Fixing Iraq

"Iraq Fixer, No Exp. Needed, $1B-up "

This headline on the editorial page of the NYTimes for December 3 is amazing.
Our Agency for International Development has come up with an offer of all this money for "interested parties" to design and implement plans for stabilizing some strategic cities in Iraq. This offer of money comes with no strings attached.
Is this our new victory plan? Let corporate America make much money from this war? Maybe we should make this offer to the Iraqi people, not to corporations.

None yet have given thought to the words of Jesus that he gives us peace, not as the world does. Our whole world still imagines it can bring about peace by guns and bombs. It imagines we can have peace by having more bombs, smarter bombs. This seems to be the firm belief system of those in our government. We are the largest maker and seller of arms in the world.

Peace is both a gift and a task. In no words of Jesus does he tell us to go to war. Rather Jesus has said:

You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven for he makes his sun to rise on the righteous and on the unrighteous.
Matthew 5:43

The task of peace is learning to love as Jesus loved. It neever includes doing harm to others in any way.

Let us pray for the gift of peace in our hearts and minds. From there we can start practicing ture love. See 1 Corinthians 13 in the Bible.

They will be called oaks of righteousness.

Isaiah 61:3

Cry the beloved country

11-18-05 Center of Concern* regrets passage of budget bill by House
The Center of Concern expresses deep disappointment at the passage late last night by the House of a federal budget that would cut aid to social programs for the working poor, students, and farmers. Retaining 98% of the cuts to programs to assist low-income and poor individuals and familes requested b the original version of the budget while the House goes on to attempt to make tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans permanent is an outrage and a clear attempt to transfer wealth from those in poverty to the already wealthy.

Let us weep for our country that now places burdens on those in need, and enriches those who are already rich. What shall we be three years from now? A land of oppression, a land of oppression and neglect. A land where we tax work instead of money.

Cry.
Cry

THE REAL POWER

With the indictment of I. Lewis Libby one cannot help wondering who in the high place of our government wanted the leak about the CIA agent. And one cannot help wondering what sort of power they think they own and control.

Those in high places in our government appear to have no clue that their power is crumbling and they are causing the so-called power of this country to crumble.

Who realizes that the real power is not human power at all but the power of God, which is the power of Love.

"Have confidence, I have overcome the world," says Jesus. (John 16:33)
The great power of this world was unleashed against Jesus the Christ. He suffered, died and was buried.

And rose from the dead! This is the real power: the power of love that overcomes death, all death.

So it is that the humble acts of love in our everyday life have the real power on earth and in the end will triumph.
"God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in them." (1John 4:16)
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MEMORIAL DAY - 2005

I remember that Paul McKenna never was found when he drove an ambulance somewhere in Burma in 1945. He was a neighbor of ours when we were growing up. He had lost an eye as a child. Years later his mother still grieved his death.

I remember more vividly the young men who died on my ward in an Army hospital near Bristol, England. I can still see their terrible wounds.

We thought we were saving the world for democracy, and for the right for people to express their opinions in public even if they were disagreeing with the 'party line'.

Now we are sending young men and women to die for oil. How sad. All the reasons we were given for this war were proved false so we were given another reason - getting rid of a tyrant. There are many tyrants around the world. Only those with oil interest us.

Yes we must honor those who serve for they believe they are doing an honorable thing. And weep.

And we are invited to pray for them and to pray for those whom we believe to be enemies.

Pope John Paul II

April 3, 2005
"During this Easter season we are reminded once again that the risen Jesus, as his first gift to his disciples, gave them his gift of peace," said Bishop Gabino Zavala, Bishop President of Pax Christi USA. "Of the many memories I have of John Paul II is his consistent stance as an ambassador for peace. He taught us that peace is clearly the only way to justice, that true courage lies in working for peace."

During his pontificate, Pope John Paul II consistently called on world leaders to solve their differences through diplomacy rather than resorting to violence. He lamented that humanity too often gave in to the "culture of death" by relying on weapons of war, devaluing the dignity of the human person, and disrespecting the sanctity of God's creation.

"The Holy Father's passing is a sad day for all of us who have valued his leadership in working for a world that is more peaceful," said Dave Robinson, executive director of Pax Christi USA. "His was a voice which trumpeted peace over war, reconciliation over division, and policies which furthered the common good over policies which benefited those few who have money and power while creating misery for the world's poor."

As the leader of the world's one billion Catholics, Pope John Paul II frequently addressed the connection between faith and justice, calling on Christians and all people of good will to work together to overcome the grave social evils of our time.

Not sad for him! And really what is sad that there is one less voice for real justice in the world scene.

He made other mistakes but he was right about these matters and right about saying the Iraq war is immoral and illegal.

EASTER 2005

Easter is all the time.

Resurrection breaks all the known boundaries of time and space.
That gives us new life every day, since Christ is ever present.

It also gives us cause for sadness as well as joy. Why sad? Because of the inhumanity of war and persecution and genocide going on our world. Because the beloved children of God are not treated as loved. And all are God’s loved ones.

Yet joy, because we know we can rely on the promises of God. We absolutely have a future!