Ethiopia revisited

Serving God and humanity

Coincidentally, while working on Lux Dominum, in which I verbalized some of my thoughts about religion, I received a letter from my very dear friend, Sister Mary James, a Good Shepherd nun. She is a peerless and supremely dedicated social worker. I was privileged to work with her while I served as the Clinical Director at St. Germaine’s in Peekskill and Madonna Heights in Huntington, New York.

For a number of years, now, Sister James has totally associated herself with the Good Shepherd Mission in Ethiopia, a region of Africa that suffers from interminable wars, famine, pestilence and lawlessness. She and several other Good Shepherd sisters from Ireland are now deeply immersed in the travail of this forsaken land. Like the little Dutch boy who stuck his finger in the dike to keep his country from being flooded, these nuns too, are doing everything possible to stem the rising tide of unabated suffering in Ethiopia.

The alleviation of suffering everywhere should be the prime dynamic force of all humankind. It is primarily in helping each other where our core religious energy should increasingly and unceasingly flow. But for Caritas Mundi to be a reality, we must feel ourselves to be an integral part of creation. Just in case we’re not sure, let us at least be thankful that there are always some among us who do actually devote their lives in the true service of God and humanity. And our saintly Sister James, is most assuredly one of them.

The Mission's Address:
Good Shepherd Sisters, P.O. Box 6558, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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www.domgab85@aol.com

Lux Dominum

More light, less fury!

How many (if any) of our planet’s religions were actually divinely established by God? And if each of them was, then why has He created so many? Is He being capricious? Is He just not satisfied with what He has thus far wrought? Or, heaven forfend, is He running ungodly amok? On the other hand, if all of our religions, organized and tribal, were created by men who felt divinely inspired, then has it been they who have been running impiously, hither and yon?

But would God endorse religions which emphasize that its adherents are "we" as opposed to others not of that faith? As a common hen makes no distinction between the chicks in its brood, surely God must feel the same about each of us. Therefore, we must take particular exception to those religionists who not only believe they are favored by God, but that they also have His sanction to persecute and kill those who are adherents of other faiths.

Further, whereas no fish, fowl, plant, insect or other animal appears to be observing any formalized religious tenet, why do we? But that is a question I hesitate to plumb. However, without equivocation, I believe the woe that human beings perpetrate against each other is sheer and unforgivable blasphemy in the eyes of the creator.

Perhaps all of humanity should revisit the religious drawing boards? But if it is more illumination we need, should we not be asking God to please raise the wattage and lower the fury?

Comments:
www.domgab85@aol.com

Unfortunately, raising the wattage would require raising our "rates" or should we say our "rites." ~ Chrissy Stelmack

Karl Marx said, "Religion is the opium of the people" I say, religion is man's need to reach out to a power greater than his humble self. But in the name of religion, man has done some awful things and they wrongfully ascribe their behavior to God. As I write this, Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson come to mind. ~ Omar Khayyam has said, (freely translated) "That inverted bowl we call the sky, lift not your hands to it for help, for it rolls hopelessly by, just as you and I." ~ As for me, I do believe in God and I seek and find solace when faced with difficulties ~ Tony Correoso

I see that you have a long-standing love affair with the written (or spoken) word! (Something that we share). Blog on! The world deserves you! ~ www.SONEPerky@aol.com

A New Dawn?

Outsourcing ~ Globalization

Who needs it? Don't knock it!

It may be our salvation!

I just received an ominous advisory from the IRS which states that I under-reported my 2004 income by $25,000 and that now, including penalties, I owe the government $8,998. It turns out that I had neglected to file a Schedule D to indicate that I had redeemed a note for $25,000 and that I had acquired that security several years ago for the identical amount of money. Mea culpa!

To undo the error, I needed to access my 2004 TurboTax Disc. While attempting to do so, instead of the Tax Program an error message appeared. It succinctly stated that my disc was outdated and it cited a phone number to call. I called and soon found myself wandering in cyber-limbo (Dante's 21st century Inferno). With no Virgil to guide me, and after much conversation and aimless downloading, I was eventually handed off to a gentleman in India.

With a tone and demeanor that exuded reassurance right from the start, he said, "Please go to the time and date section of your taskbar ~ Change the date to April 2005 ~ Now place the Tax disc in your CD drive ~ A "welcome" window will open ~ It will direct you to type in your Installation Code, just as you did last year." I followed his instructions and Eureka! Pandora’s box opened wide. Seldom have I had occasion to express such heartfelt gratitude.

Ergo ~ Though my local support was inexcusably ineffectual, in no time flat and from half a world away, my disc problem was quickly solved. And it was done with only a hint of an Indian accent. What needed to be sent to the IRS, I speedily dispatched. What remains now is for that agency to be compassionate and forgive my peccatum.

Ponder: With the internet expanding rapidly and business rooting itself everywhere on the globe, is it not conceivable that humanity will finally come of age? Are we not on the verge of discovering that we can survive and prosper without political and religious divides? Is there not reason to expect that the inter-relatedness and mutual dependency fostered and required by global business will bring us the harmony and mutual respect we seek? Let us pray that this new dawn that seems about to break will also illuminate the way for Islam?

Comments:

www.domgab85@aol.com

Dom ~ I just read about your encounter with the IRS and I hope Uncle Sam gets off your back. It is truly wonderful that we now live in a world that is "flat." More and more, I can appreciate the benefits of interchange between countries. As you already know, I am overwhelmed with personal obligations. My life has changed radically, but I must play the cards I’ve been dealt. My regards to Lenore ~ Tony Correoso