Earth Healing: Daily Reflections by Al Fritsch SJ

April 1, 2005 Who Are We Fooling?

In times past, on April First I've played tricks on others,
and others have played tricks on me. The pattern repeats itself
like Lucy snatching the football away from Charlie Brown.
Sometimes the foolish trick persists and the effects go beyond that day
and permeate the entire year. That fooling may have delayed
ramifications as to personal relations; and the fooling may extend
to more that one target person and include a community, a region,
a nation, or the whole planet.

Isn't part of our American energy policy an April Fool's
trick? It was hard to think otherwise in mid-February when the
Kyoto Global Warming Treaty took effect and only the United States
and a few other countries failed to be among the 140 nations
signing the treaty. Does this mean we are really fooling ourselves
into thinking that voluntary measures developed by industry will really make
a difference? Who are we fooling with our increased uses of
resources for expanded space heating and cooling and the need to
stoke the SUVs and other gas guzzlers that have appeared on the
road in recent years? Do we fool our own overly pampered American
consumers and manufacturers?

Isn't part of our American foreign policy an April Fool's
trick as well? We think we can solve things through a military war
on terrorism. The roots of terrorism go far deeper than the hills
of Afghanistan or the deserts of Iraq. We have spent a quarter of
a trillion dollars, and it is now sapping the will of our people as
well as costing over 1,500 of our military personnel dead and ten
thousand wounded. What about the tens of thousands of Middle Eastern
people and others who have been killed or wounded as well? Where
will it end? We have a basic determination to root out the enemy,
but maybe we are partly to blame through self-righteous policies
that need more thorough reexamination. Is not this expenditure of
vast resources simply playing into the hands of the very people who
would like to see the United States brought to its knees?

Isn't the entire American health system an April's Fool trick
as well? Some forty million Americans are without health insurance
and are at the mercy of the elements. Others with minimal coverage
could face bankruptcy through a catastrophic illness. Here again
the question is whether the corporate interests which push the
drugs and excess services on to the medical establishment are not
ruining the resources of this country; they are driving up health
costs far out of the reach of average citizens. Could we imitate
the better health systems in Europe? Could we refrain from
allowing drug companies to advertise wasteful expensive medicines
and services which have only marginal benefits at best -- and may
even prove harmful? Why advertise to average consumers at all?

We fool ourselves in many ways: personal debts accumulated
through easy credit cards; trade surpluses; a rapidly expanding
national debt; buildings and appliances we do not need. We are
living beyond our means, making April Fool's a daily occurrence.

April 2, 2005 Daylight Savings Time: Adjusting Clocks

Early tomorrow morning we will all dutifully rise at 2:00
a.m. and set forward our clocks. A 23-hour day in spring and a 25-hour
one in autumn. I really hate this exercise in uniformity that
occurs in most American states. Indiana people keep a single time
all year. Why can't the rest of us? Being located in the
westernmost end of the time zone, we in Kentucky already experience
sunrises and sets about an hour different from those on the eastern
edge -- but we don't mind. Now for those soon to be experienced
sunsets about nine o'clock at night. Better than further north and
their summer late, late sunsets.

It's not the shortness of tomorrow's 23-hour length that
bothers me, but the idea that one part of the day is better than
another part. If we have more sunlight in the morning, why can't
we do outdoor work during that time; why are evenings better? If
it is a matter of being cooler and more dew-covered in the morning,
then there may be a good reason for being outdoors later in the day.
In fact, the World War II transition to "Daylight Savings Time" was
promoted for giving more time to victory garden work, and that had
at least some justification.

I like the extended spring daylight for one major reason,
namely, when traveling there is more time before using the auto
lights. I drive better with natural lighting, especially at the
end of the day. But travel time could be found in either the
morning (standard time) or evening with this adjustment of
tomorrow's clocks. Some prefer the longer afternoon and early
evening for a variety of exercises after periods of fixed working
schedules. One solution is far more simple: keep a
standard time and adjust various office work schedules to summer
and winter schedules. Let the institutions make the adjustment,
not the entire nation.

I'm unsure how many other countries go through this twice
annual ritual of setting up or back the clocks: "Spring ahead and
fall back." Certainly the BBC schedule appears unchanged with
announcements of the times in various large cities throughout the
world. Others may think this as peculiar to our country as it
really is. For Americans, these changes are harder on our more
rigid personal biological clocks which become quite set in their
ways after about a half a year at one time setting.

Do we become too dependent on clocks in the first place? Why
are we slaves to measured time? Primitive people are not; nor are
farmers and those who work outdoors and are their own boss. Clocks
come with responsibilities to do a measured good job within a given
work schedule. Maybe a watch is necessary when conducting a
Liturgy or scheduled event because people are expecting it to begin
on time -- and their days and nights are already well apportioned.
Clocks and conformity go hand and hand. Let's not encourage
stress. Rather, let's be thankful for all the daylight we are
graced to receive in spring. Remember, set your clocks back at 2:00 a.m.!

April 3, 2005 Pope John Paul II

A truly remarkable man has passed on to God. John Paul II was
in some ways God's special gift to us at this time and used his
many talents quite well. Some of his life's highlights include:

Carol Wojtyla became the first non-Italian pope in 455 years;
his early life was spent in Nazi-occupied Poland where he studied
in an underground seminary. During this period he was part of a
theatrical group seeking to preserve Polish culture.
As a seminarian he had a close call and barely escaped from a Nazi
searching raid; the person hiding in the next room was captured,
imprisoned and killed. After his ordination and the Russian occupation
of Poland, he had to contend with a second severe persecution under
Communist leaders following World War II.

He led the Church with vigor for the third longest tenure (26
years) in its 2000 year history. John Paul remained active
throughout his reign, and wrote and spoke on a wide variety of
secular and church problems. He never lost his inclination to
write poetry throughout his life, and was a published author. His
papal duties included meeting with each of over 2,000 bishops every
five years and learning about their own problems and successes on a
first hand basis.

John Paul II never lost his love for his country and returned
several times to tremendous welcomes. He confronted Communism in
his own homeland and helped encourage the Solidarity movement in
Poland which started the path to the bringing down the Soviet
Empire; he more than anyone else laid bare Stalin's cynical
question of how many divisions the Pope has.

He was a master linguist as well. He would send annual Easter
greetings in about 56 languages, converse in a dozen tongues, and
read talks and lead liturgical celebrations in all the major
languages. He was the most traveled pope in history logging over
a million air miles in 177 trips abroad and reported visiting 135
countries. He spoke in front of over 100,000,000 people, more than
any other human being who has lived. Besides, he has been
observed and heard in television broadcasts by at least half the
world's people. However, he was never able to achieve his dream of
visiting Russia even though he had been invited by current civic
leaders; nor did he succeed in hopes of uniting the Eastern and
Western churches.

He wanted Christians to have good models in the lives they
have to live in a harsh world; he recognized the merits of many
holy women and men, proclaiming and canonizing more people as
"blessed" and "saint" than all other popes combined.

Finally, John Paul loved the Earth and wrote eloquently about
the need to respect it and preserve the environment, especially in
his message on January 1, 1990. His love of nature was displayed
in being a true outdoor sportsman in his younger and more vigorous
years -- through hiking, mountain climbing, camping, kayaking, and
swimming. Upon visiting each new nation while he was physically
able, he would get down and kiss the Earth when deplaning.

This touches on just a few of John Paul's many achievements in
a very full life punctuated by an attempted assassin's bullet in
1981 and later illnesses. Now the Lord calls him to eternal rest.
We will miss him and yet we know that time moves on. Even great
people have shortcomings and thus the need for transitions and new
beginnings. During this spring of 2005 this is what is called for
as Carol Wojtyla is laid to eternal rest. May his good works be
long remembered.

April 3, 2005 St. Thomas And The Easter Event

Blessed are those who did not see but who believe.
(John 20: 19-31)

We note that at the gathering of the Jesus' disciples that St.
Thomas has become the first who missed a Sunday event -- first of
the many who for various reasons did not go to church. In today's
Gospel reading we find the theme of forgiveness repeated in
connection with the Easter event. The power to forgive is the
power to give new life -- and the Church is given this awesome power to
participate in the resurrection in a special way. That is an added
dimension of the power that extends in the other Sacraments
including Baptism and Eucharist. We see the official repository of
power coming through Christ and this is the risen Christ in power
to the disciples as the ones who are the official witnesses.

Look at St. Thomas who again enters and professes his deepest
and the most profound manner of belief -- following what may
appear to be backsliding just before. He moves out to spread the
Good News; Christians of India are the direct descendants of the
ones to whom he preached 2000 years ago. We have the fidelity
of these people who continued carrying on the Apostolic tradition
even amid the persecution of the dominant radical non-Christian
groups in that country today. The Thomas Christians continue to
profess their sound belief and continue spreading Good News.

At Easter, it is a good time for us to honor faithful believers
in our midst who have professed their ancestral faith and continue
traditions extending back for sometimes 80 generations of
fidelity. We often take for granted the bedrock members who come
every Sunday, support the church, go to special events, always
speak in a positive manner, and live their faith in a quiet and
meaningful manner. These are the truly faithful ones who strive to
live as the Lord wants them to.

And we need to honor and respect their fidelity on the Sunday
of God's merciful gift to us. This is the Sunday of forgiveness, the
Sunday of extended faithfulness. It is the Sunday we extend the
gifts of a merciful God to all those who wish they could improve
and become more faithful. We show them that we believe they can
start afresh and come back to life. We put faith into their
willingness to change, and show a confidence that they can do it.
They can return to the practice of their faith, live faithful
lives, hope for better things to come, and prepare for the
coming of the Kingdom.

God's forgiveness and mercy extends to all creatures as well
as our fellow human beings. God's mercy extends to the entire
delicate planet on which we live and to which we are called to
protect. We are the Earth healers, the ones who discover God's
mercy to ourselves, and we extend this especially during the Easter
season to all around us. We are people willing to show mercy to
all creatures who are hurt in any way.

April 4, 2005 The Pulls and Pushes of the Internet

It may seem strange to some readers that I have had this
series of reflections on the Internet since 2003 but never called
up or even used "www" until earlier this year. That is because
others did the dirty work for me as for this website and any
research involving use of this electronic media. Thanks for these
contributions go to Mark Spencer, Dan Bond, my sister Patsi Hoover,
and especially to technical associate, Janet Powell. But
now I have become a regular user of the Internet and that includes
receiving and sending e-mails, getting the weather, daily global
news, and sports scores, and even doing some online research of a
variety of websites.

As I mentioned in my homilies in mid-February on
"Temptations," the web service can have good and bad aspects. On
the good side, we have an opening to the outside world and allows
me to contact friends in Africa, the Philippines and Rome, and any
part of the world for that matter. This global communications
reach at very low cost would have been beyond comprehension even a
few short decades ago. We are now in touch on a worldwide level.
I get almost daily health updates on Jesuit confreres and that
keeps me aware of the gift of health and gives me instant
communication with those in other places who I would not have known
were presently ill. The ability to reach weather maps and get
predictions for my current zip code area is a remarkable addition
to the information arsenal. We can tune in any day or night and
have valuable local, state, national and global information.

But all good things are mixed. The good graces of a
responsible keeper of the website have given me the blessings of
fewer SPAM than others for I only get about two a day -- knock on
wood. I have never yet been hit by a virus at this location and
anti-virus programs and firewalls will preserve my computer from
that. However, a major temptation is to spend more time on this
electronic medium than a fast entry and exit twice a day. I
understand now the nature of the temptation to get more and more
involved in chat rooms and other diversions. It is all out there
at virtually no cost nor with anyone looking over the shoulder.
The temptations are great and require ever greater self-restraint.

My only suggestions as an amateur in this Internet game are
to keep valuable work disconnected from the Internet (my word processing is
done with another computer), conduct official business through
phone calls and letters which allow time to correct highly
emotional e-mail text, and limit the time for surfing the
Internet. This may seem to be contrary to wanting more and more
readers. True, we all have inconsistencies. I had a weekly
television show "Earthhealing" for five years and never saw a
broadcast because I do no watch television. Keep up your Internet
habits but limit them to certain times.

At least the Internet is a two-way street. By the way, I
welcome your remarks about this or any of these reflections.

April 5, 2005 Green Buildings

Winston Churchill heard complaining about the crowded
conditions of his war office during the Second World War. Several
workers were jammed into each room. He insisted that much more
work was achieved when the people were more crowded together. That
may be true to a degree. One does not need spaciousness to achieve
better quality work. In fact, the opposite might prove true
depending on the type of work. As for spaciousness, worshiping
communities often mention how they prayed better when they were in
smaller spaces and closer together. As for domestic conditions,
often the one who moves to a larger house tells how much trouble it
is to keep the bigger space clean -- as well as the increased
heating and cooling bills.

Architects are often like car salesmen; they can describe a
greener building or car of the same space. But the emphasis is
soon on more space or more accessories. An architect is naturally
wanting to build a sufficient-sized building for the customer. But
there is an impulse to take a person with a somewhat open purse into
the arena of needs or wants -- and find it easier once the
elementary structure is detailed. One must have a larger office
for this, a place to change clothes, a guest room, a mud room, an
additional shower here or there. What seems like a respectable
option is added to the cultural emphasis on bigness -- larger rooms
for the children who will soon be gone, larger basements, garages
and on and on. America has doubled its spacial demands in every
part of life -- education, worship, commerce, work, and domestic
living. And these are the most sensitive decisions with respect to
resource expenditure. Are we imitating the growth impulses of the
Roman Empire just before its fall?

Let's ask honestly just how much is needed and realize that
every cut in projected size and creation of multiple use space
results in a saving of the building itself, of heating, of cooling,
and of maintenance. Now we are thinking green in the best sense.
Bad examples of wasted space are so numerous that they are hardly
worth repeating. Just look around you. Once I asked a minister
who had an enormous parking space why so much. "It gives an air of
prosperity to the parish" was the unexpected reply. He admitted
it was seldom ever completely filled and on those occasions other
provisions could be made.

The best example of economy of space is my friend, the artist,
John Freda. For years, he had a studio for his showings and then
decided with his wife, Sandra, that resources could be saved if
they had art showings in their rather compact apartment/painting
studio. They invite a limited number of potential customers,
exhibit the painting throughout the furnishings and walls and have
food in the kitchen and everything efficiently arranged. The
visitors seem to love it and so much space is saved by this
multiple use of home and studio. And John and Sandra are both
highly successful and good users of resources and especially space.
They are truly environmental artists.

April 6, 2005 Spring Rains and Storm Water

We can have storms any month of the year. In 2005 poor
California has experienced more storms than in any other recorded
time, and Los Angeles has had twice the rainfall (over thirty inches)
than normally occurs in an entire year. Yes, we think of April's
gentle showers but we can witness storms that can be quite
violent. Let's prepare for such events by unplugging sensitive
electronic devices; one can easily regret not doing so in our
lightning/thunder-ridden Kentucky and middle America. Storms
must be endured even though some people and animals are disturbed.

The storm water is also a worrisome problem, especially in
paved and roofed areas where the water accumulates rapidly and has
little chance of soaking into the groundcover. Suddenly there's
sediment that clouds rivers and streams; chemicals and especially
pesticides wash into the water systems and even affect aquifers and
drinking water. Bacteria from livestock and pet wastes can get
into the general water system and create health hazards in areas
where some would like to swim or engage in other water sporting
exercises; plastic debris floats downstream and petroleum products
from our autos can poison aquatic life. Often storm
water carries excess fertilizers into standing water bodies thus
enriching the waters to such a degree that they cause algae blooms
and the ultimate depletion of oxygen necessary for fish life.

Some ways to control storm water include: reducing paved areas
by use of gravel; diverting excess rainwater to cisterns or
containers for watering greenhouse plants and other uses; going
organic and avoiding commercial fertilizers and pesticides; mulching
areas that are tilled and temporarily barren; creating drainage swales
and planting aquatic plants which grow well and take up excess
moisture; avoiding dumping auto fluids and other contaminants through
storm sewer systems; using a carwash that treats or recycles its
wastewater; refraining from throwing hazardous materials into sinks
and toilets; composting or mulching all yard waste; and disposing of pet
wastes through the regular toilet system.

Residential storm water problems are generally no more
important than those being generated by commercial, agricultural,
construction, and forestry operations. We are often party to such
activities or observe them and should report erosion and run-off
situations. Many construction operations are messy and require
vegetative cover, sedimentation controls, silt fences, and other
precautions to avoid storm water runoff. Livestock must be kept
away from streambanks and be provided with water from properly
managed sources. Forest harvesting of timber should be preceded by
a preharvest plan that can be provided by the state. Revegetation
should be done as soon as possible in all disturbance operations in
mining, forestry, and construction.

Storms happen and often when they are least expected. April
does not seem to be the right time, but we can start doing things
around our place that show we know the foibles of Mother Nature.

April 7, 2005 World Health Day

Today we are to consider once more the health of the world's
people. Thousands die each year from diseases that could easily be
treated with existing medicines. We Americans should never allow
such mishaps to occur, and yet we feel helpless in our own little
worlds. It goes against us as caring human beings to omit the
needs of people in distant lands. Should we tolerate their lack of
care any more than our next door neighbor's? But can we do something
about it? Later this month let's consider some of the complex
problems associated with the American health system, but today
let's be mindful of some basic health needs in developing nations--
good potable drinking water, adequate human waste systems,
vaccinations, hydration treatments for victims of dysentery, AIDS
and malaria drugs and prevention, and the need to establish minimal
health care systems.

A world health inventory is needed as a starter. What do sick
people need the most and how could the resources of richer nations
be allocated to help poorer ones? I feel uneasy when I see so many
from those poorer nations' medical best coming to America to
supplement our health needs, when we all know their own homelands
are in such dire need of medical assistance. Can something be done
to reverse the flow? How about financing teams that would include
medical personnel who immigrated to America and are willing to
participate in short-term voluntary expeditions back to health
care-deprived areas of their homelands? It could be a modified version
of the Peace Corps.

No one could deny the good will intentions of super rich
individuals who give sizeable donations to solving some of the most
difficult health problems of people in poorer lands such as Africa or
Latin America. I hesitate to say "more power to them." For in
essence, charitable giving to the underserved comes with an
exercise of power. What Bill and Melinda Gates do is needed, but it
is something that must be done. Giving to the poor in charity can
be a cover-up of what must be done in justice. A far more just way
is to tax the billionaires and funnel the taxed revenues through
appropriate organizations with an emphasis on United Nations
programs that respect the apportioned health needs of the entire
world. In essence, international checks and balances should be
fairer than the goodwill judgments of a few rich individuals.

The world is divided between nations with reasonably good
health care facilities and those lacking them. A goal must be
global minimal health care; we can't continue to allow current
conditions to continue. All people have a right to basic health
services. It involves providing basic medicines and techniques.
Perhaps the minimal needed money is as low as ten to twenty
additional billions of dollars each year -- a small amount compared
to the two and a half trillion dollar American annual national
budget. This expenditure would be shared with other economically
healthy nations, many of which provide far larger shares of their
total tax revenues for world health than does the United States.

April 8, 2005 Youth and ORVs

For fifteen years, I have made the regulation of off-road
vehicles a personal crusade. Such recreational joy rides are nice
but dangerous. And these rides could be better regulated and save
the lives and health of a large number of youth and adult riders
of these quite popular vehicles. My contention is that the
pressure to use this form of recreation is not made because these
devices give greater pleasure to users, but because they give
greater profits to the manufacturers. Skateboards and bikes are
also fun but cost far less than recreational devices. Thirteen
youths died in Kentucky in 2004 riding these ORVs and 105 during the
past two decades; in the same period thousands have been injured
though accurate counts are uncertain.

While all ORV riders are prone to mishap, youth will generally
take more chances in cross country riding; youth are less
experienced; they will tend to ride doubled up or in groups on ORVs
that should only hold single drivers; youth will show off to others
and drive recklessly and too fast; and they will get bored on
standard road or track. They like cross country experiences. When
traveling on highways to a given location, they are unlicensed much
like we did as youth when taking a tractor on the public road from
one farm to another. What can be said about different times?

I have argued that deaths and injuries would be greatly
reduced by having registration of all ORVs. That means that those
riding on highways should be licensed 16-year old or older drivers.
Vehicles can be reported by license number, if running on non-
permitted private property or in areas of public property forbidden
by regulations. This will not end the problem with youthful
drivers on private property (of relatives or friends) or in
commercial trail areas.

The government could reduce the fee for registration of
vehicles used for agricultural or commercial purposes and raise the
recreational fees to an annual one that would be appropriate to the
impact of the vehicles. Some additional recommendations have been
made by groups to help safeguard the health of these youth who are
able and permitted to ride ORVs: mandatory helmets, no passenger
laws, require training for all who use the vehicles, and enforce
laws to end the sale of adult-size vehicles to children. Would
that all laws were enforced when it comes to these recreational
vehicles. Youth advocate groups also would like to see the state
track and register injuries caused by these vehicles.

There are many forms of recreation for youth. The higher
priced commodities should not be regarded as the ones most desired
just because older people like their "toys" for their own
recreation. The promotion to buy expensive items is generated by
major boat, plane, auto, and ORV manufacturers hungry for profits.
How do we keep the youth from coveting what the adults are
attracted to? In a subtle way, promotion is also to the youth.
That's a problem with modern commercial products such as ORVs.

April 9, 2005 Pessimistic or Optimistic Ecoview

How do we approach our current environmental stance? What
motivates us to further action? We could choose to paint a dark
and foreboding picture of ecological collapse on this fragile
planet. We could focus on still undisturbed pristine areas and
forget about what lies beyond. Is it thorns or roses or maybe a
little of both? In some ways, both world views contain truths and
both have inherent weaknesses.

We may follow the lead of writers like Thom Hartmann in "The
Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight" and launch into a list of
statistics like his introduction: within the last 24 hours 200,000
acres of rainforest has been destroyed, 13 million tons of toxic
chemicals released into the environment, and 45,000 people died of
starvation of which 38,000 are children. Not a rosy picture! He
moves from what could be termed deep pessimism to the causes of
these conditions and then to some reasonable solutions that we might
take. But the starting introduction bothered me. I wanted to
shout, "wait a minute. Let's qualify some statistics as to
destruction and release and causes of death." But to overly
qualify would lose the impact and make even fewer people willing to
read the arguments. However, those who can't qualify easily may be
tempted to put down the book for their own peace of mind.

The opposite picture may be the scenic hike or a reading of
Rand McNally's "America: A Celebration of the United States." The
book has exquisite photography which makes one love our land --
boaters in the Midwestern sunset, a cow resting on a Vermont farm,
a view of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone -- all of which bring
back great memories. We are tempted to forget ecological dangers
and affirm the goodness of what we have as a nation and planet. We
need these moments to raise our spirits, and yet virtually every
picture needed qualification: the lake may have been polluted; the
cow may be given supplements that could enter the milk and food
chain; and it takes fuel to travel to Wyoming's Grand Canyon.
However, over-qualification here would have ruined the impact of
the coffee table book. Why be a spoiler?

Realism is a needed spiritual insight. We must listen to the
prophets who tell stories that contain unpleasant truths; we must
see through a photographer eyes a more perfect portion of an
imperfect world. By accepting both views we also accept our human
condition. We are in a delicate and vulnerable world requiring
improved conduct; we are destined for a more perfect world that
has not yet come -- though we have glimpses of it. The key is
balancing truths. We may reserve qualifications; we may enjoy the
moments of beauty with peace of mind. The best motivation -- which
is what both sets of authors attempt to convey -- is to make
necessary changes to heal and value our wounded Earth. I vacillate
between apocalyptic announcements and retreats to our partly
untouched hills. Is it possible that both require their own time?
Isn't good spirituality to spend moments viewing the world in one
way and, without forgetting, viewing it the other as well?

There is wonder on the road; the wonder of the resurrection,
unexpected, and yet somewhat found throughout Scripture. Jesus is
in our midst even when we are most disturbed, when wrapped up in
our own cares and concerns. We see him as truly with us and now
dwelling especially among those who are overwhelmed with hunger.
Those of us with spiritual hunger are also wanderers, never fully
satisfied, always looking and searching. Do we hear those asking
for something to eat? Do we see in them Christ himself? To be
Christ's follower does not mean following behind as a passive
imitator but to become Jesus in the world in which we live. We
need to be different even when it hurts.

We are people on our Road to Emmaus. We can be crushed by the
Calvary events of our own lives or that of our church or people.
We walk in faith that we need to return to the security of our own
home. We have our desolations and alienation and yet we find
Christ in the words of Scriptures. Do not our hearts burn? We see
the disciples discovering the God within, a renewed enthusiasm.
Like the disciples we need and ask God for consolations and forget
they are already there at our side. But in extending hospitality
to the stranger we find Jesus there also. And so the journey has
a wonder in the resurrected Lord. We recognize him in the Breaking
of the Bread. Resurrection is beyond immediate belief and so we
are impelled to proclaim this marvelous faith-filled event.

The story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus is the story
of our own lives and our journey in faith. It is the disciples
pained and bewildered by recent events; it is their invitation and
hospitality that allows Christ's presence in their midst; it is
their enthusiasm that sends them out as evangelists to alert others
to the risen Lord. Our growth in faith is a gradual process of
coming to the Liturgy of the Word and then in the thanksgiving of
the Eucharist where we grow in appreciation of Christ's presence.

As Easter people we are called to be characterized
with victory and hope that something more in the future will come,
faith that the event that happened in the past still motivates each
of us, and charity to share with others here and now. The journey
as told by Luke's Gospel is one of Jesus coming to know his mission
and fulfilling it; The companion volume, the Acts of the Apostles,
is the journey of a people of faith coming to be other Christs in
the world around them. The Emmaus episode is a transition -- a
risen Lord extending to the disciples a mandate to share their
journey with others. We are those unnamed disciples. We are the
ones who are called out of our desolation and personal pain to
break loose, to see Christ in our midst, to feel his assuring
presence, and to extend it through continued journey to others. We
rest in hope that our Road to Emmaus will have companions -- our God,
our human family, our own community of faith, and all our fellow
creatures. Let's extend Emmaus to our entire planet.

April 11, 2005 Garden Week

I have extolled the wonder, beauty, advantages and total
benefits of gardening as an individual practice so many times that
there is not much more to say. But in Garden Week it might be wise
to reconsider remarks as directed to institutions, groups, and
communities rather than the brave and bold individual who gardens
in some small backyard plot. Thus we can certainly celebrate and
that is best done in springtime by working in the garden a little
longer while taking advantage of the lengthening days.

* We can promote gardening as a community project because many
want the experience and would feel better working with others and
not making noticeable mistakes through their own individual
efforts. We again affirm that community projects require a leader
who takes charge. Garden plants may grow on their own but it takes
more than putting in seeds and plants. One must always realize
that gardening is an ongoing project from start to harvest and
requires cultivation and tender loving care.

* Community gardening is also welcomed by those more senior
members who cannot take a leadership role but who have enjoyed some
gardening in the past; they would like to get the fresh air and
sunshine that comes with assisting others; they would also enjoy
watching their particular or favorite plants grow and mature.

* Community gardening cements people more closely with a
common but non-competitive exercise. So often some regard
recreation as winning and losing in some game or sport; here all
can gain and still have a good time in the exercise. If they must
compete let them make this the best community garden in the country
and challenge others to equal them. But keep the struggle away
from the garden plot itself. Plants don't like all this fighting.

* The art of gardening can be a major teaching tool. One can
learn to refrain from buying factory farm produce through growing
good organic vegetables that are all for the picking. Youth can
learn where the food comes from and the effort to make things grow
and mature. People become sensitive to weather conditions, to
frosts, to storms and to climate changes when they garden.

* Gardening in our vicinity helps us become our soil; we eat
from our locality and become rooted in the neighborhood in ways
that those who import all their food find impossible. This is
harder to understand, but it is every bit an ecological exercise.

* The garden itself is a sacred place that is beautiful and
attractive to butterflies, birds and other wildlife. It needs some
protection from the ones who want to feast, but those safeguards
are spoken about elsewhere. In recent years I have found
accidentally that planting borders of mustard have the effect of
keeping rabbits and other critters out -- and there are other ways
as well. Attractiveness has both good and bad qualities, but that
is part of the challenge. Make that part of Garden Week's agenda.

April 12, 2005 Ducks and Jerry Waddle

I can't help thinking about an old late friend every time I
see a duck. Let's hasten to say there was no physical resemblance,
just the name which he allowed us to remember because the last four
digits of his phone number was "duck."

Jerry was a true mountain man and still more; he was one who
left Kentucky to be an Air Force recruiter and retired early from
the military to devote his final dozen or so years to helping
defend the Appalachian environment of his birthplace. He put his
heart and soul into environmental matters, in some ways more than
almost any other person I've known in the mountains.

Jerry gave valuable assistance every time we recruited him for
some of our many tasks. We worked well together and I don't
remember a single disagreement of major sorts. He was articulate,
aggressive, and confrontational when that was required, but he always
did it in a diplomatic manner. Jerry led Rockcastle River clean-
ups and River Days and supported the protection of that endangered
waterway in ever so many ways. He was willing to go to meetings
and to become involved in the Pride Program. He testified at
regional hearings and he ran an outreach program telling thousands of
school children about the wonders of Eastern Kentucky.

He died suddenly in 2002 before reaching sixty years of age.
We buried him in his family cemetery in Rockcastle County on a
bluff overlooking the source of the Rockcastle River. He acts like
sentinel and a protector of what he loved and valued in that river
and its natural surroundings. Jerry did not have to have long
lengths of formal education. He knew instinctively what was best
for the land and our planet, and he did all in his power to bring
this about. He learned from the wildlife and applied his learning
to conserving all our many but fragile Appalachian resources. And
we all -- human and ducks alike -- miss him very much.

Taken from my book, Appalachia: A Meditation

Ducks are Appalachian favorites. They float and swim and bob
about; they flap and honk and fly in "v" formation; they waddle
about the show with a mountain flare. They come, stay awhile, eat
our grain, and slip away -- like our city kin. Maybe ducks can
teach us lightheartedness. In fact, all birds and wildlife will be
our teachers if we can be humble enough to learn from them. They
invite us to watch them and admire them -- in ways other than
through a gunsight.

April 13, 2005 Nursing Homes

All of us have loved ones who are in full or partial care
nursing facilities. We all want the best for them, but the expense
of such care is increasing like all health care way beyond the
normal inflation rates. Some facilities and their caregivers are
heroic, constantly cheerful and willing to work for those they
serve come snow or rain. And often they receive little gratitude
by people who no longer have full use of their mental powers.

While all of this is said, the senior citizen picture like all
national institutional fields is spotty. As health care costs
rise, the nursing facilities are squeezed. That was evident a few
years back when some of us tried to get such nursing facilities to
introduce gardening projects among more able members. One group said "we
let our garden manager go because we can't afford such a position
now." Some private homes are going beyond removing the specialty
folks; they are cutting into the lean of the facility itself.
That is why many states are striving to set standards for operation
for all nursing facilities, standards which guarantee minimal care
for occupants.

The federal government is looking for ways to trim the
rapidly ballooning budget and deficit. In such times of scarcity,
those who are least able to speak -- the young and very old -- are
the ones hurt the most. Look out for the proposed block grants;
they have a habit of being introduced and then not advance in
funding along with health care costs. States are required to hold
the bag or come to the uncharitable situation of releasing the
ones who can't pay. Are we getting to the point,
namely, that the rich can stay but the ones who used up all their
savings must go? And where will they go?

We all know that nursing facilities are needed in the world
in which we live. We can hardly expect working people with small
homes to give day and night care to the physically and mentally
incapacitated. We know that partial care is often necessary for some who
live alone, and they would be better off with an assisted living
environment. All of this is needed and it is best that we as a
people supply our elders with such care. It comes at a cost, but
no greater than some of the other budget items such as military
expenditures. We ought to care for elders as a respectful and
grateful people; we owe those who went before a higher quality last
phase of their earthly life; and, if we do not, we will not be
honoring our parents in ways required.

Today, health care is being reconsidered on the federal and
many state levels. We ought to make our views known to
legislators. Make them aware that "state flexibility" is often a
code word for reducing federal funding. Let's tell our senators
and representatives that we want our elders in nursing homes to
continue receiving the past benefits of Medicaid protection. I have
sent correspondence to both of my senators to that effect. Let's
hope that you do the same.

April 14, 2005 Floods

The sights and sounds of floods go way back for me. I barely
remember my folks taking us down to Maysville during the 1937 Flood
and seeing from a distant bluff the devastation it had wrought.
When moving back to Kentucky in the 1970s after my sojourn
in Washington our state experienced several once-a-year major
floods. I will never forget the sound of rushing water as it came
through the gap north of us and the surging Rockcastle River moving
higher and higher and then sweeping down the highway outside the
Center. Never does a person feel so helpless as when a flood
occurs. There's little to do but get out of the way and take
anything that can be salvaged with you.

Can things be done to reduce the impact of those floods which
periodically ravage our mountain communities? First, we have to
attempt to stop people from building on flood plains. People
are tempted because land is level, cheaper, near roads, and more
spacious and less populated when on such plains. But when they
least expect, the waterway may be inundated. Virtually without
notice the floods can sweep away all one works for. Governmental
discouragement and restrictions on flood insurance have had some
effect in reducing new residential siting on these plains.

Clearcutting and surface mining have exacerbated flooding in
some of the more steep-slope areas by removing valuable forest
vegetation. In fact, the fragile forest cover serves as a
sponge to absorb some of the storms' impacts and retain water so as
to release it more gradually; forests are the best flood control
agents. Retention of the covering does not guarantee the absence
of flooding, but it can reduce its impact and severity. Floodwalls
may assist certain populated areas, but these are expensive and
often quite ugly, confining and even claustrophobic.

As long as the rainfall is in the neighborhood of four feet or
more per year, one can expect local downpours and the tides to
occur. However, warnings as to possible flooding by the U.S.
Weather Service is of immense importance. Sirens and radio and
phone alert systems are all valuable devices to make residents
aware of what comes in harm's way for them. People should consider
their own evacuation plan and talk it over with family and
neighbors. Ever so often people are lost while asleep in their
flooded homes or in attempting to cross swollen rivers on foot or
in vehicles.

Mountainous areas with heavy rainfall will never be free of
floods, but those who experience the impact of "the waters" can
learn to respect them and get others to do the same. Many of the
casualties are those who wait too long, panic, or misjudge the
force of the floods. Since inundations in mountainous areas will
never go away, we have to learn to stay away from their impact.
It's sure better to experience them from a distance, and to keep
our valuables out of their reach.

See also: http://tadd.weather.gov/ "Turn Around Don't Drown"
National Weather Service Campaign to prevent flood-related casualties

April 15, 2005           Personal Health Care

Earlier this year I read Dr. John Abramson's newly released
book, Overdo$ed America. I had heard his interview on "Curtains at
Eight" on National Public Radio, and was highly impressed by his
arguments that Americans are influenced by the drug companies '$3
billion annual advertisement campaigns. Gullible ad viewers
pressure their doctors to prescribe certain medicines, with some being
of limited value. The book was a true eye-opener. I didn't realize
that America could be overdosed to the tune of a half trillion
dollars a year and this was driving up health costs outside of the
reach of average people. This unhealthy situation extends to
expensive services as well as the drugs and involves unscrupulous
or simply fearful (of malpractice) physicians prescribing
treatments or tests which are not needed. No one wants the threat
of a malpractice suit.

Abramson's book included sections on the drug class of
cholesterol-lowering statins of which Lipitor (the one I was
taking) figured prominently. I became so incensed that I saw my own
physician the next week and asked to get off this highly
profitable and expensive drug that was costing more than my food
bill each month. I had already been somewhat skeptical and had gotten
him to reduce my second year on the drug from 20 mg. to 10 mg.
daily doses. I wanted to go cold turkey and promised to keep to a
strict low cholesterol diet along with daily oatmeal. Besides the
cost, I was concerned when Abramson quotes from a report from the
Washington-based Center for Science in the Public Interest (which
I co-founded) showing that several of the "experts" who approved a
drug treatment program, which did not mention selective foods,
received contributions from the egg, milk and meat producing
associations. Abramson's underlying thesis is that many of these
expensive drugs are no better than inexpensive alternatives or
healthy eating and exercise programs.

My own doctor was most sympathetic with my concerns and
realized I was more concerned about cancer than possible heart
disease. He told me to control my weight as well as food intake
and I felt it was a meaningful challenge which could be met,
provided my friends do not give me too many meals and prepared food
treats. I have the added problem of never allowing food to go to
waste -- and this can lead to weight gain. In fact, it takes two
or three days to work off a good meal and return to a weight loss
pre-meal level. I did feel liberated the day I did not take the
Lipitor and have heard since that numerous other people have given
up on the drug as well.

Being released from an expensive medicine and still holding my
cholesterol in check is a victory. Our culture is
too infested with drugs including both expensive prescription and
illegal varieties. We have become a drugged culture, and it takes
willpower to free ourselves from the grips of these substances.
Drugs are powerful; they may be beneficial and they may have
unforeseen effects over time. Avoid them if it is at all possible.

April 16, 2005          Astronomy Day

I look up at your heavens, made by your fingers, at the moon
and stars you set in place -- (Psalm 8:3)

From our youth we would on a clear night look up at the stars
and wonder about the vastness of the universe out there. With time
when we observed the light pollution caused by the illuminated
buildings and street lights we would pity the inability of urban
youth to see the heavens. Then when looking for the first time in
a telescope we would see a world out there that we could hardly
imagine. The distances are so vast that the units of measurement
are in light years -- the distance light will travel in a single
year (5,880,000,000,000 miles) or a distance of almost six trillion
miles.

And astronomers talk about thousands and millions of light
years. Their science leaves us far behind. We may identify the
North Star or Orion or Venus but what about the millions out there
in the vast distances. It boggles our imagination. We marveled
that some with observational skills or crude instruments were able
to know the Solstice or perform their sea travels guided by the
stars. The grandeur and magnitude of creation makes us seem so
small. We marvel at the astronomers who figured precisely when a
comet would return, the composition of a star or planet, the number
of galaxies in the Milky Way, and the complexities of the cosmos.

In some way, Astronomers are true pioneers, going far ahead of
us in finding God's grandeur and yet at times even had to
suffer from co-religionists who could not bear what they revealed.
It is true that religious concerns are often nature-based,
depending on observations about moon phases, equinoxes, length of
the year, and the Earth's place in the universe. We are aware of the
controversies related to the date of Easter in the Christian
community with controversies dating from the early second century
after Christ and about readjustments of the Julian calendar. In
some ways those discussions continue as people argue for fixed or
flexible dates for celebrating Easter. Is this fascination with
the macrocosm part of the spiritual experience of our praise of the
wonders of the Creator?

So often we look down to the microcosm and marvel at the
almost infinite variety of the creation below our feet -- a down to
Earth spirituality. But occasionally we down-to-earth people ought
to look up to the heavens; here we become aware of our own
finitude and insignificance in the presence of the created majesty
all about us. Even after all these years we know so very little
about the vastness of the universe. We are left puzzled. And
this extends in our own practical spatial exploration funding on a
national level. Should there be more man walks on the moon or a
manned journey to another planet? How much should be given to
space exploration? Looking up opens a world of new possibilities.
In part, that is due to the good graces of astronomers who seek to
continue their investigations in this more complex age.

See also: Earth & Sky

April 17, 2005       The Sheep Gate

I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and
will come in and go out and find pasture. (John 10:9)

Good Shepherd Sunday returns us to a theme which we all love
and still find full of further meaning each year. Psalm 23
resonates in our ears "the Lord is my shepherd" and the consoling
words are so often spoken at times of illness and death. Here the
Good Shepherd theme is extended to include a certain enclosure in
which we find the safety and trust needed for our own lives. The
opening to this enclosure is the one who guides us on our journey
of life. Here is the passageway to the seat of God. We will be
greeted by Christ in our entrance.

The entire Gospel context today is one in which we can wander
(as lost sheep) and the Lord in mercy and love brings us back into
the fold. Short times of wandering and slippage are corrected in
God's good time -- and this also gives us comfort. We call Christ
the light, the way, the lamb, the shepherd, the life and many other
titles. But why a gate? Is it because a gate is an opening to
something more. It indicates a coming from an outside to a going
to another area. St. Louis may be the gateway to the West and is
symbolized by an arch. We pass through one area to another.
Christ becomes the passageway from Earth to eternity and thus is
the one beckoning us forward and opening the way for us to pass
through. It is not all darkness with him present; rather, it is
gateway to light.

Some do not like to be called "sheep" because they regard
these as rather dumb animals. True, but the emphasis is on the
Shepherd, not the sheep. Christ is not a bad shepherd but a good
one; bad ones will allow the sheep to wander and get lost. The
good ones are watchful, caring and generous. The loyal sheep know
that goodness and recognize the voice of their own shepherd; that
person alone will they follow.

We are first called to be good shepherds with Christ, for we
are other Christs in our world. In this capacity we all shepherd
a wandering world and call it back to the Lord. While that is the
task of leaders in the Church, it is also the task of each of us as
committed Christians. We are called to lead and not just to
follow. We need to be up ahead of others and not trail behind them
in any way. How often we are called to serve as a gateway for
others to enter and do good in so many ways. Are we willing to act
in a proper and inspiring manner? Do we make the passage way easy
for them to find and enter? Do we come near and beckon and
encourage them to find an easy passage -- or do we make it so
difficult that they resist entering? Do we extend to them the
freedom that God gives to us, so their own entry will be made
through their own free will and self-determination? A gate seems
to be such a simple device until we strive to become one.

April 18, 2005 The Art of Listening

This is Wildlife Week. It is a good time for us both to
appreciate and protect our wildlife; also it is a time to learn
from animals. One of the more wonderful traits that animals in the
wilderness have is that they stop often and listen. I see rabbits
and squirrels and many birds do this over and over. They know by
instinct that such practices involve extending their life. They
are observing whether danger lurks and they have refined their
senses for predators and foreign intruders.

We human beings, especially those of us who are immersed in
our action-filled world, need to listen with our whole being -- not
just for the disturbing threats all about, but to the word of God
which comes in so many times and ways. The story of Jonah is one
where a foreign people, the people of Nineveh, listened to Jonah
the prophet and rapidly reformed their ways from the king on to the
most humble subjects. Even the animals were involved in the
reform. This listening became a community exercise.

While we would find it difficult to slow up a noisy world with
the power of an Old Testament prophet, still we can initiate the
art of listening on an individual or small group basis. We all
know people who are called good listeners; they are prized members
of the community because people can go to them with their problems
and know they will listen. There's an art to these listeners, a
turning of their whole being to hearing what others have to say.
Their facial features and body language all say that "I hear what
you say, and am allowing it to sink in."

Today is the day each of us should stop and to listen to the
word of others, to hear those who need a hearing, and to discover
what is being said for our ears only. It may come by friends,
relatives, caregivers, experts, or just concerned citizens. It may
be the additional word spoken by God through unexpected sources;
it may be noteworthy voices in the pulpit, or words on the
Internet, or in the news media. It may be a parent or child, a
superior or subject, a leader or follower, a person of influence or
a homeless one. All in all, we must listen so that God's word is
received with an open ear. It may be whisper or a shout, a child's
cry or the rustle of a ground squirrel.

With all of nature coming to life in springtime, we are
greeted with more of the sounds of the world. These become spoken
words with intelligibility that we perceive in our present
situation are meant for us. The instrument making the sound may
not have a full understanding, but the God who moves it does; the
challenge we face is to listen and hear what nature's creatures
have to say to and for us. We are called to speak and act; we are
also called to listen for and hear the word spoken in so many
places and ways. That word is not far removed; some are in the
Holy Scriptures, some in songs and conversation; and some, yes
some, are spoken by the wildlife around us. We are called to stop,
look and listen, and then act upon these "words" of whatever source.

April 19, 2005 Spring Hikes

Hiking is a good activity during any season of the year, but we all
realize that how we conduct ourselves is different with the
difference in weather and scenery. Hikes are physical exercise but
more universally suited to all ages. Some say this or that season
is best for a given exercise -- but really all have advantages.
Winter hiking gives a clearer picture of land formations and tree
forms along with brisk air and freedom from insects. Summer does
not require so many wraps and includes the sight of rich foliage
and the presence of tasty berries. Autumns has its sounds and
colors. But really spring has many advantages as well and also
engages all of the physical senses.

Spring hikes can be divided into the April and the May/June
ones. The former involve the carpet of wildflowers just before
full foliage (with some exceptions) which occurs in our part of the
country in the first part of May. These earlier spring hikes are
more ideal around the 20th of April.

* Awesome sights -- All wildlife we see has a movement and
busy-ness that makes us aware that life is quickening during this
season. The streams are generally more active at this time of year
and the sights and sounds of rushing water are so very soothing.
That adds to the way we approach the environs. You may want to
take a camera on the trip.

* Fresh experiences -- When new leaves spring forth there is
tenderness and youth to all vegetation. That gives a certain
springy step to our travels and we look more at the forest floor
where the flowers are peeping through. Take a wildflower book with
you on the hike and attempt to smell some of the delicate spring
fragrances. They are here for only a short time.

* Delicate tastes -- This is the season for picking greens and
mushrooms. Look for them and taste a few of the native greens to
keep in touch with the land itself. Carry a bag to gather a few
dandelions or other plentiful exotics.

* Exciting sounds -- Every season has its particular sounds
but those of us blessed to be a migratory flyway know that we only
hear a number of these passing birds at this season going north and
for a briefer and less vibrant return trip in the fall. We hear
the rustle of the ground squirrel and the field mouse.

* Warm Feeling -- Usually spring trips begin in the morning
when it is relatively cool and continue to a warmer period in the
afternoon. The extended sunlight is pleasing and the weather is
generally more pleasant than the seasons on either side. Carry a
backpack to store your excess clothing as the day gets warmer.
Don't forget the bottle of water.

April 20, 2005 Downwind from a Potential Disaster

My home at Ravenna is in the next county and downwind from the
Bluegrass Army depot. At that sprawling Army location one may find
the world's largest number of outdated chemical shells, more
weapons of such lethal materials than stored anywhere else in the
world. What happens if something goes wrong? That is what we all
need to know, but we can only think about it so long. Would we be
alerted soon enough if something goes wrong?

The people in neighboring Madison county where the depot is
located have had a local committee that has prodded the Government
for years to dispose of the weapons properly as mandated by
Congress. A Treaty calls for the completion of the destruction by
2012. Will deadlines continue to slip past? Incineration, the
first manner of disposal is not regarded by citizen watchdogs and
others as sufficiently safe while also being costly. The people do
not want the materials shipped to another disposal site such as
those in Alabama or Utah for fear of a mishap in route. Many of
the containers are nearing stages of leaking and any leak would be
fatal to people in the vicinity due to the extreme toxicity of the
chemical weapon.

It is considered more prudent to dispose by a proper method on
site. Several chemical procedures are regarded as safer than
incineration, especially in a populated area such as that in which
this depot is located. Yes, the methods are costly and that is
part of the difficulties right now. Disposing of those weapons is
not high on the list of military security activities in this post-
9-11 age. Postponement has occurred as leaking containers are
remedied by inserting into larger newer containers. Sad to say,
the bulk of the storage grows even when the active contents remain
the same.

What does it all mean? Well, residents strive to live in such
conditions but a catastrophe could occur. Some would want a
getaway via auto. Our roads are not sufficiently wide (we have no four-lane
highways within Estill county) nor numerous for any large scale
evacuation plan to be highly effective. It is regarded by some as
better to sit it out by duct-taping around the doors and hope for
the wind to stop blowing. The thought of being subjected to these
gases is really beyond comprehension. And what if terrorists would
decide the fences could be easily scaled, for a terrorist bent on
suicide could move a truck load of explosives to one of the bunkers
that are easily observed from state Route 52. This highway runs
parallel to the northern border of the Bluegrass Army Depot.

Nothing dramatic has happened recently and so many people
prefer to trust that the guards (who residents never see) will
carry out their duty. The cattle graze contentedly over much of
the depot's grounds and hay rolls lie about. This all
gives the impression that all is well. An apparent tranquility
hold sway over us because we cannot imagine what an accident could
do. Should we become more concerned or continue about our lives?

April 21, 2005     Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

In spring in pioneer times people moved out quickly into the
pastures and woodlands in search of wild greens. The need for
Vitamin C and other nutrients after limited winter diets was so
great that it caused this search to commence as soon as the new
sprouts of dandelion, poke, cress, and other greens became
available. That April searching is not as urgent today because we
have access to supplements and we are able to get fresh vegetables
and fruits much of the year thanks to refrigerated, frequent and
dependable transportation. Some of this need for key nutrients is
met by fortified cereals; thus people, especially the young who are
finicky, are permitted to go without the benefits of fresh fruits
and vegetables.

The federal government has become aware of diets that lack
these fresh components and is emphasizing numerous servings each day
in its revised nutrition chart. People will still eat what they
like, but often fast food junkies get little more for a day's fare
than a slice of tomato and a leaf of lettuce on a hamburger. Many
people simply state that they don't like salads and thus won't eat
fresh vegetables; they may like fruit a little more and so will
have an occasional banana. Well over half of the country does not
get the recommended number of fresh produce servings. And often
the breadwinner is not pushing too hard because fresh fruit and
vegetables are relatively expensive when out of season.

One answer is to encourage the use of fresh produce in creative
dishes such as fruit salads, sauteed vegetables with ethnic meals,
fresh fruit topping on desserts, and sandwiches with increased use
of fresh vegetables. Cooking with frozen foods is another way of
getting locked-in freshness. Prepare snacks such as carrots,
celery, and sliced fruit wedges. One way for the economy-wise
family to meet fresh needs is to go to pick-your-own orchards in
the fall and store bulk fruit in a cellar or cool space.

For freshness, nothing beats the repetitive message I give
over and over. Grow your own garden and have fresh produce much of
the year. When gardens are planted early and spring and fall crops
extended through the use of mulch and protective covers, one living
in a milder climate can have year-round fresh produce. We need to
emphasize that variety and multiple plantings could stop users from
tiring of surplus foods in the course of the growing season. Also
a good solar greenhouse could furnish greens for much of the winter
months when it is difficult to meet needs through outdoor growing.

Some take pride in disliking fresh fruits and vegetables and
eating mainly sweets, fries and macho meats. They may be heading
for troubles ranging from diabetes to heart problems. It is not
just individual habits that must be changed. Fresh foods can also
be available in popular fast food outlets, if the companies would
serve them in creative ways. Furthermore, school lunch programs
should include educational literature so that the learning youth
can see value in fresh produce.

April 22, 2005     Earth Day at Thirty-Five

On this date in 1970 I was a post-doctorate fellow at the
University of Texas; I will never forget one aspect of the large
gathering on the campus under the famous Texas tower. I don't
recall what the speaker was saying but it struck me as odd that a
person sitting near me cheered wildly but squashed out his filter
cigarette in the turf of the lawn. What seemed odd then became a
festering problem with the years -- we like selective parts of the
environmental message. The problem is how to get people to see
that this selectivity could damage our Earth over time especially
if we are highly polluting people.

The first Earth Day was filled with enthusiasm for it was
the understanding of all of us that with a little effort and time,
a damaged environment could be repaired and healed. That spirit is
remembered by we older folks, for two-thirds of the human race was
either not yet born or too young to care. Our consciousness was
already being pricked by Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, which
focused on the problem of the killing of bird populations by the use
of pesticides. Throughout the 1960s we were hearing disturbing
reports of factory emission polluting the air, but these had not
yet been given prominent coverage to the general public. It would
take an activistic push much like that which was occurring in both the Civil
Rights and the Anti-Vietnam movements of that time.

Gaylord Nelson, a senator from Wisconsin, was one of the
kingpins in raising the consciousness of a nation to doing
something. He modestly said it "organized itself," but that is a
little misleading. A number of concerned citizens in all walks of
life spent considerable prior time organizing rallies, getting
speakers and musicians, and notifying the media to the events of
that April 22nd. Better than just those gatherings were the hype
that the events received in the newspapers and television. It was
as though we were made aware in a short space of time that things
were going wrong and that our consumer culture was partly to blame.
At least, some part of our culture outside of ourselves.

In the succeeding years, the environment became an issue,
national and state laws were passed, the public generally regarded
this as a safe issue to agree upon, and youth came to know much
more about toxic problems. We older folks became far more
realistic and had to discover that problems never addressed in 1970
would become major ones such as global warming. Environmental
groups rose and flowered and some fell by the wayside. Today, the
Earth Day Network (EDN) continues to organize effects though
without the initial energy and fanfare. The EDN involves
organizations and individuals in 180 countries. Nelson says that
one of the greatest, most important fallout from Earth Day events
is that "seventh and eighth-graders ask much more perceptive,
penetrating questions about the environment than college seniors
and college graduate students did in 1970." Take part in some
celebration today.

April 23, 2005       Waiting for a Catastrophe

A number of theories have been presented as to what will
cause Americans to become involved in solar and wind energy,
recycling and resource conservation, breaking the addiction for oil
and joining the rest of the world in the Kyoto Climate Change
Treaty. Will we take corrective measures as a nation before it is
too late? That is unfortunately an unanswered question.

Some say it is already too late, but that is a cop-out. What
they would have us do is nothing but continue in our habits until
our planet's environment comes tumbling down. They are really part
of a number of folks who think we will not change until a
catastrophe occurs. Perhaps it's a war, a major depression, a
massive terrorist attack, or a devastating drought. Whatever such
circumstances take, these people expect that will be a learning
lesson to help us treat the Earth in a more gentle fashion.

I have always been tempted to agree with the catastrophe
theory. It seems so surgically clean and has all the elements of
"I told you so." But then on second thought it does not seem
right. Some indicators may seem to suggest we are heading to the
"Fall of the Anglo-American Empire." It's true that what goes up
must come down. But we could become more concerned about the
conditions under which such an inevitable descent must occur.
Will it be a nose dive or a gliding in for a safe landing?

Our American Constitution is the oldest in the world. It has
worked well during stormy weather. We are people of law and order
and we have learned through social programs and other means to
treat our fellow citizens with respect. What we need is an
expansion of the definition of citizens to include the rest of the
people of the world as well as fellow creatures. Law and order
people do not expect that violence should accompany a change of
heart or pattern of action. People do not have to be beaten into
submission -- and catastrophes are violent events that generally
affect the poor to a greater degree than others.

America and others would be far better off if we could plan
for and bring about a change in our conservation habits. While
personal credit is so easy and indebtedness has reached monumental
proportions, we still have some time to mend ways and come to
respect the limited resources at our disposal. It is a matter of
respect, and part of that can be taught patiently through
schools, churches and other institutions. If we challenge those
who show a lack of civility, we might start on the road.

But personal changes will only go so far. We must make
national changes which must be made in conjunction with the
aspirations of people in other lands. Renewable energy and
resource conservation need to go hand-in-hand with reductions in
special promotion and tax incentives to non-renewable sources. We
can learn moderation in all things -- but it takes time. The
question is whether we still have enough.

April 24, 2005 Service for Others

I am the way and the truth and the life. (John 14: 1-12)

Service or Diaconia -- We are all called to give service in
the Church, both those called to the priesthood, deaconate, or
religious life and those who are called to ministry of healing,
educating, lecturing, cleaning, performing music and dance or
engaged in environmental modeling of the community. The Acts of
the Apostles shows the gradual movement from Jerusalem to Rome and
the attention given first to the Jewish community and then to the
whole world. As the mission expands, the offices or services or
ministries developed with it. Greek names appear in the deacon's
roles. With time millions responded to the vocational call to
minister within the Church.

Cornerstone -- Peter is building the Church as first pope and
thus he is laying the cornerstone and quotes thus from the
Scripture. You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, God's own people. Peter takes seriously his mission and
calling. This passage is about the priesthood of the faithful, not
just the ministry of priesthood, the sacrifices all of us are
called to make for the betterment of the community of believers.
We are confident that if all will give totally of themselves to
their vocational call, the definitive reign of God will come about
and God's kingdom will come -- even amid the storms of this world.

A Home for Us -- This is the place in the galaxy of heaven
that each person will find a home or dwelling space. What is here
in the Gospel is the sense of holding a unique position or station
in eternity which is some way defined by our devotion and
interest in others here on Earth. That is why we must not be
overly influenced by temptations to total affluence. Rather, we
should find a place that we will not be self-centered and totally
taken up in our own welfare. Through service we become self-less
or directly engaged in loving others. Self-centeredness creates hell on
Earth; to create a true home we reach out and extend our home to
more and more of the planet's creatures. We become of service to
others.

As spring moves through its course we remember that people are
ending the formal educational portions of their life journeys -
from kindergarten, grade school, high school, college and
professional school. They are preparing for graduation and the
beginning of another stage or career. We can enter into their
celebrations through support, prayers and meaningful gifts. We
become the way, truth and life for them.

Unfulfilled ministries are problem areas. Some lack security,
or are too risky, or too difficult. Part of our work in service to
others is to ease the demands so that more people will enter
certain fields of service. A healthy society and Church needs all
its posts filled, and our service includes making it easier for
that to occur.

April 25, 2005 National Turnoff TV Week

Can you do it? Or are you so addicted to television that a
week might be too long? Just turn it off for a week and find out
how liberating it is. The week is worth a try. It may be
justified in an attempt to make people appreciate good television
programming as much as to abstain from the bad. Turning off the device
enhances our will power; it saves us time; and it forces us to
find other creative uses of free time.

* Read more. This first suggestion is also a use of our quiet
time and the use of our eyesight. I resolved to read a book a day
this year and though the record is not perfect, I have found more
time especially at night and in the wee hours when sleep does not
yet come or after awakening. Reading enhances our creative powers
and gives us new insight into the world around us. And we can
absorb content at a far higher rate than what TV can normally give.

* Interact more. People may wish to talk and share
information and just be present. Here is your opportunity to
cultivate one on one and not be the passive observer of what others
do. Soon the silence of not having the TV on will feel
more like a blessing.

* Communicate more. This is now the time to write letters,
send an e-mail or make a phone call. It might be the time to even
make a neighborly social visit.

* Reflect more. The jumble of all the images that come over
the television tube can make us distracted. We need to pull things
together and the TV time might be the best time to do it.

* Pray more. Centering requires a certain amount of presence to
God, silence, and tranquility that the silent TV helps to
afford. We have much to pray over these days and this week could
be a time to start.

* Conserve more. The TV consumes electrical energy and that
rather substantial amount could be saved this week. You could also
pull the power plug and this saves even more while the set is turned off.

* Listen more. It is time to get your news in a more
concentrated form and without the advertisements that consume so
much of the news program.

If something good like a show you wanted to watch occurs this
week, have another more addicted viewer tape it for you,
but attempt to keep the set off for such a short period of time.
A week can fly by with many other things to do.

April 26, 2005 Let's Use the Car Less

The title of this reflection includes a "let's" because what
I say must also apply to me and you. I admit that much of my
driving has been for business over the past third of a century --
and it has involved over a million miles on the road. However, as
I age, I try to discover ways to cut down on the road miles. I
must go at my present job between two churches and that alone is
almost ten thousand miles a year. Add to this that I am relatively
far from an airport (75 miles) and from places where I do regular
business (50 miles). Many talks also take much travel time. Air
travel of less than five to six hundred miles takes more time
considering parking, screening, waiting, and deplaning and other
delays than going from door to door by car.

Those may be good reasons, but all in all we auto users can
find ways to cut down on the mileage on the road. I have cut my
annual miles about twenty percent in the last two years by doing a
number of things.

* When we have a number of errands and some can be delayed,
couple the group so that a number of chores can be done in a single
roundabout trip. This is proving a major savings in both time and
fuel.

* Make larger purchases selected to last for longer periods of time.
I used to grocery shop every week and then cut it when living near the store
to once every two weeks. Now I attempt to do all once a month and
to obtain additional supplies at someplace along the way if
unforeseen items are needed.

* Couple other trips at either end of longer trips by adjusting
time schedules -- but this has a side effect of doing some things
when one is quite tired.

* Take vacations closer to home. We talk about this in another
reflection, and reaffirm that it amounts to major travel savings.

* Carpooling can occur more often that we like to imagine.
Often we are traveling to the same event as others and a minor
adjustment of time and convenience will allow this to occur as a
shared experience.

* Increase communication by phone, e-mail or letter. That
means we do not have to make as many personal visits.

* Do we have to go? It happens that some trips are simply
unnecessary or they resemble impulse buying. One can call it
"impulse going." We could have spent our time better resting or
working in the garden. This applies to events where people want
attendees. That's the ideal time to get these event
promoters to bring in people living nearby.

April 27, 2005 Salt

I recently completed Mark Kurlansky's Salt: A World History.
There is really no special reason to insert "salt" here except the
substance is still on my mind. Maybe it should have been in
February with the scriptural passage saying "Your are the salt of
the earth," though I believe a better translation might be the
"brine of the earth" for brine can lose its strength. Crystalline
salt is just that, and yet it has had a long and glorious history.
In fact, national policies, trade routes, national revolts,
battles, and alliances have been made over salt. Or maybe the
winter would have been better because that is when meat is
traditionally salted or stored. Or maybe it should be mentioned in
summer when one pickles cucumbers, cabbage as sauerkraut or many
other vegetables.

Salt is a component of every season. The Roman writer Cato
listed his workers' provisions as being bread, olives, wine and
salt. Salt works were prized possessions of certain nations and
the products produced were often the glory of that country. In
early pioneer days in Kentucky, the pioneers made special
expeditions to the salt licks which were frequented by bisons
coming from hundreds of miles on their annual pilgrimage for salt.
Actually, history portrays the importance of salt to all human
settlements. Caravans in the deserts of Africa carry salt to
regions of the Sahara where it is extremely scarce. The nomadic
Masai cattle herders meet their salt needs by bleeding livestock
and drinking the blood. Hunter tribes did not look for salt
because of their meat diet. Cultivators did. They recognized the
need for salt and that its deficiency would cause headaches and
weakness and eventual death. People like the taste of salt and in
modern times tend to get too much of it in our processed food.

Besides fulfilling basic nutritional requirements, common
table salt or sodium chloride has been characterized in many ways.
It has been a sign of dependability and remaining committed (salt
of the earth), of fertility (when presented at certain weddings),
of being experienced especially at sea (the old salt), of flavor
("you are salt"), with permanence and longevity and the eternal
nature of God's covenant with Israel (Jewish tradition views salt
going from crystal to solution and back to crystal), and as truth
and wisdom (Catholic rituals include Sal Sapientia or the Salt of
Wisdom). Salt together with bread was regarded in Celtic lands as
a blessing and for a new home's preservation. Salt prevents decay
(pickling) and so in the Middle Ages northern European farmers
saved grain from ergot infection by soaking it in salt brine.

The history of this vital ingredient is fascinating. While
former ages suffered from lack of salt, we Americans now can
overconsume the substance causing high blood pressure and strokes.
We could reduce salt by buying fewer processed, pickled, and cured
foods, using fresh or frozen vegetables, fruits or meats, or canned
goods with reduced salt content. Some spice combinations are good
salt substitutes. Check food labels for further salt reduction.

April 28, 2005 On the Sands of Dunkirk -- or Appalachia's Treasure

Dedicated to the Board of the Appalachian Ministries
Educational Resource Center (AMERC) of Berea, Kentucky in the
summer of 2001.

We stand on the sands of Dunkirk
waiting for someone to come and save us;
We made new hopes on the bloodfields of Flanders
and all is naught and passing.

How can we give awards on this windswept beach
when a blitzkrieg swirls around us,
and we only hope to save our sweet lives
and the island over the channel?

Is it a dream that we see boats coming,
the hundreds of common little people
are trying to save our brave expeditionary force
seemingly devoid of future fight.

Wait, are not the sands of Dunkirk
elsewhere? Our piece of Berea town?
A land, yes, hurt by human misjudgment
and yet finding hope in migratory birds.

It is not a dream; it is a fact,
and we hear the singing and chant
"we can rescue you, if you but wait
and hope and fight on for each island home."

We see the sands of Dunkirk now stretching
beyond our town to distant hollows and hills.
They too have survivors who know their treasures
but don't have precious time to savor them.

We bring in others to be compassionate
learners in the field, who are open
and willing to help rescue our isolated folks
and give them the will to fight on.

-- for Appalachia's treasure.

April 29, 2005 Observe Bird Day

Today is Bird & Arbor Day. It's good to give special
attention to that component of wildlife called birds, those which
stay all year, those which pass through going to points north or
south, and those which come and stay through the summer. Knowing
and recognizing the various bird species is helpful and gets us all
the more interested in their protection. The whippoorwill has its
grand melody in early morning and at dust; the woodpeckers have
distinct sounds, shapes and colors; the owls are haunting and give
flavor to the place; colorful cerulean warblers come but far less
frequently. The great mix of birds make the practice of
observation all the more exciting, especially in the springtime.

At this time of year we are at the peak of bird variety in the
Eastern American Flyway. One bird expert who worked at our Center
as a volunteer a few decades ago counted over two hundred varieties
just in the April and May when he was present. We have these
varieties today, but some have been in decline as we discussed
earlier (January 6). By learning to better observe these various
species we may be in a position to assist with bird counts in the
future. Such census work is vital to protecting the diversity of our
aviary population.

Young people and old alike love to count and name a variety of
things as part of passing the time. Birdwatching can stick with
people for life and convert them into naturalists. When traveling
a few years ago with a volunteer who was a raptor specialist, he
encouraged our watching out for the hawks perched near the
interstate routes. These birds perch in trees near roadways to hunt for
mice and other prey in the greenspace along the roads. Ever since
then I've observed many such hawks and each time it gives me a good
feeling. To observe nature even when we are "flying down the
highway" is, to me, better than counting different state car licenses.

Spring is the time to get a good bird book. Some are
coffee table varieties with excellent pictures and descriptions.
Others are pocket-sized and allow for local observation while
hiking. Get one specially written for the region in which you
ordinarily observe the birds, for different parts of the world have
different species. Refresh on types before going out, and seek to
document at least one new bird each month.

Birdwatching happens to be one of America's favorite pastimes.
It costs little in investment compared to other forms of
recreation. You may want to later invest in some field glasses,
but let that come with time. Start slowly and advance to such
stages after learning the major varieties in your backyard. And do
encourage others like shut-ins to observe birds, especially when
they have an unhindered view of a birdfeeder; get them to tally the
order of frequency of each of the feeding birds. And keep a count
of all the birds you observe in the month of May; it is a good
time of year for it.

April 30, 2005 ElderSpirit Community

Our special organization of the month is ElderSpirit of
Abingdon, Virginia. In brief, it is a planned ecumenical
retirement community which has been inspired by the cooperative
work of ex-sisters who were former Glenmary Missionaries and who
have given lifetimes of gallant work for the Appalachian poor. Now
in their older years, this group has come together with other
interested parties and is planning an ideal retirement community
and assisted living facilities -- and doing so by pooling their own
human and physical resources.

Those who have chosen to live on the property are part of the
planning process along with community leaders and housing
development experts. After years of working in community
organizing projects, the core participants have seen the importance
of having all parties share and contribute ideas. From the
attention that they have received through national articles in
newspapers and periodicals, they have generated enormous interest
on the part of retirees throughout the country. The desire to use
limited resources in a cooperative manner appeals to kindred
spirits among our American elders. And many others are seeking to
down-size to smaller cooperative communities.

People are writing and coming to visit the beginnings of this
community -- and what they see and hear they like. This may prove
to be a model for other retirement communities in Appalachia and
beyond. One of the possible positive directions of community
development is to attract retirees from other parts of the nation
to return home in their elder years. They bring their own
resources and expertise, and at the same time demand little in
educational or recreational facilities from the local people.

Joshua Bills and I have assisted the group in some
preliminary suggestions as to use of resources and renewable energy
ideas. They have a beautiful hillside site with excellent vistas
in an area near a town park and not far from Interstate 81. Of
course, with many planners involved they have to make specific
selections based on their own resources and needs. We always say
that those who are in their seventies find it difficult to
undertake new projects. If and when the ElderSpirit people get
their buildings completed, they may refute that axiom.

If you care to find out about this organization you may read
about their aspirations on <www.elderspirit.net> or write to
ElderSpirit Community 370 East Main Street, P.O. Box 665,
Abingdon, VA 24212. Phone: (276) 628-8908.

Copyright © 2007 Earth Healing, Inc. All rights reserved.

Albert J. Fritsch, Director
Janet Powell, Developer
Mary Byrd Davis, Editor
Paul Gallimore, ERAS Coordinator

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Daily Reflections by Al Fritsch, S.J.

Daily Reflections
by Al Fritsch, S.J.