requires. It demands often what Dorothy Day described
as a harsh and dreadful love.
We have this, on a danger to solidarity with the poor, from the Encyclical of Pope John Paul II “Sollicitudo Rei Socialis,” para. 39 1986,
The "structures of sin" and the sins which they produce are likewise radically opposed to peace and development, for development, in the familiar expression Pope Paul's [VI] Encyclical, is "the new name for peace."
We commemorate those who’ve worked and lived with poor, among many--the four religious women murdered in El Salvador, Dec 2, 1980---victims, with their neighbors, of the "structures of sin."
References and website links above also in blue highlights
*http://www.missionaryjournalist.net/images/South_Florida-_Agency_Founder_Resigns_in_Scandal.pdf typos corrected in one line—“6th
largest charity”
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