Earth Healing: Daily Reflections by Al Fritsch, S.J.

Pray today that world resources will be channeled to AIDS victims, especially children...

Franz Jaegerstaetter

During Disarmament Week nothing could be more fitting than to
recount the life of one whom I mention during retreats -- Franz
Jaegerstaetter. He was a simple farmer in Austria, living near the
town where Hitler was born. Franz was born out of wedlock to a
poor farmer's maid and brought up by his grandmother until his
mother married a Jaegerstaetter, who adopted Franz. He did nothing
extraordinary for most of his uneventful early life, marrying, and
having four small children by the time of the Second World War.
All Franz was remembered for was serving at daily Mass. Most in
the village considered him as overly devout and eccentric.

In brief, Franz refused to fight or even participate in the
Second World War, even though urged on by his parish priest, the
town's officials, his wife, and even his bishop. His stubborn
refusal to even serve as a medical corpsman exhausted his
supporters. Thus he was arrested, sent to prison, and then
executed in 1943 near Berlin over the last minute pleas of his
soon-to-be widow and others. He went bravely to his end and was
killed. But so were many countrymen who died on the Russian Front
and in the many battles of that horrible war. Each of those dead
soldiers was honored with photos and proper medals and attributions
on their gravestones, but the townspeople were so ashamed and
unforgiving of Franz that they buried him in a barely identified
grave site in the back of the church yard.

However, his story was discovered by sociologist Gordon Zahn,
a professor at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, who was
researching a book on German Catholics' response to Nazism. Thus
the book was first published in 1964, entitled Solitary Witness:
The Life and Death of Franz Jaegerstaetter (Templegate:
Springfield, Ill, 1984 reprinted). Franz was now becoming known as
a singular example of conscientious objection in that war period.

Franz's Austrian biographer spoke to his widow Franziska and
read in his notebook, "Disciples of Christ, by the salt of
supernatural values, should keep others from moral decay, but not
spoil their lives with too much salt. Love of enemy is not
unprincipled weakness, but heroic strength of soul and imitation of
the divine example." On further reading, the author, Erna Putz,
changed from seeing Franz as an eccentric to seeing him as a
mystic. She wanted to share his hidden written treasure with other
people. This information comes from an article by Berenice
Cocciolillo, National Catholic Register, March 12-18, 2000, p.1,
entitled "A Hero Who Wouldn't Budge in the Face of Nazism."

A sequel to the story: In recent years, the German government
has sent a formal apology for the death of this conscientious
objector; his native Austrian government has bestowed a medal of
highest honor on this otherwise forgotten person; pilgrims have
beaten a path to his grave site; and now the Church is considering
his cause for beatification and eventual canonization. The marvel
is that one so solitary has become so famous.

December 2, 2005 Abolish the Death Penalty

I am quite pro-life and that means pro-life. I respect the
life of all human beings whether in the womb or beyond, whether in
the cancer ward or the death row. And that respect extends to
other creatures of the Earth as well. In the latter categories are
animals and plants. We add that we do not destroy animals for the
fun of it, but in some cases life must be sacrificed so that we can
stay alive -- but that can be another discussion.

Some who call themselves by the pro-life title limit the
meaning on "pro" and seem to dehumanize certain portions of the
human family so as to pretend to be consistent. This pro-life
segment would say that the prisoner on death row has no rights
whereas the fetus does. This inconsistency weakens the cause for
life. Whereas at least half of Americans would say they are in the
pro-life camp (with some qualifications), a far smaller fraction of
that population desires to abolish the death penalty.

Though deaths by hanging, drawing and quartering, beheading
and crucifixion were the final acts for many witnesses and martyrs
of old, still with modern insights and better means of
incarceration and enlightened prison reform, many countries have
abolished the death penalty -- most countries of Latin America,
Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa,
France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, and all other European countries.
An increasing number of these countries will not even extradite a
criminal to the United States, if there is a chance the trial would
result in the death penalty.

When in St. Louis a number of years ago, the Pope persuaded
the governor of Missouri to commute the death sentence of a
prisoner slated for execution -- and the Pope later forgave his own
assailant. Americans have been very slow to follow such examples,
but they are doing so little by little. More and more people are
seeing that the death penalty is not consistent with the
enlightened age in which we live. Very few of us would follow the
example of ancestors of only a century or so ago, who would go to
public hangings as though that was the entertainment of the month
(though some get similar thrills from movies and tv). And prior to
that the means of execution were even more gruesome. Those days
are past -- as should be any form of execution. Maybe we Americans
are not as civilized as we sometimes pretend to be.

The utter tragedy is the execution of an innocent person.
After investigation using modern DNA testing methods, a number of
prisoners on death row have been proven innocent, causing the
Governor of Illinois to call a moratorium on executions. And even
those who would never get such proof of innocence could still
reform themselves while behind bars. What is most hurtful are the
comments from victims' families who rejoice in an execution. There
is something horrifying in such victims' attitudes. The prisoners'
restitution and opportunity to repay society in some little way are
far more humane and pro-life.

December 4, 2005 Make Straight the Way

Making the paths of life straight is part of how we prepare
for the coming of the Lord at Christmas. We do not literally
straighten the curves out of highways though some here in
Appalachia could use the roadwork. Rather, we are to see that the
spiritual and social conditions must be straightened out in our
world. John the Baptist, the true simple living person, was most
forthright and open about what needed to be done. We are called to
show the same determination to straighten the dysfunctional society
in which we live.

Personally -- We need to see that we cannot do just anything
we desire. That is the reason for discipline in our lives much as
it was in the life of John. We need to be able in Advent, Lent and
other times of the year to refrain from the good things at times as
well as the bad at all times. We are called to the way of the
Lord, an ability to say "yes" to the Lord and "no" to such
distractions as drugs and alcohol. This ability to control
ourselves is achieved through self-sacrifice. Our culture hardly
believes in sack cloth and ashes, but it ought to. Instead of
expensive wardrobes and gifts expected for Christmas, we ought to
prepare ourselves through some fasting and self-denial.

Regionally -- We must face up to the problems facing our
community, whether the destruction of our environment through
excessive timber harvesting and strip mining or through the overuse
of resources in our individual and collective lives. We seek the
resources to perform research to determine the extent of death by
overdose of drugs in our Appalachian region during the coming year.
This research must be performed in order to know the extent of the
drug problem and be willing to confront it as concerned community.

Nationally -- We overspend with every new item that comes
along and never say "no" to the excesses. None of us like taxes
but our country has programs for the elderly and those of limited
income which deserve to be funded; on the other hand the proposed
tax breaks for the wealthy should not be extended, even though
these are people of immense power and influence.

Saying what needs to be done in our individual and collective
lives is part of the straightening of the paths called for at this
time. Our efforts must go beyond silence and denial. What we
learn from John the Baptist and from Jesus who comes to be baptized
is that the act of straightening out the crooked ways is a public
act, something seen by all; the act will meet with opposition and
yet both John and Jesus had the courage to face up to this immense
opposition at the cost of their own lives. We ask why in this
glowing season of peace, tranquility, and friendliness we would
bring up such pressing problems as individual restraint, regional
awakening to drugs, and a national recognition of responsible care
of resources. The answer is that we will not have true peace and
companionship without confronting our crooked ways and starting to
make them straight.

December 5, 2005 Superlatives for the States

Every state in these United States deserves a positive
superlative even though your listing might differ from mine:

Alabama... most folksy
Alaska ...unconquered
Arkansas ...relaxed
Arizona ...serene
California ...golden
Colorado ...majestic
Connecticut ...energetic
Delaware ...the first
Florida ...sunny, fun-filled
Georgia ...noted for foods
Hawaii ...sought for tourism
Idaho ...beautiful
Illinois ...productive
Indiana ...American
Iowa ... symmetrical
Kansas ...bountiful
Kentucky ...hospitable
Louisiana ...easy-going
Maine ...brisk, refreshing
Maryland ... with it
Massachusetts ...academic
Michigan ...delightful
Minnesota ...lake-filled
Mississippi ...generous
Missouri ...down-to-earth
Montana ...vast, expansive
Nebraska ...orderly
Nevada ...chancy, solitary
New Hampshire ...patriotic
New Jersey ...ethnically diverse
New Mexico ...enchanting
New York ...literary, cultural
North Carolina ...diverse
North Dakota ...rural
Ohio ...conventional
Oklahoma ...witty, native
Oregon ...ecological
Pennsylvania ...tidy, Amish
Rhode Island ...maritime
South Carolina ...independent
South Dakota ...surprising
Tennessee ...colorful
Texas ...inviting
Utah ...rugged
Vermont ...scenic
Virginia ...presidential
Washington ...athletic
West Virginia ...helpful
Wisconsin ...tasteful
Wyoming ...memorable

December 6, 2005 Split Pea Soup Week

Cooler weather is hot soup time, and so we prepare for more of
these soup varieties in the months ahead. Discussing the various
assigned special days or weeks during 2005 takes strange turns,
some serious and others light hearted. Actually there's profundity
in "split pea soup week," if we delve deep enough into the kettle.
The original concept of soup-making involved saving all the cooking
juices and leftovers and putting them together into one batch. A
creative cook can change the taste of soup in endless ways because
of the variety of basic ingredients and spices that can be mixed
in. However, pea soup could come out the same way week after week
and only vary by a few additional ingredients (certain meats,
onions, garlic, carrots, etc.). All in all, pea soup is pea soup.

Pea soup attracts a certain group of people, namely the ones
who like the same things over and over. They differ radically from
creative soup makers as classic music does from jazz. The pea
people like operas sung a certain way, Thanksgiving meals with
certain ingredients, the Sacred Liturgy performed exactly the same
way, vacations involving going to the same places and indulging in
the same entertainments. They are the ones who challenge the cook
as to whether this soup is different; a negative response may
trigger an indictment rather than a compliment; why foist your
creativity on me? Why not the same old pea soup?

I used to feel that same old pea soup attitude was an
effrontery to the creative cook with which I side. With time and
a little more tolerance I see from the host of recipes out there,
that many people crave some of the same on particular occasions.
Most people will develop their taste buds to fit a certain taste
and proceed to satisfy it with about two dozen menu items during
the year. McDonalds has made billions of hamburgers but did any
taste any different? America's conventional menus consist of
pizza, hamburgers, fries, chili and hot dogs. Two dozen items
(granting slight differences in candy, ice cream, and cereal
flavors and constituents) fill over half of America's menu. Why
not add a 25th and call it pea soup?

If these customary menus were totally nutritious, a small list
of items cooked in each country in much the same way would be
sufficient for the world's people. The foods may differ in Kenya
or Nepal, but a small listing has been normal throughout history.
However, some non-affluent folks have challenged the "pea Soup
mentality," and those include the burgoo people of Kentucky. Their
ingredients include any varmint that is edible and killed for the
occasion. That makes a change in taste every time and gives a
sense of creativity and adventure to the culinary pursuits of the
cook. I'll eat pea soup but hardly ever make it. Certainly it is
good and nutritious -- but what if I like creativity? Who wants
hot peppers or oatmeal or tomato sauce in their pea soup? Give
them what they want, and let them smile in knowing that you are a
good cook repeating the same old taste time and again; let the
jazz improvisors and variety soup makers await another week.

December 7, 2005 Fire Safety Day

We talked about fires during Fire Prevention Week in October
but here we talk more about our safety measures as individuals.
The fear of fire is perhaps more acute for those of us who just
suffered from a terrible drought and who live within a forested
area of rural America. We are more conscious of potential disaster
and the lack of early response to serious fires; we know we must
respond when such thing happen and do so quickly for the sake of
lives and property; we realize that we could easily start a fire
that could be most costly from tinder ready to explode in flame.

Earlier we spoke about clearing away combustibles, avoiding
random camp fires, controlling matches, using flashlights instead
of torches, putting protective screens at fireplaces, and
considering lightning rods. Here are some more individual steps:

Do not allow smoking -- This sounds drastic but my dad never
allowed anyone to smoke in his tobacco/hay barn. The fear of a lit
butt igniting much of the farm investment was overriding any sense
of liberality. Way too many fires are set by the careless smoker.
In part this is due to the cigarette paper with chemicals to make
it burn well -- and it's similar to a dynamite fuse.

Check the chimney -- All too often fires start during wood-
burning season because the periodic checking of flues and chimneys
were omitted. It is always a thing to do during more cautious time
of the "fire season."

Be especially careful in cooking -- So often paper towels are
used near hot places and can easily catch fire. Gas stoves are
especially dangerous, but mishaps can happen with electric ranges
as well.

Refrain from certain decorative lighting -- Quite often people
get the urge to go more authentic and light real candles on the
Christmas tree or wreath as in olden times. Don't. Few but maybe
some will try to put a ring of lit candles on a maiden on St.
Lucy's day next week. Don't. The same caution should apply to all
candle lighting in homes that may be forgotten as festivities move
to other rooms and the candles are left burning unattended.

Realize that electric sparks speak. Too often we tolerate
malfunctioning electrical gadgets and run the risk of fires,
overloads of a circuit, and dangers to the person plugging in a
defective piece of equipment.

Compost, don't burn. Some of us have leaves and brush around;
the free time seems perfect on the unseasonably warm late autumn
day to burn outdoors when enforcement officers are distracted or
local regulations are virtually non-existent. Think about setting
up a compost bin and reducing the organic matter to compost to
enrich the backyard soil.

December 8, 2005 Mary -- Mother of the Earth

He went in and said to her, "Rejoice, so highly favored!
The Lord is with you." (Luke 1:28)

We sometimes seem standoffish to the favors given to Mary --
truly the one human being blessed above others. We set her apart
on a pedestal. Many including the poor have been at home with Mary
and so should all of us. Truly, she is highly favored but she is
our model, and she goes ahead of us.

Past -- Mary is conceived immaculately and has God's full
favor from the beginning of time. She is a young lady of her
culture and in a special way contains the longing of the Chosen
People for the coming of the Messiah. And because she has a
special role to play, she has God's special favor, and she is set
apart from the beginning for the mission she would receive.

Present -- Her response to Eve's "no" to God's command to
abstain from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is a "let
it be done according to God's wish." She lives in her life with
the Lord the present grace-filled situation. She is troubled, and
thus committed to being a mother of sorrows, in which a sword would
pierce. She allows her son to follow his calling, leave home, open
his life of mission, and she stands at the cross at Calvary.

Future: a Constant "yes" -- Let what you have said be done to
me. Let it be, let it be. Mary is filled with trust and hope and
thus has a receptivity for all God's favor, a new Garden of Eden
with God's favor at the center. Mary reverses the downward spiral
which Adam and Eve initiated in the Genesis account (3: 9-15, 20)
by bearing the one who offers life to all. Because she is willing
to trust even though she does not fully understand, she is truly
the mother of all the living and of all people of hope. She is
filled with the Holy Spirit who remains with her at Pentecost and
to the end, when she is taken up into heaven ahead of us.

Our Application: Past -- Just as Mary is a person of her
culture awaiting the coming of the Lord and fully open to God's
favor, we look to our fulfillment, namely, our entry into the Body
of Christ and divine family through an immaculate conception into
the church -- our baptism. We find God's favor in our geological,
biological and cultural past -- we are who we are descended from,
and contain history within our being. However, we unlike Mary do
not remain sinless and need the graces of forgiveness.
Present -- Just as Mary makes haste to assist her cousin
Elizabeth because that is the natural thing to do for someone about
to deliver, so we discover spirituality of the present moment and
do it well. Just as she takes the long trip alone, we too must
take risks, trusting in God on our lonely journey of faith.
Future -- Just as Mary is totally open and transparent in her
radiant being, so we seek to open ourselves to our future that
includes a New Heaven and New Earth, with Mary's son and the full
court of heaven.

December 9, 2005 Kudzu: The Southern Menace

This one word "kudzu" strikes horror in the mind of many of
the southeastern people of the United States, and yet it does not
do so in Japan, a place of origin. Why the difference? In part it
has to do with kudzu being an exotic species that has been badly
mishandled in this country and it being a native species in Japan
with centuries of proper control through grazing and cultivation.
All will agree that kudzu has many good properties and that was in
part the reason for its introduction into this country. But
Japanese control techniques were foreign to the Americans.

Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) arrived from Japan in our Southland at
the New Orleans Exposition in 1884; it was seen as an exotic
ornamental with sweet smelling flowers and lush foliage. By the
turn of the 20th century a southern agricultural association
promoted it as a fodder for cattle. In 1927 a Georgia promoter
declared, "Cotton isn't king here anymore; kudzu is king." By 1934
the U.S Soil Conservation Service introduced it as a species for
use in eroded ravines and for reclaiming road and railroad cuts.
About that time academic research at the University of Georgia was
directed to find hormones to make kudzu grow faster. After the
Second World War the truth began to dawn: kudzu was an uncontrolled
menace, growing rapidly beyond intended areas, climbing over
buildings and large trees. This exotic species was an invasive.
By 1993 the cost of fighting kudzu was estimated at $50 million
annually. Reference: Kurt E. Kinbacher, "The Tangled Story of
Kudzu," in Auburn University's The Vulcan Historical Review,
Volume 4, Spring, 2000.

Granted the plant has benefits or it would have never been
introduced. Kudzu has a potential for bioremediation efforts to
regenerate the fertility of nutrient-depleted soils. As a legume
it has a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium and can achieve
nitrogen fixation in soils. Besides, it is a green manure, will
out-compete weeds, return nutrients and biomass to soil, and makes
a fine mulch and an animal fodder comparable nutritionally to
clover and alfalfa, rich in vitamins A, D, calcium and protein.
The uncontrolled nature of kudzu was only gradually recognized, for
the Japanese farming culture was far more adept at control measures
than were Americans. Thus the first of America's experiments with
revegetation of damaged sites became a miserable failure. As a
postscript, kudzu is now an invasive exotic choking out native
species in virtually all states in the Southeast. It covers over
7,000,000 acres of land or more than the surface area of the state
of Maryland.

Is there any way to heal the land. Some propose dramatic
eradication procedures using chemical herbicides. Newt Hardie of
Spartansburg, South Carolina does not accept the herbicide route;
he has developed a technique of using volunteers to spread sheets
of thick clear plastic as a defoliant and then attack the root
crowns with pruning saws and hand plows. Now their techniques are
taken quite seriously even by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

December 10, 2005 Further Reflections on Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a complex act and requires ever deeper
reflection. On "Human Rights Day" we need to overcome our biases
and firmly reestablish a lasting concern for all people throughout
the world. This takes a certain type of reflection. St. Ignatius'
three levels of humility may help. The first level involves the
bare forgiveness required so that we are forgiven by the Lord. A
deeper level of forgiveness is seeing that my own faults in some
way cause the wrongdoing now requiring forgiveness. The third and
deepest level is to become at-one with the other party.

However, cases arise where I can forgive because the action
has ceased or because I personally tolerate it, if still ongoing.
But can I speak for a third party who is being offended by the
wrongdoer? Reconciliation needs to occur, not between that person
and me so much as between that person and the third party who is
being offended. It involves the present progressive -- not between
that person and past third parties, but an offended party here and
now. If my forgiven party is in the act of hostility to another and
I know the situation, I must follow the manner in which Jesus says
-- to go to the party and seek change, or to others, or to the
church, but always acting in a gentle and forgiving manner.

Forgiveness is not forgetfulness; it does not overlook the
action being done and thereby implicitly, at least, condone the
wrongdoing occurring right now. It sincerely wants the wrongful
action to be halted.

Second, I must go beyond a mental attitude of desiring
personal reconciliation. If I say "I forgive you" to another and
make that former estranged person a friend, then we have bonds of
friendship to honor in our act of forgiveness. I must as forgiving
friend try to stop the wrongdoing to within my powers of
persuasion. If the person who is doing a wrongful action or
omitting doing a rightful action, is a relative, acquaintance or
collaborator, it becomes more obvious why I must say something. If
the person at this third level of forgiveness is one to whom I
identify through forgiveness, I must seek to persuade that person
to change his or her ways. I do not forgive them in that third and
deepest level of humility and disregard them as friend. For them
to continue to hurt my neighbor weakens our new-found friendship.

Third, this goes deeper than just establishing obligations
between new-found friends. The broader community that the two of
us share at some level is hurt because the bonds of reconciliation
is not being extended outward to others by my new friend who is
also the wrongdoer. Thus the sense of expanding community requires
that reconciliation extend outward from individuals to a broader
community. Our reconciliation is not complete, if I disregard my
obligation to ensure that barriers are removed, but that we both
continue to progress in reconciling acts. Thus at this deepest
level of forgiveness must include the reconciling of myself to all
people as part of the human family.

December 11, 2005 Announce a Year of Favor

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me. (Isaiah 61:1)

In this middle part of Advent we anticipate the joy of this
upcoming season on this Gaudete (rejoice) Sunday, for we know with
certainty that Jesus has already come; we now await his Second
Coming with eagerness. Paul encourages us to fill our thanksgiving
with the joy of the Christ who is with us. And Isaiah goes into
the specifics of who this Messiah is; he will heal the
brokenhearted and announce this year of favor from the Lord. This
gives us a deep sense of joy and gives us a hint as to how we are
to conduct ourselves in this world.

Our advent conduct is what we seek to present here. We need
to be ....

* always joyful for our salvation is at hand and we have
Christ present with us. Long-term sadness has no place in our
lives;
* never ceasing to pray for we have so much to be thankful for
in our world;
* striving to heal others for then we can imitate the Christ
who came here to heal the brokenhearted; and
* announcing favor from the Lord.

At the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all
physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for
the 100-yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly
in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win.
But one little boy stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple
of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry.
They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and
went back...everyone of them. One girl with Down's Syndrome bent
down and kissed him and said, "This will make it better." Then
all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line.

Everyone in the stadium stood, the cheering went on for
several minutes. People who were there are still telling the
story! Why? Because deep down we know that what matters in this
life is more than winning for ourselves. What matters in this life
is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing
our course. -- Email from Betty Henschen to Dick & Martha Lammers
and shared at Christmas, 2005.

What is amazing about this brief story is that it is an
example of people who run with joy, pray through their playful
activity, are acutely attentive to the needs of others, and who
announce what they do in a favorable manner through their public
action of walking arm-in-arm. This is an instance where those of
sincere hearts are able to teach the rest of us very much. We hope
that this small effort at bringing about Christmas joy is done
prayerfully, with a healing spirit for a wounded and overly
competitive world, and in an encouraging manner so that it becomes
contagious.

December 12, 2005 World Peace Celebration

Are we out of our minds? The world has its Iraq daily
killings and its many regional wars in Africa, and elsewhere and
yet we celebrate world peace. What is important is that we find
within the movements in our world today peacemaking elements and
give them recognition.

* We celebrate the fact that much of the world is actually at
peace even while enduring terrorists' exploits. We are happy that
the situation is not worse and are thankful for being spared the
terrible conditions now existing in Baghdad and elsewhere in the
Middle East.

* We celebrate the instrumentality of the United Nations and
its commitment to bringing about peace in this war-torn world.
What would it be like without such an international body? Some may
have other ways of seeing the United Nations, but we have got to be
thankful that it isn't the League of Nations.

We celebrate the fundamental commitment of most of the
countries of the world to bringing about peace and not to having
aggressive aims on other nations as in the days of Hitler and
company. There's still aggressive intentions on the part of a few,
and happily the full community of nations can serve as a deterrent
to such distorted polities.

We celebrate that here in the United States some sane voices
are calling our own aggressive and misplaced military policies into
question, and these voices appear to be growing stronger throughout
2005. This celebration includes the basic structure of a peace
movement that can flower in the coming year.

We celebrate our growing understanding of the need to
collaborate with other peacemakers, to confront our warlike
attitudes, to challenge the obscene military budgets of this and
other industrialized and developing nations, and the utter futility
of armed conflict. It has taken us millennia to get to this point,
so it is worth celebrating.

We celebrate the willingness of people to go on the line for
peace, and to do so under conditions of intimidation and danger.
Blessed are the peacemakers for they deserve all the support that
they can receive. The exude hope that the world can be a new and
more peaceful place, where earthhealing may occur undeterred by
threats of war and friction.

Finally we celebrate the coming of the Prince of Peace into a
world that is growing extremely tired of terrorist threats and
warlike behavior on the part of far too many. A truly peaceful
world is a miracle, but we can well afford to believe in miracles
of this sort.

December 13, 2005 Urban Sprawl

About once a week I have to drive through Madison County,
Kentucky on the way to Lexington. This county with Eastern Kentucky
University is one of the fastest growing in the state. Literally
hundreds of acres of former farmland is being scraped and bulldozed
into new home basements, commercial establishments, and suburban
roadways. For idyllic landscape lovers it is not a pretty site.
We recall pictures of or actual visits to European cities where we
remember the neat divisions made between what is urban and what is
rural. Much of Europe lacks the sprawl found here in Madison
county and elsewhere in America.

American urban sprawl is due in private automobiles and
relatively cheap fuel, the status of owning a lawn, the desire to
escape congestion, and the quest for open space and fresh air.
Deeper causes include the unfettered activity of real estate
developers and the lack of zoning and land use regulations.
Kentucky hurts for it loses over one hundred acres of farmland each
day. In proportion to its size, the fifteenth from the last in
area, this makes Kentucky heavily impacted from this undirected
sprawling of city into countryside.

In Mason county, Kentucky where I was born the countryside
near my homeplace is now overdeveloped with scattered housing --
and that in areas which were highly productive in agriculture in my
youth. I am comforted in also observing that some very poor
farmland is also covered with commercial establishments bordering
the recent limited access highway running through that familiar
countryside. Things are changing and we don't seem to be able to
do much about it. Or can we?

Sprawl not only pollutes the scenic view but consumes prime
farmland, only some of which can still be used as backyard gardens.
One map by the American Farmland Trust shows large patches of the
United States with prime farmland and heavy development. In fact,
returning to Kentucky, if the trend continues in the Bluegrass
region, the charming character of this heavily sought tourist
attraction will be lost along with its associated business.
Traditional farming ultimately loses in the development battle.
Leapfrogging and creating idle land by developers isolates
traditional rural communities, cause rises in land prices, results
in more trespassing of land and crop damage, and is accompanied by
urban pressures against farm practices such as manure spreading.

Sprawl can be checked through proper types of zoning and land
use regulations, which can gain favor as growing urban populations
see the need to retain open undeveloped space. Proper planning has
been successful in widening highways without destroying the
character of the landscape to a major degree -- but it takes
community effort to achieve modest results. Furthermore the higher
price of gasoline, along with a desire to rid oneself of the hassle
of commuting, has made a return to central city urban living an
attractive alternative in more and more areas of our country.

December 14, 2005 Winter Birds and Halcyon Days

The "halcyon" according to tradition is a legendary bird,
identified with a kingfisher, which is supposed to have a peaceful
calming influence on the sea at the time of the winter solstice.
This bird of peace reminds us landlubbers that we have non-
migratory birds willing to endure our winters and still have a
similar calming effect on the landed folks all about. This is the
time we note the absence of many of the migratory species that have
proved such colorful and happy companions during the warmer months.
What we have left are the hearty ones that are willing to keep us
contented and reduce our cabin fever in the coming months.

Know the birds? One can ask me and other do we know which
birds remain in winter. I can name a few (jays, crows, hawks,
cardinals, wrens, owls, some geese, etc.) but will miss many. By
knowing more about the winter birds we can appreciate their
presence even in seasons when they do not sing to a noticeable
degree. They are here and they delight us, if we only look out and
notice them.

Count the birds? This is a time when the Audubon Society
folks count the birds in order to ascertain their frequency in
number and locations. There's a special methodology used by their
experienced bird counters. However, if you are a compulsive
counter and birdwatcher, there's nothing wrong with undertaking
your own count. I like to count hawks while speeding down the
major roadways, but it can be dangerously distracting.

Feed and water the birds? Some naturalists would argue that
winter bird do just fine on their own even though the pickings are
far more sparse than in summer. That may be so, but let's also
consider the stress we have placed on the bird population and their
sanctuaries in the past few decades. Maybe the assaults on the
environment require a certain flexibility on our part; we need to
feed birds simply to keep them healthy through the winter months.
At times of major storms we realize that some species do suffer
enough that there are losses in bird life.

Illustrate the birds? Now we are moving to more difficult
areas of winter birding. If skills allow, attempt such a practice,
for others will appreciate your efforts, even if the birds seem to
be rather indifferent.

Pray for the birds? I often find myself saying a small prayer
that God protects our winter wildlife. Life is hard on us all and
even on the overly stressed birds and mammals who reside here in
December. In some ways these need protection as much as suffering
humanity. By praying for them we show compassion and thus are more
willing to accept the task of establishing peace with all creation.
Then we ourselves are becalmed, made secure, and filled with an
increasing compassion for all of God's creation. We are growing in
the art and skill of being Earth-healers.

December 15, 2005 Basic Human Rights

On the day we celebrate the Bill of Rights, the first ten
amendments of our United States Constitution we recall that we
should never take our rights for granted. We are called to
vigilantly protect the enunciated rights put forth by the
Constitution's framers. With time we perceive that this listing
extends to new areas, but so does our responsibilities. Beyond the
following what has been left out?

Rights related to the sacredness of the human person:

* to life

* to free speech

* to redress crimes and offenses

* to freedom of religion and manner of worship

* to vote and to help determine government

Rights related to basic necessities:

* To food and clean water

* To clothing for warmth and decent appearance

* To shelter for security and protection from the elements

* To fuel for cooking and warmth

Rights related to the quality of life:

* To work and to have meaningful employment

* To literacy and freedom to speak one's native language

* To human health and health protection

* To clean air and water

* To travel freely from place to place

Rights related to the community

* To proper police protection and to bear arms

* To jury by peers

* To freedom of the press

* To a clean environment.

December 16, 2005 Bad Reclamation Practice

Having just treated the practice of urban sprawl (December
13), we ought to look at improper practices used to reclaim
disturbed landscape from strip mining, road construction, and other
such operations? In the past, a cut-over forest would include many
saplings and understory growth, which could spring back rather
rapidly following the axe-wielding loggers and oxen. As the
disturbance process continued with greater intensity into the 19th
and 20th centuries using heavier machinery and reaching wider
areas, disturbances became more pronounced and resulted in flooding
and erosion. The ability of native vegetation to return was
stifled.

Federal reclamation regulations were introduced in the 20th
century to address some of these bad practices. The original
damage to the landscape was done with disregard to ecological
principles; early reclamation efforts also were flawed from an
ecological perspective, namely resulting from an inability to
control the growth and spread of introduced or exotic species which
tended to become invasive. The choice of kudzu (see December 9)
and other exotic species to give a cover of sorts and return some
nutrients to the soil is now known as a major reclamation mistake.
And that is recognized by most experts, residents, and visitors.

The multiflora rose, a native of Asia, was brought to the
United States originally in the 1800s for use as rootstock for
grafted ornamental roses. Through the 1930s into the 1950s it was
promoted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a "living fence"
for windbreaks erosion control. Birds enjoy the rose hips and thus
spread the plant to a wide array of climatic and soil conditions.
This seemingly harmless rose is quite capable of choking out native
plant life. Persistent mowing can rid lands of the pest. Likewise
the invasive tree of heaven is found now throughout central
Appalachia in sunny, disturbed areas and wastelands. Japanese
honeysuckle was propagated in America for landscaping and erosion
control. It is widely known for its aromatic fragrance and is as
bothersome as its bushy cousin coral honeysuckle.

Autumn olive and Russian olive have been planted throughout
Appalachia, especially on strip-mine reclamation sites. These
shrubs, which can reach twenty feet in height, have been set out to
control erosion, return nitrogen to the soil, and provide food for
wildlife. Birds enjoy the abundant small red drupes that mature in
early autumn; they scatter seeds widely contributing to making
these species worrisome invasives that compete for open well-
drained land. These two tree species luckily are not shade
tolerant and will not spread in already heavy forest cover.
However, the rugged autumn and Russian olive must be cut and
cleared by repeated mowing and grubbing out all of the root parts
from the area. There's work to be done! Furthermore, there's
lessons to be learned if it is not too late.

December 17, 2005 Wright Brothers Day

Human beings have been flying for about one century and seem
to take it so much for granted that we'd think the practice is as
old as civilization. Of course, some did use balloons for a
century or so before the flying machine; they made contraptions
with some lift off giving the semblance of flying for short periods
of time. But with the Wright Brothers the world took on flying in
a more serious way.

For better or worse, we are flying people. Think about a
mercy flight that brings critically needed food or medicine to
people suffering from a natural or human disaster. And then
counterpose that with the horror of a screaming fighter plane
strafing innocent refugees in the Second World War. Think of the
Berlin Air Lift or the bomber carrying the atomic bomb over
Nagasaki or Hiroshima, or the terrorist commandeering a passenger
plane with many innocent people aboard into the Twin Towers. Think
about the crop duster killing mosquitoes or the one adding
chemicals to the food crops and harming farm workers. Planes have
a mixed history -- and so does flying them.

Advantages: We know how much easier it is to fly across the
country than to drive. At less crowded times and barring any
delays or cancellations, we can find the flying experience quite
refreshing. Looking out the window as the landscape below flows
past is a way of disconnecting with the concerns of everyday life.
And when we arrive and step off the plane we always give a moment
of thanks that we had no mishap. So much for the rapid
transportation mode along with the marvelous work of helicopters
which can pluck stranded people off of rooftops in times of floods
or rush them to hospitals from remote places. Air travel certainly
has advantages. As with everything, there's always another side.

Disadvantages: Airport waits can be trying and searches
prying; it takes more time to get to the place, park, pass
inspection, wait, board, fly, disembark, and take the local trip to
the destination than to drive less than 500 miles -- at least that
is my experience living about 60 miles from an airport. Airplanes
are noisy and seating arrangements somewhat cramped; those in the
next seat use cell phones; passenger lines are slow and tempers
flare; airports take up immense amounts of land; parking is trying
and sometimes we forget where the car is located. Air travel is a
public form of transportation that could save energy but also an
immense consumer of high octane fuel at surprising amounts per
passenger. The plane can carry a person to get health care and it
can carry a sick person and help spread a plague.

A second thought. Amid all the misuse and disadvantages, it
is still good that we have planes to connect us with those on the
other side of the world. The Wright Brothers ushered in a
technology that went far beyond their wildest dreams. It is our
duty to ensure that this rapid mode of transportation is used well
and adds to the healing of the Earth.

December 18, 2005 The House of David

Today is the last Sunday of Advent. We have moved through
this season from seeing Jesus at the end of his public life telling
us to always be watchful (Mark 13: 33-37), to the beginning of that
ministry, when he is pointed out by John the Baptist (Mark 1:1-8),
and that he will baptize with the Holy Spirit (John 1: 6-8, 19-28).
Now we move further back to before Christ's birth (Luke 1:26-38)
and approach the time of his full coming into the world. We are
preparing for the coming of the Lord and see the total sweep of
history leading up to the Word definitely becoming flesh in our
midst at Christmas. In doing this we hear the Angel Gabriel tell
Mary that the Lord God will give this one to be born of her the
throne of David his father.

Jesus is from the House of David and it is wise to look back
now and saw a word about David, the shepherd boy, the slayer of
Goliath, the harpist entertaining the distraught King Saul, the
anointed King at middle age, the uniter of Israel, the establisher
of the seat of power in Jerusalem, the psalmist, the prophet, the
aging king, and ultimately the saint. And we know more about David
from the historic books of the Old Testament. He was destined to
start the House of David with the assurance that "your house and
your kingdom will endure forever." The "house" was more than the
temple that was to be built by his son Solomon; David was destined
to be the ancestor of the Messiah, Christ the King.

All families have the bright and dark sides, and David's was
no exception. The Holy Book pulls no punches and offers no
excuses. David, the innocent youth, moved through life and sinned
serious by taking Uriah's wife to himself and then had Uriah placed
on the front lines and killed in battle. When confronted by the
prophet Nathan as to the one who stole the little lamb from the
poor person, he was deeply disturbed and wanted to bring justice to
bear. The words by the prophet, "You are the one," struck him so
very deeply that he repented his terrible deed and in his sincere
repentance again found favor with God -- for God is always
forgiving. Even more so, Solomon, the son of that sinful event,
was to be the heir of the kingdom and be destined to build the
temple of the Lord.

The human house with a divine destiny again became strong
after manifesting its own weaknesses. That tells us again what we
as Church are always called to do, namely, to acknowledge misdeeds
and to seek sincere repentance so that the merciful God will show
the favor all the more. David confessed; so should we as we
prepare for the coming of the Messiah in our own lives. In some
divine way, we are invited as adopted sons and daughters into the
House of David. We are favored by this special invitation through
our baptism; we are God's people; we need to learn from our past
mistakes and experiences and show true repentance. Then the
Christmas spirit will fill our hearts and the mystery of Word
becoming flesh will fill our spiritual life and inspire us to act
in a truly Christian manner.

December 19, 2005 Walk to Work

This month the Japanese automaker, Mazda Motor Corporation,
has encouraged its 20,000 employees to walk to work in order to
improve workers' health and to cut back on air pollution. Those
who perform this practice on a regular basis (at least 15 days a
month) will receive the equivalent of $12 per month. The worker
must walk more than four kilometers (2.48 miles) on a round trip
and can even leave a bus or train early and walk the rest of the
way on foot if it amounts to that limit. Mazda is not alone; a
year ago Yamaha, the motorcycle maker started a similar eco-walk
program.

Why not spread this practice to our own country which suffers
from morning and evening commuter congestion, poor health, and all
too much air pollution? Walking to work does require walkways that
are safe for people to traverse -- and that is sometimes a
difficult problem near factories and certain workplaces. But maybe
that becomes the opportunities for the community business and
worker groups to press for better walkways.

I had a very wonderful experience when working at Good
Shepherd in Frankfort for nine months in 2003-04, but only one
thing really bugged me: parents brought schoolchildren to school
and then waited in a line for precious minutes as each car moved up
to the entrance of the school and discharged their youth. Couldn't
these kids have walked the last block and even got some needed
exercise? Sometimes the line was so long that car would hold
students after the starting time for class -- which schedule could
have been met by a simple hike from a block away. Others tell me
that this occurs at many schools. Is it overprotection, overcare,
or just following the lead of others? It's a far cry from when
we'd decide to walk home from school for several miles rather than
take the bus.

Walking has several advantages of which we sometimes forget
besides expending less fuel and curbing some air pollution:

* Walking allows us the time to look out and see the
countryside and get a feeling for the environment in which we walk;
that gives a different perspective from an auto ride.

* Walking allows us more time to pray and reflect on what will
occur that day or the following weekend; driving requires
concentration, a note to emphasize to auto cell phone users.

* Walking becomes an example for others to follow; many
passing drivers will say to themselves "I really should be doing
the same thing for my health and well being." This may convince
them to try.

* Finally, walking is a public act of commitment to saving the
limited resources of the Earth through a form of ecological action.

December 20, 2005 Sacajawea Day: The Unappreciated

I have always regarded Sacajawea, the Native American woman
who accompanied the Lewis and Clark expedition in the early 19th
century, as one of America's most unappreciated persons. She
carried and bore her child and nursed the infant while traveling in
some of the most harsh of conditions; she connected with other
Native Americans in the vast lands which were traversed; and she
became the valuable intermediary and guide for the expedition.
Without her it simply could not have proceeded successfully. And
yet she was simply let go at the end of the expedition with little
fanfare and virtually no compensation for the work performed. Yes,
we now have a dollar coin that bears her image, but it is a little
late, isn't it?

As this Christmas season approaches it would be fitting for us
to probe our memories, experiences and records for the
unappreciated persons in our lives and within the local community.
Many people do valuable services of which they receive little or no
compensation; they are taken for granted and sort of overlooked
for those who boldly step out in front and take the credit. They
certainly should not be simply dismissed with little else. They do
not come to mind quickly, because we all practice this act of
overlooking others. It's hard to nudge another to name such people
because by definition they are the unappreciated. They would leave
that category quite rapidly, if everyone knows and recognizes that
particular person.

What we need is a sensitivity for others; we must spend some
time and inquiry to find these people. They may persons who do
notable little things like pick up the litter, take care of a
helpless person, or run errands for the infirm. They are out there
and the challenge is to find them and recognize them. Are we able
to locate and identify the unappreciated? It may not be that each
individual is able to respond adequately to the unappreciated
person. Better, it may be that others who have higher authority
should be made aware of them, and some steps taken to recognize
their hidden talents and services. This sensitivity to needs of
others is part of the deeper challenge for, once recognizing the
person, the process of recognition could proceed quite smoothly.
We are the catalysts but we need also to do what the Good Samaritan
did, and that is see through to completion the task at hand. We
cannot just turn the matter over to others and forget about it.

The likelihood is the unappreciated will continue to be so
until they become infirm or near death. That happens in so many
cases (see December 1). We are people who translate history into
the feats of the mighty and forget that it is made by the forgotten
who give history its true meaning. Looked at in a deeper sense,
the unappreciated make history -- but they are not forgotten.
Ultimately, the Lord knows, and what we celebrate this weekend is
that the Lord cares and appreciates what they do. This is our
hope-filled message to them, namely, there is someone who cares.
And he is coming soon.

December 21, 2005 The Winter Solstice: Darkness and Light

The winter solstice refers to the point on the celestial
sphere where the sun is farthest south of the celestial equator.
Furthermore, it is the day of the year with the shortest period of
sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere. Of all the days, it is the
time when those of us who do not like to drive at night make
special plans to travel in that shortened window of daylight.

Actually the world needs a certain amount of darkness for some
chemical activity, decomposition, nocturnal activity, and rest.
See Darkness Comes (November 17, 2004). Darkness is not something
to be fearful about, since we know that it is here about fifteen
hours where I live, but it will start going away. Yes, we have the
rest of winter ahead of us -- but at least from now on each day
will get a little longer. Winter in a rather overlooked way is the
season of root growth and the stirring of new life.

We know that the best way to dispel the darkness is through
light, whether the light of the sun and heavenly bodies or through
fire and artificial lighting. Decorative candles are encouraged
provided they are placed away from combustible materials and
attended to during a given festive period. Throughout the winter
and early spring we return to festivities of light -- Christmas,
Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Candlemas, and Holy Saturday to name but a few.
These are occasions when we feel empowered to light a single candle
rather than curse the darkness. We appreciate the power of light
and the ability to dispel darkness; and many of us define our goal
in terms of a person, the Light of the World.

In passing from this world the Appalachian people speak of
"going to the light" and there is something profoundly spiritual in
this expression. We are more like moths than we think; we are
drawn to the light in our total physical/spiritual being. All of
us need light in order to remain healthy. During this darkened
season some people tend to lose their energy and actually need
still more full-spectrum sunlight in order to allow the needed
enzymes (and Vitamin D as well) to flourish. Their physicians even
advise them to obtain and use a full-spectrum lamp for upwards of
an hour or more a day.

Darkness is often equated with ignorance, and thus to be
enlightened is to see clearly a new bit of knowledge. Through
enlightenment we receive an "insight" and thus can see into some
problem and have an interior clear pathway to solving it. So light
to see and learn dispels darkness. And so many regard the long
winter as a time for study and reflection, for personal and
community enlightenment, a time before productivity of interior
growth and development. The winter Solstice need not be a period
of dread or foreboding. It becomes a time of opportunity, a time
when we reaffirm our faith that the days will get longer, that we
can endure the darkness, and that there is the Light of the World
at the end of the tunnel. Spring will spring anew and this winter
season is the introduction to it.

December 22, 2005 Do Something Special at Christmas

This is a special time of the year and each of us may find
something that will make this a memorable period; hopefully, this
may have a certain sacred character to the activity. Here are some
suggestions that you may find helpful in your own creative ways:

* Plan to have foreigners or newcomers to a dinner during the
holidays, especially for those who do not understand our Christmas
festivities.

* Visit a local shrine and pray for the success of something
that will occur in 2006; the special place gives more attention to
the prayerful moment.

* Treat your pets or nearby wildlife to something special to
express the expanded community of all beings.

* Give a special visit to those in hospitals, prisons, or
senior citizen places during this holiday. Take along a treat for
them. This is my most memorable special activity and Christmas
week happens to be my volunteer chaplain's week at the local
hospital.

* Try your hand and voice at caroling. In many respects this
is one of the best ways to get into the Christmas spirit and help
others do the same.

* Volunteer to take someone to Christmas Liturgy or other
religious events and celebrations. Going yourself is one thing;
taking one who generally cannot or will not go is another.

* Be kind to yourself and refrain from extra travel; just
sleep in a little more this weekend.

* Make a change of menu and eating habits. Today is the day
to cook or treat others to a special type of meal that you have not
experienced during the whole of 2005. Is it to be Thai or Armenian
or Alsatian or something else?

* Take in a special performance of a musical, dramatic or
visual event.

* Read a serious essay on protecting and revitalizing our
wounded Earth -- and resolve in 2006 to help do something about it.

* Recycle one of last year's gift for another; it may be your
favorite gadget or ornamental object, and that gives the gift
special meaning.

* Look over the mailing list and make a personal call to
someone you have not talked to this year. It is a good opportunity
to connect again and make it a special Christmas treat.

December 23, 2005 Panic Buying

It is not possible to say "don't panic," when one has many
additional things to get for relatives and friends on this last and
most important shopping day before Christmas. Panic cannot be
relieved by encouraging the writing of a poem or a witty essay --
that time has long passed. Nor can one bake cookies, make candy,
construct a fancy birdhouse, or do a million other things dreamed
about in the weeks before Christmas. That construction time is
gone and the panic-pone needs a more practical suggestion. The
2005 Simple Lifestyle Calendar (a good gift idea) offers just such
a suggestion -- "Shop second hand."

That's right, at this last moment of pre-Christmas shopping,
we suggest that if you must gravitate to a store for a real piece
of commerce to call "gift" then at least get it second hand. Here
are some good reasons for doing this today:

* The places are not as crowded as are the Walmarts and the
other markets of tacky new things fresh from China;

* It is a better chance that the second hand items are made
in America;

* The chances are that the quality is as good if not better
than most expensive first hand items;

* Without a pushing crowd there may be extra precious moments
to decide exactly how this or that gift fits the needs and
temperament of the recipient;

* It is ecologically more responsible not to drain more
resources in the creation of another gadget, but allows for the
recycling of older unused ones;

* It feels good not to give extra profits to billionaires but
rather it keeps a modest-income shopkeeper alive and well;

* It allows one to shop without getting shoppers' guilt,
something that can destroy the spiritual nature of Christmas;

* It strengthens the resolve to create a witty holiday
greeting to accompany the second hand item;

* It relieves the stress of getting an expensive item home
and wrapped without breaking it;

* And its inexpensive and still not cheap, but includes the
content of love so needed in this season. If it appears cheap,
brighten it will a nice introduction to the gift card showing
special love and care.

Good luck!

December 24, 2005 Professing Our Faith through Deed

At this time of Christmas our community profession of faith
takes on special significance. We know that today the Word becomes
flesh and enters in a special way into human history. He is now
one with us and his word begins to unfold as deed. We can find
that faith as the long history of our ancestors who worshipped with
intense devotion at this holy season and carried on through the
deed of bringing us forth into the world. Let us each do the same
for this vigil of Christmas Day.

A fuller understanding of the mysteries of our Faith involves
transforming inspired word into meaningful deed. In turn, by
reflecting on accomplished deed we are better able to heal Earth
and its people.

December 25, 2005 The Word Becomes Flesh and Dwells Among Us

We celebrate the coming of the Prince of Peace, an infant who
comes among us and is received in the simplicity and openness of
new family life. This is the eternal word now made flesh, an
incarnate act, a person who we see and find in our midst. We gaze
at the stable and find him comfortably among his mother Mary,
Joseph and the cattle and sheep. And we know that he will be
scooped up and taken into exile in a very short time. The peaceful
scene is transitory.

At this time of year we reflect on the guns of war in far-off
Iraq. Those of us who did not like this seemingly endless conflict
from the start cannot remain silent this Christmas. This struggle
must be resolved and done so soon. It may require a rather hurried
pull back or a drastic limitation on paying the extra military
costs. Something must be done and done soon for it is sapping the
spirit of our nation. This Christmas and the manger scene should
move us to action if we truly believe in peace on Earth.

December 26, 2005 Stephen's Ordeal

Who was ever more outspoken in all of Scripture
    than you, Deacon Stephen?
Who dared so many, so much, all for one man?
Who braved such hostility from upraised stones?

Who turned from hate-filled eyes to look to heaven?
Who was the first to see the coming of the Son?
   Who felt the first blow,
              and the second of all those
              who were to be witnesses after you?

Who struggled with his last bloody breath
     and found in it pure light?

December 27, 2005 Insulated Window Shades

In preparation for still colder weather we search for ways of
keeping out the cold air and preserving the high-priced heated
interior air. One conservation measure that combines good
ecological practice with craft and art is the insulated window
shade. This device comes in a variety of designs and can be
effective, economical, and attractive both for solving winter's
cold and summer's heat problems. Around one-quarter of the winter
domestic heat or summer cool air loss may occur through uninsulated
windows through four different ways: infiltration in gaps in the
window, conduction, convection, or radiation.

Infiltration can be blocked by caulking, weatherstripping,
storm windows, or a layer of plastic over the window. However, the
window shades can also do a very effective job in stopping energy
loss. Conduction is averted by the forming of a blockade of
insulation and then trapping the air; convection is blocked by the
sealing of the edges so that air currents cannot develop; radiation
is reversed with the inclusion of a reflective surface which
bounces the heat molecules back into the room much in the same way
that aluminum foil reflects heat. To make an effective insulating
shade one needs one or more layers of insulating (air-trapping)
fabric (e.g., batting), including a reflective surface (e.g.,
Astrolon), a vapor barrier (e.g., plastic), and some way of sealing
the shade on all sides.

These shades are more effective if carefully constructed using
good insulating materials and fitting tight to the frame of the
window. This tight fitting may be performed either by the use of
velcro on the edges of the shade and frame or by a wood frame
shutter that closes after the shade is lowered. A roller and a
Roman shade can be modified into a quilted roller shade made with
layers of insulating materials and covered on the inside with a
quilted mat with Appalachian quilt designs. For effective results
in winter, the shade is raised in daytime to allow maximum solar
gain and sealed or pulled down in the evening for maximum
insulation. In summer, the shade can be lowered in daytime to
serve as a sun block or kept lowered in order to conserve cooled
air within the room.

ASPI has some good examples of the insulated window shades
both in the Solar House and in the Mary E. Fritsch Nature Center.
One set is fastened with wooden shutters and the other has Velcro
strips to hold the shade tight to the window frame. ASPI also
sells a publication (Quilted Insulated Shades, Technical Paper-21)
for making an Appalachian-style window shade. Obtain more
information by going to the Internet website <www.a-spi.org>.

Footnote: Making these window shades is one way that older or
other less mobile people with sewing skills can be effective energy
conservationists. The product of their hands will be deeply
appreciated and quite a work of art as well as a practical addition
to the home.

December 28, 2005 Teach Them to Pray

Today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents, those who gave their
lives at the time the Holy Family fled from the Holy Land into
Egypt and Herod had all newborn baby boys killed in the environs of
Bethlehem. No other similar feast exists in the year and it comes
so close to the feast of Christmas. We find this feast sort of a
mystery in its own way; these first witnesses to Christ through
their shedding of blood deserve our attentive prayer.

Many people in our busy secular world take no time to pray and
find the question "Do you pray in private?" somewhat embarrassing.
They will admit the need for prayers and even ask others to pray
for them. They recognize the need for assistance from the Almighty
and yet they consider themselves having more pressing things to do
then to beg in prayer. Everyday private prayers is somewhat
foreign until these people are caught in a difficult situation of
finding out about an unexpected illness or danger or test.

If parents are part of this group of the infrequent "prayers,"
then what about their children? Are they being taught their
morning and evening prayers -- the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the
Sign of the Cross, the Grace before Meals? While these are common
prayers with set formulas, they become personal and familial
through use over a period of time. It is expected that adults and
youth, who spend time praying together, stay together. Do youth
see parents get down on their knees or just sitting quietly and
pray at the start or finish of the day. The teaching of a formula
or practice is one thing; seeing another pray may prove a more
powerful way of teaching another the need for prayer.

It does not take an astute observer to note in a public
function that some youth know how to say routine prayers and some
find it a strange practice. Even the pressure of embarrassment
might bring reluctant parents to perform their duty called forth in
the matrimony vows -- to bring up their children in the practice of
their Faith. Praying is a great part of this bringing up in faith.

The teaching act has added advantages for the parent. The
time spent is time in prayer itself, for to teach another is to
enter into a special relationship with the Lord and the Community
of Saints. A young person's prayer is often very sincere and that
quality even impresses the parent to a marked degree. Furthermore,
the parent knows full well that a habit of prayer on the part of
the young person will be most needed in the years ahead. All of us
need God's help; all of us must grow in a sense of prayerfulness.
Times prior to public functions seem to be given less and less to
even a brief prayer. A few can be seen praying in fast food
restaurants or using prayer rugs at a rest stop. A crowd will give
a moment to a non-sectarian prayer at a graduation or to a moment
of silence in commemoration of victims of some tragic event. Youth
are asked to participate. But we all teach best by praying
together. Shouldn't we help usher in more prayer and take on an
expanded role with parents as teachers of prayer?

December 29, 2005 Count Your Blessings

If we were to compare a Christmas today with what one would
have experienced a few centuries ago, we would see how many more
blessings we have now than were present then. As the year draws to
a close spend a little time recounting how we live in a land of
plenty and have things of which our ancestors never dreamed.
Add to the following list your own contributions:

* A lively faith that the Lord has come and will come again to
establish a New Heaven and a New Earth, and that through our
Baptism we are called to participate in this event;

* Comfortable transportation to take us easily to distant
places in all but the worse weather;

* Instant communication allowing us to speak on the phone to
distant relatives and friends and to send them extended messages
via e-mail and the Internet;

* Plentiful food supplies which can be stored in refrigerated
and other storage places and are free of contamination;

* Access to good drinking water without fear of disease-
bearing maladies;

* Warm buildings that protect us from the harsh elements and
can be heated without an enormous expenditure of time and effort;

* Adequate educational system for learning the basics of
language and living in a complex demanding world;

* Basic security that is not perfect but does permit most of
us to rest securely at night and without fear of major disruptions
in our normal lives;

* Health to the degree that the Lord has allowed for us at
this time in life, and, even when it is not perfect, the sure
knowledge of future wellness that we have in store for us;

Caregivers and willing volunteers ready to serve when the need
arises;

* Friends and relatives who we can call upon for help and
support;

* The ability to use our own bodily functions (seeing,
hearing, thinking, etc.) to some degree;

* And a variety of forms of wholesome entertainment that can
keep us contented during this holiday season.

December 30, 2005 United Farm Workers of America

For each of the twelve months of 2005 we have featured a
special group. This month we will look at the United Farm Workers
of America, AFL-CIO, the organization that Cesar Chavez helped
establish.

The recent mass mailing tells the chilling story of a group of
women working in a vineyard pruning vines at Alvin, California on
May 12, 2005. The workers started smelling something awful and
they tried to cover their mouths and not breathe. They were being
gassed by pesticides being applied to a field just across the road.
Fabiola Gonzalez tells the story:

I began to have pain in my abdomen and a very painful
headache. I also felt nauseous and was close to vomiting... My
aunt Magdalena Arellano decided to call for an ambulance. While we
waited for the ambulance, I started feeling worse, cold chills and
more pain.

Eventually, all of the women were taken to local hospitals,
four of them after having suffered convulsion. Nearly a month
after the terrible morning Faviola was still suffering.

I still get headaches from the incident. The bills from the
hospital are coming to my house, but I don't have the money to pay
them. The union (UFW) is helping with representatives to take care
of this situation. I am worried about what happens in the future.
I am worried about cancer and other long-term effects. I am
especially worried about one potential side effect being its
importance to a woman's reproductive system; this chemical that
contaminated us has this effect on women.

A footnote: The company that sprayed the field had extensive
experience in crop dusting and pesticide application; and it was
known to also have a long history of pesticide violations. In
fact, the San Joaquin Helicopters had been fined $60,000 in 1996
and suspended the licenses of two of the employees for spraying
pesticides on 1,100 vineyard workers. Since 1989, the company has
been fined eight times for pesticide violations. The UFW mailing
says that other violations drew no fines.

The UFW is truly earth-healing in thrust for it seeks to ban
the worst pesticides completely and forever; they want to reduce
use of all pesticides through promotion of organic farming and
integrated pest management techniques. They also call for tighter
regulations on pesticide application, and better enforcement of
existing regulations.

Visit the main website <www.ufw.org> or <www.ufwstore.com> to
assist the Farm Workers organization.

December 31, 2005 A Healthy Looking Back

As much time should be given in looking back at the end of the
year as to looking ahead and making plans for the coming year. In
fact, a discerning looking back is as important in our spiritual
life as the notion that by planning we are in total command of the
coming year. Truly, spiritual writers tell us that the best way to
prepare for the future is by acknowledging our mistakes. It's best
to insert "healthy before the title "looking back" because constant
overconcern about our past can actually harm our mental health. We
believers are convinced that God forgives and thus we see our past
as a forgiven past, filled with the mercy of an all loving God.

Personal: Recount or note in the daybook what were the plans
of the beginning of 2005 and how well the resolutions and other
expectations were met. This can include a listing of achievements,
a notation on why certain hopes did not materialize, what more was
achieved than had been expected, and how well we coped with the
illnesses, deaths, and other unexpected events in our lives.

Family/Community: Think about the tragedies that struck
people in the area in which we live, the way in which we received
the information, the possible stress and depression that resulted,
and the manner in which we interacted with others who were hurt.
Did we offer them assistance when needed? How well did the
patience survive such trying times.

National/global: This has been the year of Katrina and Rita,
the aftermath of the Tsunami and the Earthquake on the Indian sub-
continent, the floods and tornados and blizzards which affect so
many people. We have heard of many terrorists attacks in Iraq,
London, and other parts of the world. What level of news gathering
do I find myself? Am I able to cope with disasters, to extend a
hand through charity and good will?

In one way of looking at things we can seek a distraction and
say we have been suffering from compassion fatigue or information
overload. But rather, are we moving on a daily basis to a deeper
spirituality that can handle such unforeseen mishaps and to do so
with equanimity and forbearance? With the rapid communications now
as an integral part of our world, we seek to acquire an ability to
take it all in and not let it hamper our own efforts.

Some can handle the personal, local, national, and global
concerns of the immediate past better than others, but we can all
seek to improve our practices. One good way to do so is to start
2006 by doing reflecting each day, each week and each month on the
immediate past and how well we handled the unforeseen events that
came our way. This becomes part of a personal examination that is
practiced by many spiritually directed people in life. At the end
of each short examination, we should thank God for allowing us the
graces to cope, the clarity to see, and the stamina to endure
whatever comes our way. Let's allow the ending of the old to be
the doormat to the new year 2006.

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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Nicene Creed	Inspired Deeds
1. We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth...	Expressing profound reverence in all we do; refraining from wasting any of the Earth's resource, for all created things are good.
2. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only son of God eternally begotten...	Becoming other Christs by openly spreading the word and working in harmony with our neighbors through direct service.
3. by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary and became man...	Converting military programs into peace making and peace-keeping operations for the betterment of all peoples.
4. he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried.	Compassionate service involving care for threatened and endangered plants, animals, human communities, families, and cultures.
5. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures	Proclaiming all to be Easter people in a life renewed by forgiving others and giving new life to all, especially prisoners and the sick.
6. he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.	Encouraging realistic dreams and right radical sharing of the Earth's resources so that all may have adequate food, water, clothing, housing, education, recreation, and basic health benefits.
7. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his Kingdom will have no end.	Preparing for the return of glory by enhancing the infrastructure of our transportation and communications systems in order to respond better to immediate needs and natural disasters.
8. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life who proceeds from the Father and the Son.	Enthusiastically conducting educational & demonstration projects, especially targeting youth and their teachers.
9. He has spoken through the prophets.	Speaking out publicly for peace, justice, and the environment:
9. We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.	Ecumenical/interfaith activities, Public spiritual exercises, Global outreach programs, Historical perspective in talks and educational activities.
10. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.	Dispensing meaningful sacramentals, blessing land, animals and plants.
11. We look for the resurrection of the dead	Promoting appropriate technologies that have been proven successful in the past and joined to current ways to enhance life and prepare for the second coming.
12. and the life of the world to come.	Championing a New Heaven and New Earth filled with justice and love.
Amen.	We all say Amen together.