The "Fruits" of Abortion

Surprise, surprise! Today Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb) caved in under the pressure exerted by the Senate Democrat leadership and will now support the Senate's "health care bill" even though it does not explicitly prohibit government funding of abortions. Of course I and all my pro-life friends hoped that he would remain committed to the principles and values he supposedly holds so dear. How naive of us. We should have known that Senator Nelson is, first and foremost, a politician. Accordingly, he, like all career politicians, will do whatever is necessary to protect his political career. In this instance the senator sold his vote (and his soul) for $45 million of federal funds. Of course, there are undoubtedly other goodies, as yet not public, heading the senator's way for hopping aboard Harry Reid's train to political oblivion. I will step out on a limb here and predict that the people of Nebraska will toss Nelson out of office in 2012.

That being said, we can now forget about Senator Nelson. For a while he was a shining star, a man of principle who apparently refused to compromise on the right to life. But, by joining the other 59 Senators who will support this ridiculous, monstrous, deficit busting bill, he has made himself irrelevant. He is just another unprincipled, opportunistic politician among many others.

The evil fruits of abortion, however, can also be found well beyond the halls of the Capitol. The following opinion piece by Deacon Keith Fournier (written on December 16 before Senator Nelson's capitulation) tells another story. It's worth a read. (Deacon Fournier's columns are published by Catholic Online.)

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Abortion is America’s Shame: Dead Baby under the Christmas Tree

By Deacon Keith Fournier
12/16/2009

Catholic Online

'Apparently they cleaned up the fetus and they placed it inside a gift box under the Christmas tree’. (San Juan Police Chief Juan Gonzalez)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Catholic Online) – All US News reports are fixated on efforts to push a “Heath Care Reform” package through the Senate before Christmas. The threat by Senator Joe Lieberman to hold the legislation hostage unless the so called ‘public option” is removed has now given way. He has backed down. The President held one more “persuasion” session with Democratic Senators Tuesday to keep the pressure on. From most insiders playbooks it looks like some form of legislation will clear the Senate before the Nation pauses to remember a baby born in a manger.

Senator Ben Nelson, who fought hard to amend the legislation to ensure that no tax dollars would be used to pay for abortions, is under extreme pressure to fold his cards. Rumors are circulating that he will vote with those who want such a barbaric practice to be funded with tax dollars. I do not believe it. I pray that he has the courage to withstand the increasing pressure.

Some “inside” sources claimed on Tuesday that he is being threatened with closure of an air force base and others that he is being offered a “blank check” in the way of funds to bring home to his constituents. Are these claims true? No one knows for sure. However, that is how the game is played in Washington, DC. After all, children in the womb are not recognized as having a Right to Life in this Nation. That is so even though the American founders insisted that such a right was endowed by a Creator and inalienable.

While the myriad of talking heads on television news shows crow on saying nothing in so many words, a shocking story out of San Juan Texas puts the entire deadly affair in perspective. The Associated Press reported on Tuesday, December 15, 2009:

Fetus found in gift box, Texas couple charged

“Authorities allege a south Texas couple put an aborted 7-month-old fetus in a gift box under a Christmas tree after trying to flush the remains down a toilet. Thirty-one-year-old Ruby Lee Medina and 37-year-old Javier Gonzalez are jailed on abuse of corpse and tampering with evidence charges. Bond is set at $20,000 each. A woman at the San Juan city jail says she can't say whether either has retained an attorney. San Juan Police Chief Juan Gonzalez says police found the fetus inside the woman's trailer home Thursday after an anonymous tip. Gonzalez says police believe the woman used pills to induce an abortion, then called an ambulance and said she didn't know where the fetus was. Gonzalez says the couple first tried to flush the fetus, then cleaned it up and put in the gift box….”

The horror of this act brought me back to May 8, 2006 when a mother named Tammy Skinner of Suffolk, Virginia killed her own child with a gun and was set free by a Judge. On Feb. 23, 2006 she called police from a car dealership and told them that she had been shot in the stomach and pushed out of her car. Police found blood in Skinner’s red compact car, and a gun. Tammy was carrying her baby within her; a little girl who was to be delivered that very day. Later, Tammy changed her story, claiming that the father of Baby Girl Skinner had killed her. Finally, she told the authorities the truth - she had shot herself in the abdomen with the intention of killing her baby.

Tammy had two other daughters. However, she simply did not want this one. So, she killed her with a gun. She was charged with inducing an abortion. However, since she actually fired the gun herself, Judge James A. Moore decided that she could not be so charged because abortion is legal in America throughout all nine months under the holding of Roe v. Wade. Her lawyer, known for his “civil rights” work- and for his representation of the People for the Ethical treatment of Animals (PETA)- argued at a preliminary hearing that the charge of inducing an abortion or miscarriage is intended for use against a third party and did not apply to a mother who shoots herself to commit an abortion.

In the United States Baby Girl Skinner had no rights; mother Tammy had them all. She also had a “right” to kill. Given the state of the law, the other human person involved, the one who died as a direct result of the gunshot, Baby Girl Skinner, had no voice and no legal standing. She, along with all children in the first home of the human race, their mothers’ womb, had been reduced to the status of property. The charge of inducing an abortion was dismissed. Tammy Skinner had also been charged with using a firearm in a felony. However, that charge was not prosecuted because it must occur during the commission of a specific felony in Virginia. Tammy’s intentional killing of Baby Girl Skinner was not a felony. It was viewed as an extension of her “right” to take the life of her own child as long as the baby was still in the womb. She was convicted of filing a false police report and ordered to pay the cost of the police investigation, $750.

If someone else had shot Tammy Skinner and her daughter on the day she was to have delivered, they could have been prosecuted. However, Virginia’s fetal homicide law did not apply to the mother. It referred to killing “the fetus of another.” One of the Commonwealth’s Attorneys, Phil Ferguson, said: “We are dealing with a woman who, by her own hands, killed her child on the day of its birth…This was a nine-month fetus, clearly in the realm of viability. Whether it meets legal tests to constitute criminal conduct – we’re reviewing and exploring our options.” Tammy Skinner’s attorney, who recognizes the civil rights of animals and fish, did not concern himself with the preeminent natural and human right to life of Baby Girl Skinner. He said he was happy with the decision stating: “It was clear to me, and clear to the judge, that you cannot convict when an expectant mother does this,”

Now, 31 year-old Ruby Lee Medina and her 37-year-old accomplice Javier Gonzalez are being held on “abuse of corpse and tampering with evidence” charges in Texas. Let’s see what happens. The case is no different than the Skinner case. The “super right” to decide whether to kill a child in the womb seems to trump every other true right such as the Right to Life. Cases such as these two reveal the fangs on the evil face of legal abortion on demand in our Nation. The Senate will soon pass legislation which, in the name of “health care”, will allow our tax dollars to fund the killing of children in the womb through surgical dismemberment and chemical destruction. Every procured abortion is the taking of an innocent human life, the killing of our neighbor in the first home of the whole human race.

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of a child who was born in a manger because there was no room for Him in the Inn, another child was killed before he or she could join us for Christmas. This killing was willful and intentional. It was done by his/her mother through a self ingested deadly chemical weapon which she swallowed. This little baby was delivered dead, wrapped in a box and placed under a Christmas tree. When we hear or read of such horrors we still react. That is because there is still some shred of conscience left in us. If we begin to fund this practice with tax dollars, perhaps even that last remaining shred will disappear.

Abortion has become America’s Shame. We have allowed the growth of a culture which views human persons as products - commodities to be disposed of if inconvenient. We have put in place a legal and political system which promotes and protects the evil. The Dead Baby under the Christmas tree cries out for justice and mercy. Abortion is not health care because killing is not healing.
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What will become of our country?

Pray, brothers and sisters...pray!

God's peace....

Fighting back against political correctness

Here's an interesting item (Dec 10) from David Pryce-Jones' blog, David Calling, on National Review Online:

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No Room for Free Thought at the Inn?

Could it be that things are beginning to turn, and people in the West will at last stand up for their beliefs? First came the referendum in Switzerland that mosques could be built, but no more minarets. Muslims of course protested that this was bigotry, racism, and the rest of it. It was not. The Swiss fully granted freedom of religion, and were merely making the point that they wanted the landscape to look the way it always had. And now comes a follow-up in Britain, in the case of Mr. Ben Vogelenzang and his wife Sharon.

The Vogelenzangs are committed Christians, two among thousands of members of a semi-missionary organisation called The Christian Institute. They own and manage a small hotel in Liverpool, catering specially to patients in a nearby hospital. Mrs. Ericka Tazi, a 60-year-old, stayed for a month in this hotel while undergoing treatment in the hospital. On the final day she came to breakfast in a hijab. Born Catholic and British, Mrs. Tazi has a Muslim husband and converted to Islam about twelve months ago.

In the dining room that morning words were obviously exchanged. Mrs. Tazi said that “the Bible is untrue anyway and Jesus is a minor prophet.” She adds that the Vogelenzangs compared Muhammad to warlords in history, including Hitler and Saddam Hussein. The Vogelenzangs admit to saying that Islam is a form of bondage for women, but also say that Mrs. Tazi exaggerates everything else.

Mrs. Tazi went to the police. Six inspectors from the “hate crime unit” of the local police force — yes, such units act as thought-police all over the country — duly investigated, and the Vogelenzangs were prosecuted. The couple faced costs, the folding of their hotel and bankruptcy. In court, however, the judge took very little time to throw the case out. Freedom of speech was the issue here. The Vogelenzangs, the judge ruled, had every right to speak their mind in a discussion about religion. Incidentally, he also observed that Mrs. Tazi's resort to dirty language could not be squared with her religious views, and he as good as called her a liar and hypocrite. Mrs. Vogelenzang had the last word: “As Christmas approaches, we wish everybody peace and goodwill.” 

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Three cheers for the judge, a man possessed of that rarest of commodities: common sense. I have a certain empathy for the Vogelenzangs. A few years ago , in the course of a Sunday homily, I remarked that the active homosexual lifestyle was sinful. After Mass a parishioner verbally assaulted me with accusations that I had committed a hate crime. Fortunately, at the time there was no law prohibiting my comments and, anyway, the police in our small town did not have a "hate crime unit." And so my transgression went unpunished. I suspect, though, that as I write these words some member of Congress is drafting legislation to criminalize public comments such as those in my homily. The future promises to get interesting.

God's peace...

War and Peace

A few days ago, during a conversation with a parishioner, I was told that war has never accomplished anything, and that war is always immoral. As those who know me might expect, I disagreed with both statements, and even commented that I was especially proud of my limited participation in the Vietnam conflict. (I have always believed that the United States' involvement in Vietnam was particularly altruistic since we certainly had little to gain strategically and almost nothing to gain financially. But that's a topic for another time.) My disagreement seemed to take the parishioner by surprise. He said he found it hard to believe that a deacon could be a "warmonger." He then stated that a true Christian must be a pacifist, and that any participation in war is always immoral.

Hoo-boy! How does one respond to someone who holds such beliefs? Of course his basic premise -- that war accomplishes nothing -- is simply wrong by every historical yardstick. I shudder to think what the world would be like today if England, the United States and their allies had not stood up to Hitler and his regime. Yes, war often accomplishes a great deal, and sometimes for the good of the world.

I suppose I should also issue a disclaimer: I am not now, nor have I ever been, a pacifist. Neither am I a warmonger. Indeed, I can say with assurance that anyone who has been to war is unlikely to be a warmonger, for they understand first-hand the reality and costs of war. Career military people prepare for war because that's their job. This does not mean they like war or look forward to it.

With regard to pacifists, let me explain my thinking. I have absolutely nothing against those who claim to be personal pacifists; that is, those who believe that, as individuals, they should always "turn the other cheek." The living out of such beliefs is a good thing; it is not unlike the decision to live the monastic or eremetic life, but it doesn't define the Christian. Monks and hermits don't try to turn everyone else into monks and hermits. They realize some are called to such a life, but most are not.

My objection is not, therefore, with personal pacifism, but rather with what I shall call "institutional pacifism" -- that form of pacifism that insists we embrace pacifist attitudes not only as individuals but also as a nation. This I believe is not just ill advised, but flat-out immoral. The Church has always taught that a nation has the right and the obligation to defend itself, and has never called for any form of universal pacifism.

Not surprisingly we find this same teaching in the gospels. John the Baptist, for example, when asked by a group of soldiers what they should do, didn't tell them to lay down their swords and embrace pacifism. No, instead he gave them practical moral instruction: "Rob no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your wages" [Lk 3:14]. Luke doesn't tell us whether they were Roman soldiers or Herod's soldiers, but I don't think it makes much difference. One thing we do know: John didn't call them "warmongers" simply because they wore uniforms.

Jesus, too, had interactions with soldiers. The most famous is his healing of the Roman centurion's servant, described in Lk 7:1-10 and Mt 8:5-13. Our Lord actuallly praises this professional soldier when he states, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith" [Lk 7:9]. Jesus says not a word about the man's profession, but having granted his request, sends him on his way.

We encounter another centurion during the crucifixion. It is he, a Gentile and a professional soldier, who, according to Mark, first proclaims Jesus' divinity: "And when the centurion, who stood facing him [Jesus], saw that he thus breathed his last, he said, 'Truly this man was the Son of God'" [Mk 15:39]. And yet, although inspired by the Holy Spirit, to our knowledge he does not leave his profession and become a pacifist.

And let us not overlook Cornelius, the centurion of the Italian cohort, who was sent to Peter by an angel of God. Cornelius, described by Luke as "...a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation" [Acts 10:22], is used by God to confirm that His message is for all of humanity, not just for the Jews. And, again, like the others he seemingly remains a centurion, a profession in which one can apparently be "upright and God-fearing."

I think it's important, particularly today when out nation is at war with something as intrinsically evil as Islamist terrorism, for Christians to support our men and women in uniform. Trust me, they do not enjoy doing what they do, but they do it because they know it must  be done. To call them "warmongers" because they are willing to sacrifice their lives in the defense of our nation is inexcusable.

Pray for our military men and women, especially those in harms way.

The peace of Christ -- not the peace of the world -- be with you.

Homily for Wednesday, December 16

Readings: Is 45:6c-8,18,21c-25; Ps 85; Luke 7:18-23
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 Years ago, back in my Navy days, I was once assigned the job of overhaul manager for the major overhaul of a large ship. It was a demanding job, and I remember not getting much sleep during those 12 months. At one point, early in the overhaul, faced with a rather tricky technical problem, we contacted the Navy’s engineering support staff and requested they send one of their experts to help us find a solution.

Well, he showed up a few days later and started meeting with everybody involved. But all he did was ask questions. For two days he asked questions, and never once offered a single suggestion on how to solve our problem. I was beginning to question whether this so-called expert actually knew all that much. So at my next meeting with him I asked him point blank whether he’d come up with a solution yet.

“Oh, yeah,” he said, “I knew how to fix the problem an hour after I got here.”

“You what? And you’ve wasted two days of our time?”

He smiled and said, “Relax. You’re people just figured it out, and they’ll have it fixed by tonight. I spent the past two days leading them to the solution by getting them to ask and answer the right questions. Now the next time they run into a tough problem they’ll be able to solve it themselves, and you’ll save a lot more time in the long run.”

I just stared at him, so he said, “You’re welcome. I’m leaving this afternoon.”

Now, that incident reminds me a little of today’s Gospel reading, one of those slightly perplexing passages we encounter every so often. At first reading we find ourselves asking whether John the Baptist had doubts about Jesus’ and His claim to be the Messiah. I suppose John could have had some doubts. After all, he was in prison and wouldn’t be immune to the trials of the dark night of the soul.

But John’s entire life was focused on one thing, one task: to point the way to Jesus. “He must increase. I must decrease.” And everything else we know about John tells us that he clearly knew who Jesus was. It was John who revealed Jesus’ mission at the River Jordan when he exclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” John the prophet had seen from a distance what Jesus would accomplish through his death on the cross -- our redemption from bondage to sin and death and our adoption as sons and daughters of God and citizens of the kingdom of heaven.

I’m pretty sure that John personally needed no assurance about Jesus. And so he could have simply told his disciples that Jesus was the Messiah and urged them to follow him. But he didn’t.

No, like my Navy expert, John knew it would be better if they saw for themselves, if they figured it out on their own. So he sent them to Jesus with their questions. And Jesus tells them, “Go tell John what you have seen and heard…” In other words, look at the evidence. Who else but the Messiah could do these things?

As faithful Jews, John’s disciples would recognize that the miracles Jesus performed and his message about the reign of God directly fulfilled what the prophets had foretold. Isaiah had prophesied that the Messiah would come in the power of the Holy Spirit to bring freedom to those oppressed by sin and evil – and, brothers and sisters, that includes all of us.

Jesus came to set us free from the worst tyranny possible -- the tyranny of slavery to sin and the fear of death, and the destruction of both body and soul. God alone can save us from emptiness and poverty of spirit, from confusion and error, and from the fear of death and hopelessness.

The gospel of salvation is "good news" for us today. And so let’s use our time wisely this advent and come to know the joy and freedom of the gospel.

It's In the Air

Every once in a while I write about the current and coming persecution of the Church. I'm always amazed at the responses I receive from some folks who simply can't believe that such a thing could happen in today's enlightened world. A few months ago one reader (a Catholic priest) sent me a long and really rather unfriendly email. He was livid that I had labeled 21st century liberalism a form of unconscious suicide. Others have been equally critical because I have expressed even mild support for Israel in its struggle for existence against a host of enemies who want nothing less than its total annihilation. Indeed, I hesitate to mention Israel in the presence of some of my acquaintances because their response is so visceral and so negative that any sort of reasoned argument becomes impossible.

I often receive similar responses from those who fall in the pro-choice camp whenever I write or speak out against the plague of abortion. And when I describe abortion as a symptom of something far greater and far more evil they can become almost apoplectic, unable even to respond to my apparent absurdities.

Another issue I have been addressing lately among some of my friends is what I see as a link between the supporters of abortion and those who believe "climate change" is largely the result of human activity. This has led some to slap a permanent "conspiracy theorist" label on me. But then, this morning, I read that the Chinese delegation to the UN Conference on Climate in Copenhagen has stated that the cause of all this global warming is overpopulation. The world should, therefore, adopt China's "one-child" policy. According to the AsiaNews article:

China defended its family planning policy as a way to reduce global warming. According to Beijing, its one-child and birth control policies, which include forced abortions and sterilizations on unwilling women, are part of its global strategy to fight climate problems and should be adopted by the international community.

In spite of the gross violation of human rights, the strategy has been a “great success” according to Chinese authorities. “I'm not saying that what we have done is 100 per cent right, but I'm sure we are going in the right direction," said Zhao Baige, vice-minister of National Population and Family Planning Commission of China.

This suggestion by China to the world community was preceded last week by an editorial in Canada's leading newspaper encouraging pretty much the same thing. Diane Francis, columnist for the National Post and the Financial Post wrote that, "The 'inconvenient truth' overhanging the UN's Copenhagen conference is not that the climate is warming or cooling, but that humans are overpopulating the world. A planetary law, such as China's one-child policy, is the only way to reverse the disastrous global birthrate currently, which is one million births every four days." Click here to read Francis' column.

And so, in my conspiratorial mind, the connections among abortion "rights" activists, population control supporters, and the Al-Gore-worshiping climate control fanatics is real and will only strengthen as each group grasps the potential of this developing symbiotic relationship. The pressure on governments to conform to these new realities will increase: only abortion can save the world from the catastrophic consequences of a global warming driven by overpopulation. And then we can expect continued and escalating attacks on the Catholic Church for its intransigent attitude toward abortion, contraception and euthanasia. I expect it will get very nasty. One of the more interesting dramas that will soon play out will be the conflict faced by those Catholics, both laypeople and clerics, who have been drinking the global warming cool-aid. On which side will they ultimately fall?

An interesting world we live in. Strange things are in the air...pray for us. God's peace.

Navy Wins Once Again: Navy 17, Army 3

Ah, yes, once more, and for the eighth consecutive year, the Naval Academy defeated the Military Academy in football yesterday. The score: Navy 17, Army 3. Naturally, as a Navy alumnus (class of 1967), I am extremely pleased with the result. Indeed, this year's result was especially gratifying since my brother, Jeff, has been staying with us these past few weeks. Jeff is a West Point alumnus (class of 1962) and was once again forced to accept Navy's perennial supremacy. Life is sweet.

And how about this, all you Florida Gator fans. The Navy quarterback, Ricky Dobbs, ran for his 24th touchdown of the season, breaking the NCAA single season record held by Florida quarterback and Heisman winner, Tim Tebow. (My dear wife, Diane, is a Florida State alumna and so our family has no love for the Gators. We were pleased that Alabama hammered them.)

Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs scores his record 24th touchdown of the season

In truth, though, yesterday's game was no pushover for Navy and was actually hard-fought and closer than the score might indicate. Largely a defensive battle, Army showed that it is a team on the rise and I expect next year's contest to be even more challenging for Navy. Of course, we will win once again.

I was particularly impressed with the Navy head coach, a terrific young man from Hawaii, Ken Niumatalolo (photo at left), who, during one of those immediately-after-the-game, on-field interviews, praised both teams and both academies. He reminded the television audience that the young men and women of both schools will soon be serving their country side-by-side, fighting those who would destroy not only our nation but also our civilization itself. "I'm in awe of these young men," Niumatalolo said. "They come to the Naval Academy, they come to West Point when we are a nation at war with more than one conflict. We have more than one conflict and they still decided to come and protect our freedoms." He then placed the game in its proper perspective when he said, "It's just a football game, just a game." Amen.

That said, I look forward to next year's game. Go Navy. beat Army!

Homily for the Third Sunday of Advent (Year C)

HomilyReadings: Zep 3:14-18; Phil 4:4-7; Lk 3:10-18
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Most Christians, when they think of John the Baptist, probably picture some sort of odd hermit-like person – bearded, wild-eyed, wearing animal skins – roaming the desert and yelling at people to repent while they still have time. Yes, a lot of folks see John as an angry zealot, a one-issue fanatic – not the sort of guy you’d invite home for a nice quite evening of dinner and conversation. To be blunt: kind of a scary guy.

Now there’s a small element of truth in this description of John, but there’s much more that’s wrong with it. John was perhaps the fiercest and the most loving of men. He was fierce because he recognized the Holiness of God. This imbued in him a strong sense of sin and the need for repentance. In that sense, he’s the saint of purification. But at the same time, he’s a saint of great gentleness, one of almost indescribable humility.

And do you know something else? This saint of the desert was a one-issue man – and that issue was joy! John is the saint of the desert only because he’s also the saint of spiritual joy. Indeed, John is probably the most jubilant saint of all Scripture. And his one joy was to hear the voice of the Lord.

He escaped into the desert so that nothing could turn him from that joy, so that he could give himself entirely to it, so that he could peacefully meditate on that first meeting he had with Jesus, a meeting that took place before both were born.

Remember Luke’s description of the pregnant Mary visiting her cousin, Elizabeth? The much older Elizabeth was also expecting a child – a child named John. And here’s something you might not know. The Church has always taught that at that moment Jesus, alive in Mary, sanctified John the Baptist. John was, in a very real sense, baptized in his mother’s womb by our Lord Himself. And so John, filled with the Holy Spirit even before his birth, leaped in that womb at the sound of Mary’s greeting, at the approach of His Lord.

The rest of John’s life was devoted to readying Himself for their next meeting, Our Lord’s baptism, by keeping apart from all other creatures to prepare himself for that unique joy.

Brothers and sisters, this is the same joy that we are called to experience and express today as we prepare for our own meeting with Jesus. Today, smack in the middle of Advent, in this season of prayerful repentance and preparation, we are called to be joyful – and we are given John as our example.

For today is Gaudete Sunday, the joyful Sunday of Advent. And, today, as a sign of that joy, we light the rose-colored candle on our Advent wreaths. Today’s readings instruct us not only to experience the joy of expectation in Christ’s coming but also to express our joy openly

In the readings you just heard, we were repeatedly called on to rejoice, sing, shout, and cry out. We are told to shout for joy, to sing joyfully, to cry out with gladness, to exult with all our hearts, to not be discouraged, to have no anxiety and to fear nothing. Wonderful words to hear, and even better words to pray over.

This is exactly what Paul is trying to get across to the Philippians in today’s 2nd reading. Remember Paul’s remarkable opening words? “Brothers and sisters: Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!”

Right off the bat it’s clear that Paul is filled with irrepressible joy and peace. Now why is this remarkable?

Well, quite simply because Paul isn’t writing these words to the Philippians from some hotel room in Ephesus, or from a condo in Corinth. And he’s certainly not writing from a retirement community in the Greek isles. No, Paul is writing from a Roman prison, where he is being held under guard, and where his life is in imminent danger.

Listen again to the rest of this brief reading. Not only is Paul filled with joy, but he’s also filled with gratitude. “Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Why this joy? Why this peace of soul? Why the overwhelming gratitude? How could Paul feel this way? Why was he seemingly unaffected by the situation and conditions in which he found himself? Because Paul, just like John the Baptist, knew that the Lord was near. And like John, Paul knew that his mind and heart were guarded and protected by God’s peace.

John and Paul, two men who died martyrs deaths in prison, had both discovered that the joy of God’s presence overcame all fears, removed all anxiety, turned every kind of suffering into a reason to rejoice and give thanks.

Now, compare you and me to these two saints. They get thrown into the worst of prisons, the kind of places that make modern prisons look like plush hotels – and what do they do? They rejoice and give thanks. Someone cuts in front of us in the Wal-Mart parking lot and takes the parking place we were waiting for, and we bombard them with words and gestures that I can neither repeat nor describe. Not a lot of joy and thanksgiving there, is there?

John and Paul await death at the hands of evil men – a death that neither man deserved – and, again, they rejoice and give thanks. But if we get a call from a telemarketer during dinner, we immediately and loudly question the legitimacy of the caller’s birth. I don’t think that’s the kindness Paul urged us to display.

No, most of us aren't quite ready to greet the Lord, are we? At least we’re not as ready as John and Paul were. Perhaps the best thing we can do is to take these remaining days of Advent, these days of preparation, these days of repentance, and, yes, these days of joy…and follow the advice given to us today by John and Paul.

“Your kindness should be known to all,” Paul tells the Philippians and us.

The best place to first express our kindness is in our own homes, to those who love us most, those to whom we can sometimes be most unkind indeed.

But don’t stop there. Do what John told his disciples to do as they prepared to meet their Lord: give to the poor…and give from your need, not just from your surplus. Be honest, loving, caring people, John tells them and us.

This was the message that John was sent to give to the world. He was educating the souls of men and women, preparing them to receive what Christ would tell them. It was his work to awaken those who were totally unconcerned with the things of God, to pull them out of their complacency and arouse in them enough good will to understand Jesus when He came.

It’s no different today. To shake the world out of its indifference we need prophets like John and Paul. We need men and women who can be true witnesses to God’s love for the world. And today, most importantly, we need people of joy – not just on one Sunday of Advent, but every day.

We need you, because God has sent each of you to do just that.

Goodness

With Christmas approaching the Wildwood Soup Kitchen is nicely and festively decorated in keeping with the season. And everyone -- our wonderful volunteers, our guests, and those who continue to support us -- are starting to exhibit the Christmas spirit. One of the consequences of this is the substantial increase in donations we've received in recent weeks. Because I know some of the donors personally, I also know that many cannot really afford the amounts they have donated. Such generosity -- folks giving from their need and not just from their surplus -- simply overwhelms me, a sign of the true goodness of so many people. These donations are especially appreciated now because of the major expense we face with the needed addition of a walk-in freezer and refrigeration unit. If all goes as planned, we hope to complete this project within a few months.

With Thanksgiving behind us, our next special meal at the soup kitchen will be served on Christmas Day. Thanks to the generosity of one family we were able to purchase some very nice spiral hams and all the other goodies needed to make up a full-fledged Christmas dinner. Since Christmas falls on Friday this year, Diane will not be the primary cook. She has, however, volunteered to assist the regular Friday cook and, naturally, I "was volunteered" to assist with the less skilled grunt work. Since all our children and grandchildren will celebrate Christmas with their own families up in Massachusetts, it makes sense for us to celebrate ours with our "soup kitchen family."

Some of our guests at the Wildwood Soup Kitchen

By the way, several readers of this blog have also generously contributed to the Wildwood Soup Kitchen, and I take this opportunity to thank you and to pass along the thanks of those who will most benefit from your kindness.

God's Peace...

Homily: Immaculate Conception

Readings:  Gn 3:9-15, 20; Ps 98; Eph 1:3-6,11-12; Lk 1:26-38
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The Advent liturgy is dominated by three captivating persons, three persons who prepare in different ways for the coming of the Savior. The first is the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah represents Israel’s yearning for her messianic king. He does this by preaching God’s message of redemption, preparing God’s people for His coming, urging them, even in exile, to be a people of hope.

The second Advent figure is John the Baptist, the Messiah’s messenger and herald. But John seems a bit puzzled. John recognizes Jesus for who He is, but doesn’t quite know what to make of Him. Will He be a King, a social reformer? John doesn’t seem quite sure. But John does know one thing: with Jesus’ arrival, his own mission is complete.

The third dominant person of Advent is Mary, the young woman from Nazareth. It’s especially fitting that right now, in the midst of Advent, we should celebrate Mary’s Feast, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. For God prepared Mary for the Savior’s coming from the very moment of her conception. He made her sinless in every way – no original sin, no actual sin.

“Mary, full of grace” the angel exclaims, and that’s exactly what he meant. Mary is literally full of God’s grace, so full there is no room for any sin within her. And how could it be otherwise? For God incarnate must enter the world via a spotless vessel, born of woman but a woman without sin.

In the Magnificat, Mary’s beautiful hymn of praise, she gives thanks for this remarkable honor: “…He has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.”

Here Mary teaches us how to celebrate Advent. Mary is the perfect Advent figure because the mother of Jesus is history’s most remarkable model of a world’s waiting for its Redeemer. She reveals, more than anyone else, how the Christian should wait for Christ, and she shows us how to wait for Him in all His comings.

First, she waits for Christ’s first coming. Like every other pious Jew, she hoped against hope, wondering, questioning: “Are you he who is to come, or should we look for another?” But Mary did more than that. She waited for the Christ as no one else ever waited, for the One she waited for was within her. What did the angel tell her? “You shall conceive and bear a son…the Son of the Most High.” Mary agrees: “Let it be done to me according to your word.”

And with this, Jesus is not simply in her thoughts and hopes, in her prayers and yearnings. He is in her flesh. His flesh is her flesh. Hers is His. She waits only to see His face and offer Him to the world. Oh, yes, it was a very special sort of waiting: her Savior within her; her Savior growing from her; her Savior born into the poverty of the stable through her.

Mary also shows us how to wait for Christ’s second coming, for she was the first of Jesus’ disciples, the very model discipleship. She wasn’t one of the Twelve, but she lived discipleship to the fullest. Jesus told us clearly what it means to be a disciple: “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother…the ones who listen to the word of God and act on it.” And this is Mary: she who hears God’s word and does it. We see it throughout Luke’s gospel.

What does she do after the annunciation? Visit her cousin, Elizabeth, who was with child. Elizabeth was old and needed the help of her young relative. Mary’s first act as Jesus’ mother is to carry him, not for herself, but for someone in need. No wonder that when Mary greeted Elizabeth, John the Baptist leaped for joy in Elizabeth’s womb.

Mary, the perfect disciple, follows Jesus. She is blessed, not only because she bore God’s Son, but also because she is the prime example of those who listen to the word of God and keep it. She follows Jesus all the way to the cross and beyond. She remains faithful even after her Son’s death, listening to the Lord, praying with the eleven, waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Mary also shows us how to wait for another of Christ’s comings – his constant coming each day. Christ comes to us today, not in glory, but in helplessness. Just as He came to Mary as a powerless infant, Jesus comes to us in the hungry and thirsty, in the stranger, in the lonely, in the sick and dying, in the confused and troubled, in the addicted and the imprisoned.

Once again, in the Magnificat she sings that God “has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty…for he has remembered his promise of mercy.”

The trouble is, God feeds the hungry not with miraculous manna from heaven, but through us. The hungers of the human race cry out to us: hunger for bread, hunger for justice, hunger for love, hunger for truth, hunger for God. Their cry is not just a human cry; it is God’s word to us. 

I can’t tell you what God is calling you as an individual to do, for God works differently through each of us. I can tell you only that He is not telling you to do nothing. He speaks to each of us constantly, but we are Jesus’ disciples, in imitation of Mary, only if we listen to his word and act on it.

This is what Advent is all about – not just waiting for Christ, but recognizing His coming and doing something about it. This kind of discipleship is not without cost. “A sword shall pierce your heart,” Mary was told. And so shall it pierce the heart of every true disciple. But like Mary we can take comfort in God’s presence within us. As Jesus told us, if we love Him and keep His word, His Father will love us and they will come and make their home with us.

Christ within us. Christ all around us. Christ leading us. We need only murmur with Mary, “Whatever you say, Lord,” and then do it.

The West is Oblivious to the Crisis in Islam

Father Samir Khalil Samir, S.J., an Islamic scholar and Catholic theologian based in Lebanon, is the author of dozens of books and hundreds of articles on a wide range subjects related to Christianity and Islam in the Middle East. In a recent article, published on the website, AsianNews.it, Father Samir describes the crisis currently facing Islam and how the West, which has completely lost sight of its Christian roots, doesn't have a clue about how to respond. Indeed, most westerners are oblivious to the fact that such a crisis even exists. This is one of those must-read articles if you want to understand what's behind much of the strife facing the Middle East today. You can access it here: Islam in Paralysis. And I also recommend Father Samir's latest book, published by Ignatius Press: 111 Questions on Islam

Friday's Homily

Readings Is 25:6-10a; Ps 22; Mt 15:29-37

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Old Isaiah was quite a prophet, and we hear a lot from him during Advent. God called him at a critical time in Israel's history, a time when the nation was threatened by both internal divisions and external enemies. Having strayed far from God's word and His grace, the northern kingdom of Israel had already fallen to the Assyrians, and Jerusalem's walls were surrounded by another enemy.

It’s during this difficult time that Isaiah received a vision of God's overwhelming holiness and glory. But the vision didn’t stop there. It also included a revelation of the people’s sinfulness and their need for forgiveness, their need to be transformed in the Creator's image.

But even now Isaiah wasn’t quite ready to be sent out to prophesy in the Lord’s name…no, not yet. First God had to prepare him, and so an angel, a seraph, first purified Isaiah’s lips with a live coal, and the Lord took possession of his human spirit. Then, filled with the Holy Spirit, he clearly saw God's power to change people's hearts and minds, to convert them, to lead them to a life of holiness through His direction and grace.

This, of course, is exactly the challenge that God places before us during Advent.  We too are called to conversion, to holiness, to a change of heart. And we are to respond to this call without fear…exactly the message we heard from psalm 27 which we sung only moments ago: “The Lord is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid.”

Fear, you see, is a human, not a divine, trait. And so when we are blessed with and accept the divine gift of faith, all fear evaporates. With Emmanuel, when God is with us, why should we fear anything or anybody?

Of course, Isaiah wasn’t just addressing his own time and his contemporaries in history. Like all the prophets, indeed like the entire Old Testament, Isaiah was pointing to its fulfillment. He was pointing to Jesus Christ: “On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book; and out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see. The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.”  

In our Gospel passage we catch a glimpse of this as Jesus shows us the power contained in the simple faith of the believer. Yes, the faith expressed by the two blind men is powerful indeed. They had waited for Jesus, just as we wait for Him today.

When He passed by, they followed Him, not hanging back in fear, but pressing forward in faith. They were blind and yet they recognized Jesus when He entered their lives. You and I can see, but do we recognize him? Do we see Him in those who pass by?

And then they called out to Him, they prayed their prayer of supplication: “Son of David, have pity on us.” Still Jesus doesn’t respond, but the blind men aren’t discouraged. Their faith prohibits it. It’s too strong. It recognizes in Jesus the healing, redemptive power that will be soon be manifested to the world. In their blindness, they follow him into the house where he is staying. In a sense, they’ve cornered Him, haven’t they? They approach Jesus and he finally responds: "Do you believe that I can do this?"  They haven’t asked for sight; they’ve asked only for pity, for mercy. But they know exactly what Jesus is asking them. “Do you believe I can control the very power of nature itself? Do you believe I rule over all that God has created?”

“Yes, Lord,” they replied. I suspect this response was shouted out, an answer filled with confidence, exhilarated by the reality to come.

Jesus, almost sacramentally, touched their eyes and told them their faith is the cause of their healing. And then he instructed them to remain quiet and keep this miraculous event to themselves. But they couldn't help themselves, could they? Able to see by the power of Jesus and their own living faith, they proclaimed their good news throughout the whole area. They had become preaches of the Word, the Good News, missionaries of Jesus Christ. They couldn't hide the Light of the World under a bushel basket, for it would force its way out. And while Jesus in His humanity wanted the event kept quiet, I’m sure in His divinity He was pleased with their enthusiastic evangelization.

Brothers and sisters, Advent stands as a witness against those who would argue that God is powerless. They will tell us that whatever happens...well, it just happens. It's either the will of God, or God is just not all that interested in us, or there simply is no God. But, of course, the Incarnation shows us God’s ultimate involvement in the world. A disinterested God doesn’t send us His Son to live and die for us. 

And Jesus makes it clear that blindness and other disabilities are not God’s will or punishment for sin. No, they are the context in which the works of God may be manifested! If only the world will see.

Yes, as we witness the faith of the two men in the Gospel, perhaps we should look to ourselves as the ones who are truly blind. Merciful Father, touch our hearts, shatter our unbelief so we will joyfully accept Your gift of faith and grow closer to You by living in Your truth and love. 

Life Returns to Normal...Sort of

Diane is back home! This is a very good thing. She had a wonderful time on her cruise and even brought me two Norwegian Cruise Lines t-shirts so people will think that I actually accompanied her. I have decided, however, that all will not return to its pre-cruise normalcy. I actually enjoyed cooking for my brother and me, so (with Diane's permission) I intend to prepare the evening meal at least twice every week. This will give the poor girl a needed break and help me advance my skills to a level where I feel confident enough to audition for the Food Network.

I'm also hoping to find my elder brother a nice local rental, so he will have his own place. He and I have an appointment to check out a nice two-bedroom home tomorrow which seems almost too reasonable to be true. It's also just a short distance from our home, maybe 15 minutes, so I can check in on him frequently. If it looks good and we decide it's the place for him, we'll have to spend a good part of the day shopping for the some basic furnishings. Sounds like a busy day. Please keep us in your prayers.

It was cold here in The Villages today, and it's even colder tonight. Right now it's in the low fifties and raining. For those of us who have been here long enough to get acclimated, this is downright freezing. No tornado watches tonight though, so there will be very little hand-wringing in central Florida.

Before I close, I'd like to pass along a book recommendation. If you've followed this blog for any length of time you'll know that I'm an Italian wannabe. I simply love Italy and Italians. Now there have been many excellent books written about the country and its people, but none can compare to The Italians, by Luigi Barzini. Although written in 1964 and, therefore, slightly dated, it's still the best book on the subject...and fortunately it's still in print. Barzini, who died in 1984, studied in the United States, was held in confinement by the Fascists throughout the war, and went on to be quite the man of letters. (I've included a photo of Barzini, above.)

I first read the book 25 years ago, but have no idea what became of my copy. It simply disappeared. A few days ago I spotted a copy in a book store, bought it, and have been rereading it with great pleasure. If you have never been to Italy and are considering a visit, read this book and you will be better equipped than 99% of foreign visitors. If you have visited Italy and left confused and dazed by both the culture and its people, read this book and all -- well, almost all -- will become clear. Click here for the Amazon link.

Blessings...

Advent Mission & Soup Kitchen

Just a few random thoughts today...

Last evening I gave my talk at our parish's week-long Advent Mission and no one threw soft fruit and vegetables so I'm guessing it was received well. I can't speak for my own talk, but I can  speak for the two deacons who preceded me. They were wonderful and the fact that our parishioners have returned each evening is testimony to that. But it wasn't just the deacons. So many other people have helped to make this mission a success, particularly the readers and music ministers. We are truly blessed in our parish to have such enthusiastic, caring people who willingly give of their time and talent ad gloriam Dei. And I give special thanks to the Holy Spirit to whom we opened our hearts. He has been so generous with His heavenly grace this week.

Today, Thursday, was my day at the soup kitchen, but it just wasn't the same without Diane. My dear wife has been on a cruise in the Bahamas with a group of her girlfriends. They decided to take this little jaunt months ago when one of them came across a great deal for the five-day cruise on the proud ship, Norwegian Sky. I haven't heard a peep out of her since she boarded the ship in Miami, so I can only assume they have been enjoying themselves.

Unfortunately, because my brother is staying with us for a while, I couldn't simply abdicate all responsibility and do little or nothing in the way of household tasks until Diane returned. And so I have been forced into a not so subtle form of domestic servitude. I have had to cook meals, wash and dry clothes, fill and empty the dishwasher, wash and dry pots and pans, take out the garbage without being reminded...and on and on. I even vacuumed the rugs and carpets...not once, but twice! The world has been turned upside down! One might even consider these things as harbingers of some cataclysmic, cosmic event. I can only hope that Diane's return tomorrow will set things right once again.

We had an official "tornado watch" yesterday afternoon that was later extended until 4 a.m. today. I know some folks here in central Florida who are simply unable to go to bed when one of these severe storm watches are in effect. They worry that a storm will strike while they are asleep, and for some reason believe this is worse than one that might arrive while they are awake. Personally, I can't see a great deal of difference. And so I went to bed at the usual time and just asked the Lord to keep us safe as we slept. As a result I slept like the proverbial baby. With so many odd and dangerous things in the world, why add another cause for worry? Anyway, isn't that one of the reasons we pray?

And speaking of prayer and its positive results, our efforts to raise the funds needed to renovate the Wildwood Soup Kitchen and add a much-needed walk-in freezer and refrigeration unit are moving right along. People have been giving generously to the fund and I believe we are nearly halfway to our goal. The renovations and addition will enable us to operate much more efficiently and also more safely as we serve God's people. Praise God for His help in softening hearts (and opening wallets).

God's peace...

St. Edmund Campion

Today is the feast day of St. Edmund Campion, Jesuit priest and English martyr. He was a remarkable man, a man of extreme courage who was ultimately cruelly tortured and executed for his Catholic faith in Elizabethan England. You can read a brief overview of his life here, but to really get to know him I suggest you find a copy of Evelyn Waugh's wonderful biography, Edmund Campion, first published in 1946. I had to search in many used book stores to find my copy, but fortunately the book has been reprinted and is once again available new. Click here.

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?

In case you haven't noticed, or have spent the past few decades on one of Jupiter's moon, there's a definite trend in the retail and service industries to avoid greeting customers with such politically incorrect phrases as "Merry Christmas." We are instead subjected to a barrage of safe, insipid greetings with "Happy Holidays" being the most common. It has become so irritating that I actually try to avoid patronizing stores that tell their employees to use one of the more politically correct greetings.

Well, it seems that many others also object to this removal of Jesus Christ from Christmas. It is, after all, the celebration of His birthday and a significant majority of our citizens consider themselves Christians.

A recent Rasmussen poll of American adults determined that 72% prefer to be greeted with "Merry Christmas" while only 22% prefer "Happy Holidays." Perhaps the results of this poll will cause at least some retailers to change their policies and allow their employees to reinsert the word, "Christmas," into their customer greetings. Their motives for doing so might not be particularly pure, but that's OK. God can still use them to spread the good news of the Incarnation to all.

To see a full breakdown of the poll's results, click here: Rasmussen Christmas Poll.

Have a joyful, expectant, and repentant Advent.

Anglicans...and other Anglicans

Apparently some few folks in the UK, presumably some Anglicans, are very upset over the possibility that a number of their fellow believers may depart the Church of England and enter into full communion with the Catholic Church.

Fr. David Waller, the Anglo-Catholic Vicar of St. Saviour’s Parish in Walthamstow, UK, received a voice mail threatening him with physical violence should he and his parishioners make the move to Catholicism. On the same evening vandals also defaced the church building with a painted message declaring: "C of E -- No Pope".  Although Fr. Waller has not yet publicly declared that he will enter the Catholic Church, based on his comments, I'd say that such a move is likely. And neither does he seem to have been intimidated by threats or vandalism. Commenting on the threatening voice mail, Fr. Waller said, “The message was distorted – it sounded drunken and I don’t want to make too much of it." And neither do I. I mention it only to show that Anglicans can expect resistance to any positive response to this historic invitation by the Catholic Church. You can read about Fr. Waller here: Anglo-Catholic Vicar Threatened.

And then there's Rowan Williams, the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, who recently urged the Catholic church to overlook such issues as papal primacy and women clergy and focus instead on furthering the effort to achieve communion with the Anglican Church. The archbishop seems to think that, in the spirit of ecumenism, the Catholic Church can and should simply set aside any differences, even those it believes are grounded in divine law and part of the deposit of faith. I guess he thinks the Catholic Church can help God's law "evolve" so that it will better reflect the spirit of the times. I suspect the archbishop is starting to panic as he watches the Anglican Church self destruct. How very sad. Click here to read more.

...and the drama continues.

Pray for life and pray for unity.

"Comatose" Man Aware for 23 Years

I'm sure you've already heard of the Belgian man, Rom Hauben, who was injured in an auto accident 23 years ago and subsequently diagnosed as comatose. It seems, however, that the diagnosis was incorrect and that Hauben was actually fully conscious the whole time. Now Hauben is able to communicate via a nifty computerized device and subtle finger movements.

When I heard the news about this man who had been written off by his doctors, my first thought was of Terri Schiavo. I'm sure you remember her. She was the Florida woman who was killed by her doctors in March 2005 at the urging of her husband and under orders from the courts. And how did they kill her? They starved her to death, prohibiting anyone from giving her even a drop of water. It took two weeks for her to die -- the culture of death in action.

I thought of Terri because many of her family members were convinced that she was aware and conscious despite what her doctors claimed. If that were the case, can you imagine what she must have gone through during that two weeks of forced starvation? (The photo at left is of the supposedly "vegetative" Terri and her mother.)

Since regaining his ability to communicate, Rom Hauben said, "I screamed but there was nothing to hear...All that time I just literally dreamed of a better life. Frustration is too small a word to describe what I felt."

To read more about Rom Hauben and his "recovery" click here: Mail Online.

Advent Mission

As I may have mentioned on another occasion, our parish -- St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Wildwood, Florida -- is blessed to have eight permanent deacons assigned to assist our pastor, Fr. Peter Sagorski. Of these eight deacons four are "seasonal residents" (that's our local euphemism for "snowbirds") who spend about half the year with of us. Of course, we have this large number of deacons because of The Villages, the large retirement community in which most of us live. And because all future growth in The Villages will take place within our parish boundaries, I suspect we might collect a few more deacons over the next few years.

One nice benefit of having so many deacons is their willingness to take on the ministerial and pastoral needs of our parish community. Earlier this year, for example, five of us conducted a very successful Lenten mission here at the parish. It went over so well that our pastor suggested we conduct another.

And so next week five deacons of our parish will conduct an Advent Mission. The theme of the five-day mission is "Open Wide the Doors to Christ" and will focus on Advent as a time of conversion. Each day of the mission, conducted by a different deacon, has its own sub-theme:

• Monday - Stay Awake...Watch for the Lord
• Tuesday - Christ Comes to Forgive
• Wednesday - Receiving the Good News
• Thursday - Carrying Christ to Others
• Friday - Walk in the Peace of Christ
  

On each day of the mission the assigned deacon will preach at the 8:30 a.m. daily Mass. After Mass the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for adoration throughout the day. At 6 p.m. the "deacon of the day" will lead a Liturgy of the Word, then give a mission talk on the particular sub-theme listed above. This will be followed by Benediction and reposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

We hope and pray for a large turnout and ask you to pray that the Holy Spirit will guide and inspire the five of us who will conduct the mission.

God's peace...

Publicity for the Wildwood Soup Kitchen

This morning, as a consequence of one of those Google searches that leads to wildly unexpected results, I discovered a blog of the National Association of Realtors. The particular post I encountered, dated November 13, was entitled, How to Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen. On the page there's a state-by-state listing of just a few of the nation's many food banks and soup kitchens, and right there, among the five sites listed for Florida, is our own Wildwood Soup Kitchen, including a link to our website. Our thanks to the realtors for including us on their list.

When I first put the soup kitchen's website together a few years ago, I thought of it more as an internal tool, as a means to keep our 100+ volunteers informed. But then I thought it might also be a nice way for others to learn about what we do and perhaps even contribute. While we don't get a lot of hits (soup kitchen websites aren't particularly glamorous), the site has generated quite a few donations as well as many requests to volunteer. So I suppose it's been worth the small extra effort.

Anyway, it's always nice to get a little publicity.

A Soup Kitchen Thanksgiving

20091126-SoupKitchen
Originally uploaded by deacondana

A long, tiring, but enjoyable day. Diane and I, along with my brother, Jeff, who is visiting with us, were up bright and early this morning and at the Wildwood Soup Kitchen by 7 a.m. to begin preparations for our Thanksgiving Day dinner. We had a record number of volunteers who joined us as we cooked, delivered and served over 230 meals. As I mentioned in yesterday's post, it was a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, complete with all the fixin's. Our guests, young and old and in-between, all seemed to enjoy the day and were happy to take a lot of the leftovers home with them.

Yesterday I also mentioned that our local media folks stopped by the house to give the soup kitchen a little publicity. As a result there was a wonderful writeup in the local paper, The Villages Daily Sun. They also gave Diane and me some face time on our local TV station, VNN, letting me ramble on about the nature of this wonderful ministry to those in need. My only complaint is that the TV folks didn't include my appeal for donations. I've included a video clip (above) of the local news show.

My other complaint is that I was so busy I didn't have time to sample the wonderful meal that Diane and her team of kitchen volunteers put together. This, I suppose, is a good thing since my waistline has been somewhat unstable in recent weeks and needs to settle down...way down.

Here are a few photos of some of our wonderful guests, along with the volunteers who made the day such a success...

Our team getting ready to fill those empty plates

 

Fixin' the sweet potatoes

A young guest samples the pie

Happiness is a full tummy...

A smile of satisfaction

Brother Jeff chatting with our guests...in Spanish.

...and the coffee.

Blessings...and Happy Thanksgiving!