In all these Afghan displacements and flight from the Taliban, I wonder if they ever heard of Christ’s words of consolation or the spiritual Western ways.  Are our Judeo-Christian ways of life completely lost to them? 

Surely they’ve had conversations with soldiers and journalists, and perhaps even a missionary, though to them Muslim country is terra non grata.  Would the world were one, in the idea sense.

I know CRS has brought material relief to some inaccessible places, so the material is still the doorstep to the spiritual.  The universe is still the door to some unbelievable wonders.

I recently had an opportunity to lead a rosary rally for Cuba.  I received a banner with an icon for your i-phone to register on a petition to Pres. Biden to free Cuba.  What, war with Cuba?  Sure, they’re getting sick of Communism, but a war to end it is not the answer for us.

The rosary is for peace.  Any help we give Cuba would help them realize what a big mistake they made about sixty years ago, and give them ideas on how to change that.

But Communism will use any means, noble or ignoble, to stay in power.  So far that’s their problem to solve, not ours.  Education, sure, if the Communists let it in.  Prayer is one answer right now.

He gave two of my teeth their last fillings.  Then I confessed I no longer drove my car—the safety of others demanded that.  I could not ask someone to drive from my North Shore home to Babylon for a dentist’s visit.  Dr. Stoessel had been my dentist for most of the time since I’d frequented Dr. Goldberg’s practice, assigned to me by the union.  Although I’m still a union member, I no longer have their insurance.

But the handshake he gave me indicated he understood that this was good-bye.  I now am in a new phase of my life (really the old phase) and many people I’m seeing for the last time.  As I said, it’s something new to me.

Most of these people have been loyal and good, and I am happy to see them on these terms one more time.  I also look forward to meeting the giver of these gifts of these people.

Where are we going?  Cuba, Afghanistan, Haiti—these countries all demand our immediate attention, and even a billionaire couldn’t help all of them.  Do they indicate some kind of divine conclusion?  Are they the end of our Pax Americana?

We have  been stumbling along in our customary way, and now, Covid 19, Delta, and climate change, all at once.  If nobody says something, I will.  End times!  The Second Coming.

I’m getting my personal life in order.  I’ve seen too many indications that things are not back to normal.  How about you?

Neuroscientists still can’t explain consciousness, the awareness that we are living beings, among many.  We don’t know the origin of life, either, except for the allegorical Bible account.  It’s good to know there is mystery to life, that we are not the ultimate beings.

We hardly leave room for the Being who created us, the one who our reason tells us started that long process of evolution.  We didn’t think evolution replaced creation; it just threw some light on the process.  As for understanding the Creator, his son gave us plenty of material on this.

Awe is a human emotion, and one not the least bit inappropriate with this subject.  That we have it makes us properly human.