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

October 1, 2005 National Solar Home Tours

Our highlighted organizations for the month of October are the
local and regional participants in the National Solar Home Tours
which are occurring today or on subsequent October Saturdays. The
people who organize and sponsor these tours throughout many parts
of the United States are working to help usher in an
environmentally benign and energy saving solar age.

On this first Saturday of October solar home residents are
showing places of comfort and energy efficiency to others who are
interested in knowing how to live a higher quality of life, namely
one that does not use up limited non-renewable energy resources.
The ASPI Solar House has been on a tour for much of its quarter of
a century of existence. Our hopes have been that those taking the
tour will be inspired to build or acquire solar residences of their
own. They can join the pioneers in the solar age who will save
money especially after innovative solar devices are mass produced
and made commercially available. They want to save on ever more
scarce non-renewable resources. However, even with this genuine
concern, many want to wait a little longer for lower priced
materials to help reduce construction costs. Unfortunately, this
wait and see has been detrimental to achieving what they and others
hope for, low-cost solar energy.

Actually talking to people with experience living in solar
residences does influence visitors. For many, it gets them
acquainted with and excited about solar energy and allows them to
ask questions and to catch some of the contagious enthusiasm of
solar advocates. Visitors become aware of the host of solar
applications:

Active and passive solar space heating;
Solar water heating;
Solar food cookers and food dryers;
Solar greenhouses;
Solar compost toilets;
Solar signage;
Solar waterfalls and fountains;
Solar water purifiers; and
Solar path markers and lamps.

Today some tour will most likely be within easy driving
distance of the American readers of this reflection and can be
located through an Internet search. The tours are sponsored by the
United States Department of Energy and the Interstate Renewable
Energy Council, and include dozens of local coordinating
organizations. Thousands of people take the routed tours through
the various urban and rural residences in over thirty states.
These visitors engage in a learning experience with the benefits
mentioned in the essay on appropriate technology demonstration (see
August 18, 2005). We hope you take the trouble to find the tour
nearest to you and spend the time taking it.

October 2, 2005 Forsaken Vineyard

There was a property owner who planted a vineyard. (Matthew
21: 33-43)

It's harvest time. Vineyards are familiar sites in the Holy
Land, for grapes are the national symbol and the vineyard is the
most loved and cherished of places. To mistreat a vineyard is like
cutting a tree -- a sin against the land and people. In St.
Matthew's gospel this parable and setting are an allegory (a
teaching method for moral principles where things and people have
a hidden symbolic meaning). The vineyard is cared for by the
owner, but the tenants refuse to share the produce with those sent
and even mistreat the slaves. This allegory identifies Israel,
the vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel (Psalm 80), as that
which bears wild grapes. The wicked tenants reject the son of the
King who is sent. Rejecting the will of God is wrong and so we
learn lessons that apply to all of us.

The Public Broadcasting System had a two and a half hour show
on Pope John Paul II, and though it passed over some important
parts of his life, it did focus on certain themes, one of which is
the Jews and how John Paul II strived to eradicate anti-semitism
from the Church in his example and writings. It said that Polish
priests now testify that people confess the sin of anti-semitism.
Both the story of Israel and this persistent anti-semitism may seem
remote to many of us, but they invite deeper reflection. If the
parable were on road rage and how some drivers curse or even punch
out the fellow in front of them in a traffic snarl, it might be
closer to home. But isn't the parable itself right at home and the
problem of mistreating God's gifts (our Earth) the same as that of
the wicked tenants?

Look more deeply. God has patiently prepared this priceless
planet from times of old (billions of years in fact), and Earth has
evolved in the glory of its uniqueness. We are the tenants, for we
are privileged in this universe with a planet containing a delicate
balance of air and water and good soil. But we have messed this
Earth up, littering it, subjecting its messengers of plants and
animals to inhospitable environments, and threatening, endangering
and even killing them. We have threatened the Earth itself. This
occurs through human actions that have caused ozone depletion and
rising oceans from melting ice caps.

Making shambles out of our lives. The problem is here in this
place and time. We are in part the problem, and that makes it all
the more disturbing. However, we must not lose heart; we must
acknowledge the message of the prophets and the Spirit sent to us;
we must curb our selfish ways, conserve resources and share them
with others in need. We may be part of the problem but, as
brothers and sisters of Jesus, we can also be a major part of the
solution. We have the awesome power to transform the world, if we
work together and do not lose heart. As Christians of East Timor
say, "we have to forgive even ourselves, so we can have new life."

October 3, 2005 Wine and Enjoyment

Today, three years ago, we were in Alsace, France at the St.
Hippolyte festival of new wine, and crowds of people from France as
well as from nearby Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany were
celebrating. It is the only such event I have ever attended, but
there was entertainment and joy in the crowds eating their lunches
in the decorated festival grounds and drinking the fresh fruit of
the vine. Wine and joy do go together as Jesus and his disciples
knew at the marriage feast of Cana.

My grandfather migrated from Alsace with the hope of starting
a vineyard in the Ohio Valley, which closely resembled the Rhine
Valley of his homeland. Unfortunately at the time of his arrival
in the late 19th century a terrible blight wiped out the grape
vines. So he had to switch over to tobacco and mixed farming.
However, the love of good wine far exceeded the love of tobacco --
and my brother Frank is trying to be faithful to his ancestry and
promote Alsatian as well as American wine at this time.

This reference to wine in autumn is natural to some of us who
believe in the goodness of all of God's creation, provided wine is
respected and used in moderation. Kentucky, like other parts of
the United States, is discovering grape growing in a big way, and
grapes will help make the move from a tobacco-based economy. In
defense of wine one can cite St. Paul in the New Testament as well
as nutritionists who see value in drinking moderate amounts of red
wine. Being in a "dry" section of Kentucky, where such spirits are
not sold, I can get the same red wine benefit from authentic grape
juice and do to some extent. Those who enjoy good wine know that
limited drinking is better than heavy drinking for enjoyment of
aroma and taste. Too much is not good, for it deadens the taste
buds and other senses.

Why bring up wine, except that so much of our own religious
heritage is based on grape wine in a consecrated form -- the "Cup
of the New Covenant," "cup of salvation," and "Blood of the Lord."
Some who call themselves Christian refrain from wine. When young,
I was hitching and accepted a ride from an evangelical Christian
who wanted to tell me, a late teenager about the evils of alcohol.
I asked him about Jesus' use of wine and he said that it was grape
juice. I countered that grape juice could only be kept a short
time after pressing until the invention by Welsh of the canning
procedure in the mid-19th century. He replied that Jesus drank
grape juice because he could do miracles. It made me chuckle, but
I still honor the driver's willingness to abstain from all forms of
alcoholic beverage. Our religious traditions point to the Middle
Eastern Judeo-Christian philosophy of some drinking in moderation.

Earthhealing involves moderation in using God's creatures.
Proper wine consumption teaches us to use all things moderately and
not to overconsume any resources. Granted, some cannot handle
alcohol in any amount and some abstain from religious or ethical
reasons. Let's honor both wine tasters and wine abstainers.

October 4, 2005 Bless Animals

It is fitting on the feast of St. Francis to talk about
blessing animals, creatures that have a deep kinship to Francis.
Blessings have been discussed in other essays this year (see
January 30 and March 28, 2005), including one on the sprinkling of land
and creatures with Easter water during that holy season. In none
of these essays do we give a formula, even though I am fully aware
that there are entire books on blessing, many of which are
delicately crafted and inspiring. This omission of a formula has
been deliberate, because blessings are opportunities for each of us
to be creative and spontaneous. Let the words flow, for the
blessing comes principally from the heart, not the head.

In blessing, we extend the Spirit that is within us outward to
other creatures, thus bringing the Good News to all creation (Mark
16:15). Blessings are the primary form of evangelization; both the
sender and the receiver are blessed and receive the goodness of
God's grace in a special way. Thus we need to find opportunities
to give either formal or informal blessings, and to treasure those
moments. But in what circumstances should we bless animals?

* Institutional setting -- Some prefer to bring the pets and
other animals to a central public location and have a formal
blessing that can be done at special times. Priests and deacons
who are empowered to give special blessings are often sought to
bless with holy water and special prayers. Though this is quite
popular for animal blessings, a number of churches, schools and
other institutions discourage such practices due to liability
restrictions (a dog may bite a person or precipitate a dog fight).
That may be a bit overly cautious. A modification in the ceremony
would allow each animal to stand near the vehicle that brought it,
beside its guardian, but not to move about.

* Carry blessing to the habitat -- Others prefer to go to
where the animal resides. It is the animal's day and so its own
habitat is the ideal place to perform a St. Francis blessing.
Again this can be done through church representatives or after a
ceremony in church where the animals' guardians receive holy water
or some type of formal commission and return to give the blessing
to their animals. One important aspect of this approach is that it
creates a bond of sacred relationship between guardian and animal.
In fact, this relationship is close to the philosophy of Francis.

* Bless wildlife and others. A good opportunity exists at this
time to bless the caged animals in a zoological garden, whether by
invitation of the proprietors or not. They deserve to be publicly
blessed as well as publicly observed. Also bless the neighbors'
tied or fenced dogs and the birds on the lawn or in cages; bless
the deer, turkey, squirrel or the rabbit that scampers past;
bless the animals in shelters and pet shops; bless the occupants
of the beehives and anthills. Bless all these because it is good
to bless -- good for them and good for us.

October 5, 2005 Ramadan Begins

When doing an environmental resource assessment of a Moslem
religious center near Charleston, West Virginia, I was invited to
the afternoon prayer service. I must confess that I was impressed
by the religious nature of the gathering and the devotion of the
participants. I'm sure God is pleased when any person prays, and
that includes our Moslem friends. As the beginning of their own
holy period of fasting and prayer, we again wish them the best.

Ever since 9-11, we have become more aware of radical Moslem
movements and activities whether in Afghanistan or Spain or
England. This radicalization has many roots, which we have treated
in talking about terrorism (see August 20, 2005). The radical
phenomenon is present in southern Thailand, Bosnia, Macedonia,
southern Russia, Mindanao (an island in the Philippines), parts of
India and Indonesia, Palestine, Nigeria, Sudan, and Lebanon. The
other conflicting parties often must share some of the blame, and
one does not want to focus overly on the Moslem components. In
fact, a desire to fight secularism in many of these lands is
laudable to a limited degree.

A recent NPR "On Point" program invited experts to speak about
the crisis affecting Europe where 14 million rather pious immigrant
Moslems live in a more secularized Europe of 450 million people (in
the Balkans there have been several million resident Moslems for
centuries). While only three percent of the European population is
Moslem now, this percentage is expected to rise. Restrictions on
immigration could result as a backlash to lack of assimilation and
rising radicalism in second generation European Moslems. However,
high birth rates among Moslems could cause the population that is
Moslem to double in three decades if native birthrates remain
stagnant. Europe does not have an answer. America has better
assimilated Moslems who are of higher economic and educational
status and more willing to accept American values. That does not
mean the United States will be free of terrorists or Moslem
radicals, but the problem will most likely be less severe.

While lauding the religious expressions of many Moslems, we,
like Pope Benedict XVI, believe that their leaders must instill in
their congregations a sense of non-violent and peaceful action.
Reciprocity in all lands means that Christians should be allowed to
practice their faith without hindrance in predominantly Moslem
lands like Saudi Arabia and that pressures to force conversions
cease; the reforming elements in the Moslem communities must be
allowed to speak and enter into a wider conversation. Freedom of
worship and of expression should be allowed in all lands where
there are mixed religious traditions and communities. These issues
will not go away and they will become part of the festering
disturbances in many lands. The challenge ahead for all of us is
to establish conditions in which tolerance is respected and allowed
to grow, and radicalism is brought within limits. We hope that a
fascism that represses one group will not arise in Europe or in
other areas of conflict. But let's also address secularism.

October 6, 2005 Know Your Salt Intake

Earlier this year (see April 27, 2005) we looked at the
history of salt and concluded that this essential ingredient for
proper bodily function (maintaining blood volume and cellular
osmotic pressure and transmitting nerve impulses) is far cheaper
and more abundant in our modern culture than in former ages.

In contrast with the lack of salt in past history, we now are
apt to get too much in processed food and even over-the-counter
medicines like antacids, and softened drinking water, causing high
blood pressure, hypertension, and strokes. While most frozen
vegetables are processed without salt, some starchy ones (peas and
lima beans) are frequently sorted in brine before freezing. Some
fruit and tomatoes are dipped in sodium hydroxide to assist peeling
-- thus increasing sodium levels. Canned and bottled citrus drinks
are sometimes buffered with sodium citrate. Sodium ion exchange is
used in processing some wines to reduce sediment and clarify the
product. The high salt content of all these ingested substances
concerns people on salt-restricted diets -- and should concern all.

The National Academy of Science estimates that our need (as
healthy adults) is from 1,100 to 3,300 milligrams of sodium per
day. It may be best for those concerned about excess salt to drink
bottled water with no sodium content. The following table is
selected "The Sodium Content of Your Food," U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Washington, DC 1981.

October 7, 2005 World Court Day

We Americans acknowledge the World Court, but we like to think
it applies only to the rest of the planet's inhabitants. Our
Supreme Court is our highest authority on justice issues and for
many of us that is the way it will remain. The ultimate highest
court is the judgment seat of the Lord. Is the case closed or can
something be added?

First, the United States does recognize certain international
authorities dealing with war crimes (e.g., the Nuremberg Trials
after World War Two) and the rights of prisoners in time of war
through the Geneva Convention. We prefer to think that the United
Nations human rights commission is legitimate, provided this
commission refrains from investigating American practices. We do
subscribe to the judgment of some supranational and international
authorities in many arenas from Olympic conduct to air traffic
controls, from radio signals to shipping regulations.

Second, de facto the United States picks and chooses. If an
American were to be brought before the Hague Tribunal, this nation
would object vigorously. The failure to participate in the World
Court proceedings is part of that picking and choosing. Our weight
comes to play here as the powerful nation, but should it? Of all
countries, we should take a leadership role in supporting a world
court system that has teeth, can prosecute nationals from any
country, can give out sentences, and can enforce internationally
recognized requirements for people everywhere. Why should we
flaunt a system that should be allowed to flourish?

Recognition of the enforcement power of a world court will
not diminish our own freedom, but rather protect the rights of all
including ourselves. An attitude of being powerful enough to be
above the international understanding of law weakens the ground for
action by bodies such as the International Court of Justice.
Merely being afraid of what could happen to Americans is weak,
since crimes perpetrated on foreign soil by our citizens are
brought to foreign courts and prison terms given. Our own State
Department may intervene when the sentence appears unfair or too
harsh, and rightly so. We need to accept that a world court could
hand down similar rulings and that again we as a nation could
appeal what we regard as unjust decisions.

When the Constitution was adopted, some state activities had
to be curtailed so that the nation could assume the powers of
defense and international relations. This has proven wise,
especially since our country changed from being these United States
to the United States. Many powers will continue to reside within
the states: but often the good of the greater whole is worth more
than the independence of individual parts. This must be said now
because our world has compressed through instant communication and
globalization. One world demands one higher court with enforcement
powers. We Americans must recognize that support of the World
Court benefits all the planet's citizens -- and the Earth itself.

October 8, 2005 Save Historic Battlefields

Today, 143 years ago the bloody Battle of Perryville was
fought in central Kentucky. Let's omit the details, only that on
a hot October day the Federal and Confederate armies almost
unintentionally met near a small town southwest of Lexington and
slugged it out with no immediately apparent winner. Records show
that thousands of the wounded of both armies were brought to many
churches, schools and other public places within fifty miles
immediately afterwards. So much for this battle, but it did have
implications for the preservation of the Union.

Historic preservation involves saving grounds and reenacting
the battles. The widespread interest in most Civil War issues
brings thousands of reenactors to this site, as to many others in
our country. A few years back I observed the Perryville event and
another at Gettysburg, but left more amused than impressed. These
men and women dress in Civil War era garments and sweat in those
hot, often woolen clothes. No thank you! And these outfits looked
somewhat homespun and even tacky, and yet I was horrified to find
they cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. The lengths to
which these reenactors engage in the battle at hand is astounding,
and I found the scenes lacking the real authenticity of blood and
gore. One wonders what each person would have done had they lived
in the frightening circumstances of Perryville.

Saving these battlefields along with other cultural modern and
prehistoric sites is a major concern of historians and others
today, for some are being lost. In fact, preservation groups list
the most endangered battle sites and seek money to buy land before
it is lost to urban development; the grounds of the Battle of
Franklin, Tennessee, near Nashville are already lost. Certain sites
such as Gettysburg and Antietam have been preserved, though some
more unsightly monuments and recent structures deserve to be and
are being removed. The preservation of sites nearer locations of
urban sprawl (e.g., the Battle of the Wilderness near Washington,
DC) requires more purchases before prices get out of hand.

Once several of us made an issue of some loggers who were
dragging logs over the trenches (still visible) of the site of the
almost forgotten Battle of Wildcat Mountain, Kentucky. The media
heard our protestations and called a very famous Civil War
historian who laughed at the lack of importance of the battle. He
never understood how much of a disservice he did to our efforts at
historic preservation -- but loggers did stop through our efforts.

Preservation efforts should extend beyond battlefields to pre-
historic and slave graveyards, colonial and anti-bellum homes, and
inner-city churches. Besides urban sprawl, highway construction,
artificial lakes, strip mining, and vandals. Amateur archeological
buffs can play havoc with unexamined sites. Our cultural heritage
is precious and very fragile. Some efforts have been successful
(see May 9, 2005), but more needs to be done. If people want to
play war, it's better to join the fight to save the historic sites.

October 9, 2005 Come to the Banquet

The reign of God may be likened to a king who gave a wedding
banquet for his son. (Matthew 22: 1-14)

Celebration in the form of a meal is found in many cultures
throughout the world. It was observed in Israel and in the
Canaanite culture that preceded it. Pacific Islanders, Native
Americans and Africans alike have celebrations and festive foods --
much as our Thanksgiving meal is a festive event. Guests and
seating are carefully planned. Jesus uses this event and symbolism
in his parable. He was at a wedding at Cana for the first miracle,
and he attended enough feasts that he was asked why he did not fast
from eating and drinking. Jesus liked meals and likes us to have
a memorial of his Sacrifice in the form of a Eucharistic meal.

The reign of the Kingdom of heaven is like a meal -- full of
life and joy, including both the good and bad. The multitude
allows for social support as do mega-churches and vast gatherings
when the Pope comes to a land. We assist each other; we celebrate
the past gatherings; we prepare for and expect a greater future.

Appreciation from the Past: God prepared this Earth during
billions of years for our arrival and presence. In only an instant
of geologic time, we have fouled it up and left it polluted and
species threatened. We have not appreciated the gifts God gave us.
God created all so that in some moment, when not required or
pressured, we find time to say "thank you." This free act, which
only human beings can give, is the pinnacle of created things and
events. It is time in this urgent moment of social and
environmental crisis to return to the banquet table and appreciate
the great effort made to allow us to enjoy a meal.

Hopes for the Future: Meals mark the beginning of a new life;
this is the case when we celebrate weddings and birthdays or other
important events in human living. We are encouraged and do not
lose heart, especially when we observe how much destruction of
human or physical structures is occurring all around us. Life
hereafter means much to a lot of us both young and old. "Teach me
to count the few days we have and so gain wisdom of heart" (Psalm
90:12) or, as Melville says in Moby Dick, "I am a man running out
of time." The banquet fortifies us for the road still to be
traveled. It is a foreshadowing of a future heavenly banquet.

Present: All of us need the consoling effects of fellowship;
we need to gather with joy and ease of heart. We know that we
cannot forget the damage our lack of appreciation has done. We
can't be like Hagar the Horrible who stuffs himself with all the
sausage and a whole ham and cake because these just happen to be on
the smorgasbord. We need to have the proper manners and civility
and approach so as not to be boorish or greedy. Thus we live here
and now in a way befitting the heavenly banquet. We do this by
respecting the resources of this Earth and encouraging others to do
the same.

October 10, 2005 Fire Prevention Week

Fires have been noticeable in this dry year. Portugal as of
this writing has had 14 deaths and 300,000 burned acres. Also
fires are burning within 2 miles of Elko, Nevada, and have
blackened large areas of Arizona, Oregon, and other parts of our
American West. We see reports and then remember fires that caused
alarm in our own lives, those in forested areas (I helped fight
some in 1986 and 1987) and those in buildings near us. We are
alarmed about uncontrolled fires, for disaster hovers. We spoke
last year (see October 15, 2004) about disaster preparedness
(emergency numbers, supplies, escape routes, lighting and exits),
but let's speak here about prevention of fires.

* Clear away combustibles. Television pictures show residents
hastily clearing dead brush from around their homes in front of a
forest fire. Why didn't the dummies think ahead and take some time
to clear the same materials months before the fire? They must have
been aware that fire lines stop forest fires to some degree. Could
they not have anticipated the need and done the cleaning as a form
of exercise? The answer is yes. Those living in wooded areas
should have space cleared from around their residences and other
buildings -- and do it now.

Clear away spontaneous combustibles. The chances are that
someone who reads this has a closet or storage space with some oily
rags, which could catch fire under certain conditions. We know
that this is dangerous, and yet neglect makes us often forgetful.

Avoid random camp fires. Once in a very dry evening in Oregon
we started a small campfire, and the resinous brush we used for
fuel burst into flames. The explosive combustion made us so scared
that we put out the camp fire right away. It could have been
disastrous had it gotten out of hand -- and it has haunted me.

Watch the matches. We all know young children love to play
with fire and so our match supply should always be secured. The
young are not the only culprits. If smoking is still allowed in
your home or place of work, at least make sure that combustion
products are not casually discarded.

Use a flashlight. Sometimes people will light a torch or take
a piece of burning wood to give light when outdoors or even at
times indoors. An extra flashlight would be far safer and more
effective. Keep these supplied with working batteries.

Protect the fireplaces. We like the burning fireplace at
home, but sparks and the popping of burning wood can occur in ways
that st fire to rugs, curtains, table cloths, etc. A screen takes
away some of the coziness, but we do need to remember that winter
as well as summer can be fire times.

Consider lightning rods. This centuries-old fire protection
should be considered for buildings in elevated and isolated areas.

October 11, 2005 Collect Autumn Leaves

In a matter of a few days, if not today someone may push a
rake into our hands and say, "Collect the leaves." There's good
reason for that, since they are a mess and can get onto the porch
and into the house, or they can actually be a fire hazard during
dry times. Yes, the collected leaves make excellent mulch for the
garden. But apart from this command, let's turn "collect the
leaves" into a project and collect a sample from each tree.

October is the time the leaves are turning color in most of
our areas, and the first ones are already starting to fall. As
they depart, we become conscious of leaves and the trees on which
they grew (see November 8, 2004). A good practice is to collect
leaves (preferably before they become too dry and flaky) and press
them as in between the pages of a book. It is amazing how this can
become a learning experience for all of us, young and old. And
kids can do this for a school project or a start to their own
"museum" or leaf scrapbook. Next month after the leaves are gone
it will be harder to distinguish the trees on which they grew.
Many know the shape of the maple leaf and some of the oaks. But
then tulip trees have leaves somewhat the shape of the maple and
one could be fooled by the sassafras when have leaves similar to
the oak. Getting the leaf into a pressed shape is only half of the
collection effort. The identification you may wish to write next
to the leaf is another matter.

With "Tree Finder: A Manual for the Identification of Trees
and Their Leaves," by May Theilgaard Watts (Nature Study Guide,
1998) or a similar book one can quickly identify all the common
American trees. The collection could include evergreens with
needles in bundles or tufts. For other kinds of trees, notice that
leaves grow opposite or alternately, if compound, composed of
several leaflets or simple, if the leaflets radiate from one point
or are regular or not, whether leaf edges are toothed or smooth,
and many other descriptive characteristics. For instance, a horse
chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) usually has seven leaflets,
doubly toothed; the leaflets have no stalks and the winter buds are
sticky. On the other hand, its cousin, the Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus
glabra) has five leaflets that are irregularly and bluntly toothed;
and the buds are keeled and the twigs have a disagreeable smell
when bruised.

When collecting leaves in the eastern North American temperate
forests, one has many to choose from. In fact, there are 133
species in the small manual just cited above. Over 100 species
have been identified on the ASPI demonstration site, none of which
were planted by human beings except the American Chestnut (due to
the dying out of that species in the early 20th century). As we
come to identify more and more of these tree species, we become
more familiar with our forests, come to treasure them all the more,
and inspire others to start the learning process. Collecting
leaves may be a great beginning, and we are never too young or too
old to do that at this time of year.

October 12, 2005 Earth Science Week

A perfect day to observe Earth Science Week is the traditional
Columbus Day, for this discovery day can include the science of
planetary discovery. Earth science is key to our knowing more
about our fragile Earth so that we may be better able to protect
and enhance it. The areas of geology, paleontology, seismology,
meteorology, and oceanography all seem to coalesce in one giant
endeavor directed to explaining the phenomena of our dynamic living
planet. Little wonder that this is so close to the field of
ecology as well. Earthhealing embraces all these fields and more
besides, for we can only heal what we know and respect more deeply.

The science of geology was really my first love, even though
no geology courses were offered by my college. I would wonder how
the many sea shells were so clustered in the rocks that were all
over our limestone-studded farm. We were far from the sea and yet
these shells were so perfectly formed and seemed to almost come
alive. That wonder as a kid never really left me. I heard a talk
while in late grade school from Father Hubbard the Jesuit "Glacier
Priest" and was duly impressed. From him we found out that Alaska
was inviting and beautiful. The mystery of the planet's land
formations was unfolding before our eyes.

I was asked and consented to teach a course in geology at a
local "college without walls" in the 1990s; and it was a challenge
just learning a few weeks ahead of the class. But the subject
matter was most captivating. Suddenly one grasps continental
drift, ocean currents, earthquake and volcano activity, and sees
that all the movements of the earth are like one great act of
giving birth. The upthrust rock formations immediately south of us
next to I-75 in northern Tennessee suddenly took on special meaning
as did the folding rock layers in the roadcuts at Sideling Hill in
western Maryland on I-68. In fact, highway travel became tours
through the landmarks of geological time whether in the east or in
New Mexico and Colorado.

Earth science plays an important role in monitoring human
activities and how they affect our planet. The burden falls on
Earth scientists to detect the depletion of the ozone layer and the
warming of the oceans and atmosphere through the greenhouse effect
(see September 28, 2005); Earth scientists must seek to develop
worldwide tsunami alert systems and write the environmental impact
statements concerning possible burial sites of nuclear wastes;
Earth scientists must trace the hurricane paths and predict the
remaining quantities of natural gas and petroleum in our fuel
hungry world; Earth scientists go to remote places, climb to the
edge of rumbling volcanoes, and seek to predict earthquakes.

So much of how we live and what decisions we make depend to
some degree on the findings and interpretations of our Earth
scientists. Let's give them special recognition during this most
beautiful time of year. They are deserving of all our toasts, and
their work is worthy of our support.

October 13, 2005 Yom Kippur

This day is part of the High Holidays or Day of Atonement, a
fast day observed on the 10th day of Tishri. The day is referred
to in Leviticus 16:29-34.

This shall be a perpetual law for you. On the tenth day of
the seventh month you must fast and refrain from work, the native
and the stranger who lives among you. For this is the day on which
the rite of atonement shall be performed over you, to purify you.
Before Yahweh you will be clean of all your sins. It shall be a
sabbath rest for you and you are to fast. This is a perpetual law.

Even if many of us do not observe this day, we should honor
those who do and find the spiritual value they see in it. We too
affirm the need for people to take off time and purify themselves,
to fast and to start life over anew. Thus we support our
practicing Jewish brothers and sisters who observe this day in its
fullness. We pray with them that atonement already begun will move
to completion with all of us also working for at-one-ment, a coming
together in communion with the Lord and with our fellow human
beings through removing the personal barriers that separate us.

Honoring this day within its religious depths is a good way to
improve relations with the Jewish community. Since the Holocaust,
all people are called to resist anti-semitic remarks and to beg
God's pardon for the offenses committed sometimes in the name of
religion. Healing that we seek for this Earth must take on a
profound sense of humility at what has transpired in the last
century, especially the happenings in Nazi Germany. That tragedy
must never happen again and so we search for ways to ensure it does
not. Part of this involves honoring the traditions of other people
even when our religious practices differ. Their right to
observance is something we protect and support. A secular world
that refuses to give religious people honor is not an ideal. Far
better is a religious spirit of tolerance and mutual respect, for
only with respect can we healing our wounded Earth.

Yom Kippur becomes a more universal day when we universalize
the need for purification. If we are to save our wounded Earth, we
must purify ourselves before our Creator. We must not use
resources that are meant for other people; we must ask pardon for
the offenses we have done to plants and animals and our fellow
human beings in whatever ways. This event gives us the pause
required to see in ourselves the culprits, and not to single out
others such as mercenary companies, greedy business managers,
profiteers, lazy law enforcers, and ignorant tillers of the land.
Others whom we can identify faster than ourselves are truly partly
to blame, but so are all. This is a day to look more closely at
ourselves. How much harm do I do within our community of being --
and am I willing to take time to ask pardon and make atonement to
the degree that I can? In so doing, we all, Jew and non-Jew alike,
can form a more cooperative community of earthhealers.

October 14, 2005 The Peace Corps

The Peace Corps is 45 years old today and that is worth
celebrating. The spirit that generated this unique group of
volunteers is still fresh and worthy of further support. Over the
years Peace Corp volunteers have gone to dozens of countries in all
parts of the world and assisted in teaching and a wide variety of
other service programs. The people who received them profited by
their presence, and these volunteers returned and many have
continued to give as active citizens throughout their adult lives.
At one time three ex-Peace Corps volunteers were on our ASPI Board
of Directors, all giving some public interest service.

Today, due to terrorist threats, many countries would be too
dangerous for Peace Corps workers. However, after the Soviet
demise several of the emerging nations such as the Ukraine welcomed
the Peace Corps. Certainly the need for assistance is still
present and a number of willing volunteers continue to come forward
with each passing year. However, Peace Corps service could be
improved. Here are some suggestions:

First, regard Peace Corps members giving service in another
land as as important from a security standpoint as the military
presence in those lands. We again reiterate that a tithing of our
military budget should be apportioned to building affordable
housing, education and health facilities, and installing clean
water facilities in poorer nations (see October 25, 2004) on
Disarmament Week. This refocus of resources would be to the
betterment of a needy world and would launch the earthhealing
advocated in this Website.

Second, support a "Reverse Peace Corps," where people with
skills from other nations can come and assist our own people in
health care, housing, gardening and other specialties that are so
needed among our own low income people. This will answer the
objection that we only believe that Americans have all to give and
little to receive. Our nation could use innovative ways to
conserve resources from people highly skilled in such practices.
The Reverse Peace Corps could be targeted to older volunteers.

Third, train all Peace Corps volunteers to become specialists,
who give specific training and services to budding specialists in
the target nation. In other words, train people in other lands to
install and teach their own people how to make solar food cookers
and water heaters, to build compost toilets, to build affordable
housing, and to install aquiculture ponds in the target nation. A
host of appropriate technology methods need to be introduced and
are in need of specialists to initiate these processes. Paul
Gallimore, the director of Long Branch Environmental Education
Center in Leicester, North Carolina, is willing to help in the
training of Peace Corps people. This group is connected to our
website. The major hurdle is to attract the Peace Corps to sponsor
such training for the good of their own volunteers.

October 15, 2005 Harvesting Corn

Corn has long been a major component of American agriculture
and continues to be so today. Those of us who grew up on the edge
of the Corn Belt experienced corn-growing from seeding, to
replanting with a "corn jobber," to cultivating the young plants,
and then to harvesting -- the most difficult corn operation.

I grew up at the end of an era in which corn was cut by hand
or by the use of a horse- or tractor-drawn mechanical binder. The
handfuls of corn stalks cut with a machete style "corn knife" were
gathered into shocks. Those shocks were made by tying four single
corn stalks together at the top like a tent structure (two from
each of two parallel rows) and then stacking the hand- or
mechanically-cut bundles first on one side and then on another,
allowing the stalks to stand vertically. More and more were added
around the circumference until a shock emerged, which was pulled
together at about five feet high and tied with binder twine.

Cutting and shocking -- I experienced very little of this
harvest work because the corn cutting occurred in October when many
of us younger folks were in school, so the work involved the adult
workers. What little I did, I must testify was hard; one had to
wear long-sleeved shirts, buttoned at the neck on these hot autumn
days, lest the dried corn leaves could cut your arms and neck over
time. It was sweaty, dusty, hard, "slave-type" work, but in the
end the corn was gathered in shocks. This differed from the less
strenuous mechanical corn picking that was coming into play right
after the Second World War. In that process, a portion of the corn
stalks and ears was mashed down and crushed under the wheels of the
machinery and left for the birds including the wild geese who
discovered this to be a winter feeding opportunity.

Shucking -- Cutting was only part of the harvest work. The
other major portion involved more of the women folks and youth; it
consisted of entering the field a few weeks after cutting and going
from shock to shock to remove the ears of grain from the stalk.
The process of shucking involved tearing down each shock and
husking (shucking) the corn ears and piling them in a small pile.
The torn down shock was then reconstructed much in the manner of
the first shocking after cutting and would be used for feeding
cattle during the winter time.

Hauling -- A third component of harvesting involved hauling
the shucked corn on a wagon to a corn crib -- an out-building with
siding with one-inch cracks running up and down so that the corn
would continue to dry and not mold. I found this the best part of
corn harvesting, for it consisted of much riding time to the crib
and from shock to shock; and pitching ears into the wagon was not
dirty work like pitching hay. The sound of corn ears hitting the
wagon pile still rings in my ears. The feel, smell and sight of
the golden ears seemed to say that God's bounty had descended upon
us. Amid its difficulties, this was the most memorable preparation
for the Thanksgiving event a month away.

Disrespect. The Gospel story of giving to Caesar and God what
is due to each occurs on Jesus' final Journey to Jerusalem. The
two parties (Pharisees and Herodians) agree in deeply disliking
Jesus, and not belonging to his band. Their hypocrisy is revealed
when Jesus asks them to produce a coin, a tacit admission of
belonging to Caesar already. Furthermore, they fail to show
deference to Jesus as Messiah and to render to God, the Almighty's
due. Rome's coins show Caesar's authority and power, and even give
a nod to the title of godlike imperial character. Moneychangers
are held in low esteem due to some greed and the need to handle
dirty money when exchanging to required temple coinage. The ones
who try to trick Jesus have coins, which they were not supposed to
be carrying. Jesus turns the tables and says each is due proper
respect.

History of Application: Throughout history there have been
conflicts of church (God) and state (Caesar), of the right to
practice one's religion in the face of an authoritarian state, or
the state siding with one religion to force conformity among
believers of another religion. One recalls Thomas More, "The Man
for All Seasons," who tells why his love and respect for the king
makes him want to help the king keep his oath of office (Magna
Carta) with respect to their shared Christian faith. We could find
instances from ancient times, through the French, Russian and
Chinese revolutions in more recent times.

General Social Application: But this gospel passage has an
extended application. The poor belong to God, and to omit looking
after them with special care is to neglect to give to God what
belongs to God. To whom does the limited wealth of this Earth
belong? To those who have the power to take and retain it with
laws on their side? Or to those who have basic needs? Doesn't the
"Cardinal Frings Principle" (taking coal through "theft" when one
is without fuel), still apply? Will children on free breakfast and
lunch programs have food when schools are closed due to snow? Do
we pay taxes to chiselers on government-subsidized corporate
welfare while cutting 3.8 million people from welfare rolls? Are
wealthier people's properties protected better than properties of
those of modest income when it comes to "development" through
eminent domain procedures?

Cyrus: (Isaiah 45: 1, 4-6) The people of this world can be
good at heart and show this through inspired actions. The ruler
Cyrus was able to give to the people of Israel a certain respect
and recognized their own national aspirations and their desire to
return to their own homeland. Our current crisis of faith is due
in part to a lack of respect in the world, a lack of respect for
people of all persuasions and to the mistreatment of plants and
animals. Ultimately this attitude is a disrespect to our God the
author of all authority.

October 17, 2005 World Food Day

We have many specified days and weeks throughout the year,
perhaps far more than days in the year. I feel a sense of
connection with one, World Food Day, for I helped in the planning
of that first "Food Day" event when associated with the Center for
Science in the Public Interest back in the early 1970s. Many of
the problems we listed to be addressed then unfortunately continue
to challenge us today with perhaps one exception -- most processed
foods in this country are now labeled as to salt, fiber, calories,
total fat, cholesterol and several other components. Among the
many food problems that we should consider on this World Food Day
are the following:

* World hunger problems -- By far the largest problem at the
first Food Day and one that continues unabated is that of world
hunger. The astronomical figure of a million people, including
many youngsters, going to bed hungry, or the pictures of starving
people in Niger strike us deeply. The world is awash with food,
and yet it is not reaching all who are in need. Truly for them
food is first in the order of essentials (see January 31, 2005).

* Contaminated foods -- A second major food problem area is
that of food contamination whether by foreign substances used in
its production or by biological contamination in the preparation
and shipment of the foods. Pesticide contamination is widespread
throughout the world today, is somewhat difficult to detect, and
will seriously harm the consumer often over a period of time. It
is difficult in this country with comprehensive food safety
regulations to monitor all the imported foods finding their way to
store shelves and eating places. It is best to seek to use only
pesticide-free foods and to think organic (see March 17, 2004).

* Junk, non-nutritious foods -- Some people fill their hunger
pangs with junk food (those with large amounts of sugar, fats, salt
and cholesterol), which results in obesity and other health
complications. A change of menu that includes fruits and
vegetables, nuts and berries, whole grains and unprocessed foods is
so important. This change in food habits is quite difficult in
countries where fast food outlets are highly profitable and have
achieved high levels of attracting the unsophisticated population
to non-nutritious foods. Here good nutrition information competes
with advertising for commercial junk food (see July 13, 2004).

* Locally grown food -- Often people do not have access to
affordable supplies of food because land has been converted to
commercial crops for export and the resulting limited supplies of
locally grown food are higher priced. Encouraging the return to
local food production is a paramount issue in many of the nations
of the world. Access to gardens and cropland is a major concern
for the landless and dispossessed, and for the urban immigrant in
many of the large cities in developing countries. See July 12,
2004, for locally grown food and June 2, 2005, for a treatment of
farmers' markets, an economic outlet for locally grown food.

October 18, 2005 Luke the Evangelist

My favorite gospel is that of Saint Luke; I once asked three
other people in a discussion group their favorite and expected them
to confirm my selection. It surprised me when each chose a
different gospel as his or her favorite. What became evident is
that we find favorites according to our particular spirituality and
what impresses us at a given time as we read the various passages.
I like the following elements of Luke's gospel:

* The Gospel is written in combination with the Acts of the
Apostles and shows the movement of Jesus from Nazareth to
Jerusalem; in a similar way the Acts shows a movement of the Church
-- the Body of Christ -- from Jerusalem out to other parts of the
world and ends in Rome. The construction is quite creative and
very intentional, and has a system in its development
(some call Luke an artist but with no factual evidence);

* Luke has singular healing episodes such as the Good
Samaritan parable and confirms what St. Paul says in his letter to
the Colossians, "Luke, the beloved physician." To Luke, healing is
a major component of the miracles, teachings and actions of Jesus;

* Luke stands out strongly in a fundamental option for the
poor and is the only writer to mention the Lazarus parable, which
challenges the rich; Luke does this explicitly in a number of
other passages concerning the ministry of Jesus. Compassion is a
major component of Luke who gives us the parables of the Lost Sheep
and the Prodigal Son (Forgiving Father). In one sense, forgiveness
is key to the spirituality of Luke and becomes an issue, which each
of us must confront and with which each must come to terms;

* Luke champions the importance, humility, and activism of the
Blessed Virgin Mary; he is the only writer to mention her powerful
prayer, the Magnificat (Chapter 2). The infancy narratives
contrasts the powerlessness of Mary and Joseph in the face of great
obstacles, and the power of God working within the Holy Family;

* And Luke, as Bishop Ken Untener points out in his "Little
Burgundy Book," repeatedly teaches that to know Jesus is to love
him. Luke uses the example of the "good thief." Jesus in his
dying words says, Indeed, I promise you, this day you will be with
me in paradise. The invitation goes out throughout the gospel to
look up and see Jesus and come near him. For me, Luke is truly the
writer who is down-to-earth.

This is not the year of Luke (Cycle C was last year), but we
ought to return to our favorites and compare them with the readings
from the other parts of Scripture. In doing so we see the
importance of each of the other writers. And there is one thing
more: God wants us to pick and choose from various spiritual
writers for we have our own personal spiritual needs and selecting
the options that best suit us shows a freedom in our way to God. If
you don't have a favorite, consider Luke on his feast day.

October 19, 2005 North American Martyrs

In 1968 I spent the last period of my formal Jesuit training
in what is called "Tertianship" at the North American Martyrs
Shrine at Auriesville, New York. Here I walked in the beautiful
valley below the massive chapel area where Isaac Jogues and two
companions were killed in the 1640s. I would wonder whether any
metal they wore or other identification could be found through
metal detection, but researchers have already assured us that they
have exhausted their search for remains.

Isaac Jogues (1607-46), John de Brebeuf (1593-1649) and their
companions set their eyes on the conversion of the Huron nation and
did receive some early success in their missionary endeavors. In
their attempts to convert the Hurons, they were caught in the
middle of intertribal and colonial/tribal battles. Five of this
group met their martyrdom in what is now Ontario, Canada. Jogues
and Rene Goupil, a lay assistant trained in medicine, were wounded
in 1643, taken prisoner, forced to run the gauntlet several times,
and brought to the site of present day Auriesville, New York. Here
Jogues had his left thumb cut off and endured further torture;
Goupil was tomahawked to death. Jogues was ransomed by the Dutch
at Albany (caring Protestants) and made his way through New
Amsterdam (New York City) back to France. There he received
permission from the Pope to celebrate Mass, which could not
ordinarily be performed without intact hands. But he couldn't
rest and so returned as soon as possible to North America.

By April, 1644 Jogues was in Montreal, Quebec, and
participated in a peace conference between the French and Iroquois
federation. He was chosen to accompany the Mohawks to secure the
peace agreement, and that tribe's villagers on seeing him were
amazed that their former slave was an envoy of the powerful nation
of France. Jogues returned to Quebec leaving materials with the
Mohawks in hopes of returning. Later he and John de la Lande, a
layman, went back as missionaries to the now supposedly peaceful
Mohawks. These Native Americans had just suffered a crop failure
and an epidemic and blamed it on a box of materials left behind by
Jogues. So he and la Lande were taken prisoner, stripped, tortured
and on October 18, 1646 Jogues was put to death. The next day de
la Lande suffered the same fate. Their heads were impaled on posts
and their bodies thrown into the river. Many attempts to locate
their remains have been made but no clues have been found.

Three years later John de Brebeuf and Gabriel Lalement were
making headway in evangelizing the peaceful Hurons. However, the
settlements (near Midland, Ontario) were attacked by their fierce
enemies, the Iroquois, and these two were tortured, mutilated,
burned, and then eaten. Also meeting the same fate in what is now
Canada were missionaries Charles Garnier, Anthony Daniel, and Noel
Chabanel, all French Jesuit priests. The eight were canonized in
1930 and are designated as the "North American Martyrs" and
commemorated in the General Roman Calendar (by the whole Church) on
this day. It is good that we have such heroic early witnesses.

October 20, 2005 Wild Geese

This is that time of year when the wags always said that the
Canadians and the geese all go south. Certainly anyone living near
I-75, which is routed from Michigan to Florida, knows there are
quite a few Ontario-plated vehicles heading to the west side of
Florida at this time of year (the east side of the Sunshine State
is the destination of Canadians taking I-95). But the familiar
honking of the "v" formations of wild geese heading south are not
as frequent as in times past. Some certainly do travel from the
frigid upper portions of Canada and the colder upper Midwest, but
they don't go all the way south. Due to global warming, the geese
are opportunistic enough to travel no farther than they have to.
And we see plenty of them here and willing to raise their young
ones in this country and foul up the yards and golf greens.

I hesitate to talk about "wild" geese, since most that I see
on lakes and streams at virtually any month of the year may have
been migrating fowl a few generations ago. They seem pretty tame
now, for they have accepted this as their country; they seem to
have the sense of possessiveness that one finds in the always alert
and honking domesticated goose. In fact, with all the corn left in
the field by the mechanical corn pickers (see October 15 for Corn
Harvest), the Canadian or wild geese hardly have to migrate south
in winter, provided the fields are often clear of winter snow so
they can feast on the leavings.

For centuries wild geese were loved as they passed over on
their way to destinations north or south. Now the wild-to-
sedentary geese are hated when they take over and leave their marks
in grass, on driveways and sidewalks. In fact, among the changing
patterns of wildlife, the goose has become a first class nuisance
even outstripping the increased herds of deer or the so-called wild
turkey. People, even in urban areas, constantly inquire as to what
they can do about the increased numbers of these homesteading
geese. Here are some suggestions with no guarantees:

* A good dog who enjoys chasing geese will keep them off your
property, but that does little to handle the broader problem.
The geese do not like to be pestered and so they will quickly
choose a place where they are not harassed by other animals,
whether a swan in a lake or dogs in a yard.

* If one is a meat/poultry eater, get some good goose recipes,
for it is always better to get your food from near at home -- and
that is quite possible today with geese. They may have to be
roasted a little longer than a chicken, and even fed a little extra
grain right before the holiday preparations. A word of caution:
such feeding may attract additional uninvited geese.

* A broader public interest approach is to get the local
government to give a day to harvesting and cooking geese for the
needy. Thinning geese in a land devoid of wildlife predators then
becomes a cooperative project of wildlife management.

October 21, 2005 The Cuban Missile Crisis

On October 22, 1962, we experienced events leading up to the
possibility of direct confrontation with the military power of the
Soviet Union, our antagonist during the four-decade-old "Cold War."
It was high drama for the Kennedy Administration, as well as those
of us living at that time. Through air monitoring techniques, our
Defense Department had found evidence that the Soviets were
supplying materials for a build-up of bases in Cuba only 90 miles
off our Florida coast. And then the revelation that missiles
capable of delivering nuclear warheads were on their way by ship to
Cuba led to direct possible confrontation.

On that fateful October 22nd, President John F. Kennedy went
on nationwide radio and television to announce a naval blockade of
Cuba to stop the missile-carrying ships, which were already on the
seas. In the course of his talk, the American people suddenly
became alarmed. If the Soviet ships continued on course there
would be direct heating up of the Cold War. What would then
happen? Would nuclear missiles be sent towards Russian and
American targets? Would we have to build bunkers to store
essentials for sheltering our people during the probability of a
dreaded nuclear confrontation? My dad did build an addition to the
basement at that time. Imaginations ran wilder than at Pearl
Harbor and 9-11. The anxiety lasted for several days until Soviet
Premier Khrushchev bowed to American determination and turned his
ships back and agreed to remove missile launching equipment from
Cuba.

A reflection on that October forty-three years ago shows a
number of things: a critical situation needing resolution; a
determination on our side to go all the way; serious nuclear
stakes; and an antagonist who seemed bent on confrontation. Most
of us did not realize the full implications of the situation even
though it was the talk of the town and nation. Only years later
when all the details were revealed did we come to understand the
crisis fully. Was that a bit of history not expected to be
repeated?

Maybe in this October, 2005, we could reflect on the
possibility of nuclear confrontation in the immediate future. It
may not be between major nuclear powers, but between two minor
nuclear powers (e.g., India and Pakistan or Israel and Iran) or
between a rogue state (North Korea) and the United States. More
probable scenarios are between individual terrorist groups who
might possess dirty nuclear weapons and our country. Such groups
might inflict blackmail on our people: either release prisoners or
get out of Iraq lest a major American city be the target of a dirty
bomb. The possibility of nuclear confrontation has not receded
even though Russian and American bombs have been dismantled in the
thousands. Unfortunately, much former Soviet nuclear material is
out there, not well guarded and begging to be stolen. And there is
much hatred and antagonism in the air, fostered by terrorists. The
need for total nuclear disarmament is imperative this October.

October 22, 2005 Make a Difference Day

We seek to touch someone out there. On our website we contact
readers from 50 plus countries in an average month and so this is
not directed just to Kentuckians or Americans. But, if one person
who reads this resolves to make a difference, it will be worth it.
So often one finds both in this land and elsewhere that people
exercise a certain rather false humility and say they can't make a
difference through their lives. And so they won't try. Think
about this again; we must believe that we can make a difference.

Time to change. First, there's always time to make a
difference. Someone is out there, whether a neighbor in the next
apartment, prison cell, hospital room, or farmstead, who could be
encouraged, listened to, or loved -- and the one to do it is
reading this. We each can make a difference through our lives and
can do so with a little effort, attention and love.

Big or little things? Some say the world will only be better
if we take on major social or political issues. That is not
totally true, for many good small issues do mount up to big ones as
Theresa of Lisieux showed us in her life and writings. Small
issues make a difference. Danny Green came to Kentucky and started
the small David School in Floyd County mainly for troubled kids and
drop-outs. It became a great success though always remaining small
-- one of the thousand points of light. On the other side of the
coin, if we don't concentrate but immerse ourselves in too many
small issues, we could miss the big ones. Much depends on focus.

Little things become big ones. For every composer,
philosopher, general, or artist who determined to do great things
well, there were millions who cared for the elderly, taught classes
or tended a garden well and generally went unnoticed. But they
made a difference. I find it difficult to counsel those who are
bed-ridden with little hope of recovery. But the fact is they are
part of one communion of the People of God who suffer, and no
suffering is in vain, provided it is accepted and offered, not
rejected and cursed. A person who offers the suffering endured
during this day for another who needs God's help is participating
in the total communion and filling up what is wanting in the
sufferings of Christ. This person is making a difference in a very
significant manner. When the final accounting is done, we may be
quite surprised to meet those who really did make a difference, not
just those who have an overly inflated opinion of their actions.

A final point. We are not called by God to do the same thing
in making a difference as the next person. Our temperament and
prompting are quite different. While we should not have an
inflated opinion of what we do, we still must want to make that
difference whether on the individual, political, cultural,
educational, social or spiritual level. The desire to make a
difference colors what we do. Our hope is that we know the
difference between doing too little and pretending to do more than
we can. Being honest about difference is the hard part.

October 23, 2005 LOVE: THE UNFINISHED HOMILY

Listen Israel, Yahweh our God is the one Yahweh. You shall
love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with
all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6: 4-5)

What does it mean to love God? Millions of words are spoken,
or written, or sung about love, and yet only those who perform
deeds show what it means to love -- to give up one's life for
another. We crave to be like others who break out of the prison of
self-love, and to go beyond. That is what we are all called to do
-- like the infinite flight of a bird. We may want to fly, be
captivated by hang gliding, think the moments of rappelling were
times of supreme acts of freedom, enjoy watching a skipping child,
or lose our breath following a scooter in mid air. Freedom that
goes beyond self is an openness to love. If I love myself with my
whole heart and soul, nothing is left over. To break loose like a
bird in flight we leave our selfishness and find God who is love.
We participate in the infinite Love, and our flight quickly takes
us beyond self. We become God's chosen people.

The Second Commandment: Love of Neighbor. In Leviticus we
find "You must love your neighbor as yourself." The Shema or
prayer of hearing follows immediately after the Ten Commandments.
The second passage that Jesus relates to love of God is taken from
the "Holiness code" in Leviticus -- the collection of the
principles on how to be holy. The two commands are coupled
because love of God is not genuine unless shown in love of
neighbor, while love of neighbor is not genuine unless we recognize
the source as love of God. The infinite ocean of love now takes
concrete form. Certainly the motivation to love one's neighbor
springs from love of God, and the test of authenticity of love of
God is found in love of neighbor. By loving our neighbor our love
of God is increased; in those we see we find the God we cannot see.

We hear it said, "I love everyone but dislike some."
Americans of World War Two vintage disliked or even hated Nips and
Krauts. At other times there developed a group dislike for certain
radical Moslems, followers of Castro, or someone else. Where did
dislike end, and hatred begin? Jesus says, "Love as I love you."
The Good Samaritan parable in St. Luke's Gospel tells us in Jesus's
manner of storytelling who our neighbor is, and something about
loving others. We are not to have enemies and friends, avoiding
one and lavishing our attention on another. We respond, but we
hesitate to treat all people as equal. Today the Internet,
television and radio bring neighbors from the other side of the
globe into our own living room -- a truly global phenomenon. This
raises our level of responsibility higher and impels us to see and
do something about our suffering neighbors.

We can learn from Mother Teresa, who saw urgent need and
responded immediately -- thus expanding what it means to be
universal. Our quest for love is our adventure into finding God in
the infinite space where we are flying, flying, freely flying.

Today we will begin the first installment of a three-day series on the Energy Star program,
established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992. This program
is a voluntary, market-based partnership to conserve energy and reduce air
pollution. With the assistance of the U.S. Department of Energy, the
"Energy Star" label is a feature of more than 40 types of products.

(1.) Change a light. Lighting can make up nearly 20 percent of your household energy
use. Don't sit in the dark, but whenever possible, remember to turn lights off
when not in use, and replace high-use, standard incandescent bulbs with
energy-efficient bulbs that have earned the ENERGY STAR. ENERGY STAR qualified
light fixtures and bulbs use 2/3 less energy than traditional lighting and last
up to 10 times longer. By replacing just five of your home's most frequently
used fixtures or the light bulbs in them with energy-efficient lighting, you
can save more than $60 each year in energy costs.

(2.) Tighten up your home. This is one of the most cost effective ways to improve
your home's comfort and reduce energy costs. Hidden gaps and cracks in a home
can add up to as much airflow as an open window and cause your heating and
cooling system to work harder and use more energy. Seal all these leaks with
caulk, spray foam, and weather stripping. Next, inspect your attic, to be sure
it's properly insulated - it's the easiest place to add insulation and make a
big impact on energy bills. Together, sealing air leaks and adding insulation
can reduce your annual energy bill by 10 percent and improve comfort. Many of
these steps are easy to do yourself, or you can hire a professional contractor
to help. For details on how to do it yourself, get the ENERGY STAR Home
Sealing DIY Guide. Finally, keep your fireplace damper closed,
unless a fire is going.

(3.) Adjust your thermostat and turn up the savings. Heating and air conditioning
account for up to 50 percent of household energy bills. Set your thermostat as
low as is comfortable for winter heating and as high as comfortable when air
conditioning. When used properly, a programmable thermostat with
4-temperature settings can save you $100 each year on energy costs. You can set
an ENERGY STAR qualified programmable thermostats to automatically adjust your
home's temperature when you're at home, asleep, or away for the day or an
entire weekend.

(4.) Remember your ceiling fan. Use your ceiling fan to not only keep you
comfortable but also to allow you to adjust your thermostat for more energy
savings, especially in the summer months. When buying a new ceiling fan,
consider purchasing an energy-efficient model. An ENERGY STAR qualified ceiling
fan comes with optimized fan blades and motor and those with lighting use up to
50 percent less energy than standard models. Always turn off your ceiling fan
when you leave the room, just as you do your lights. Remember that a ceiling
fan only cools you, not a room, by using a "wind-chill effect." In the winter,
reverse the spin of the fan (most fans have a small switch) and set it on the
slowest speed to help send warm air down to the living area.

(5.) Keep your air filters clean. Regularly clean or replace air filters in your
home's heating and cooling system. This simple change - done monthly or every 3
months (depending on filter type) - will help lower energy bills and maintain
better indoor air quality. Have your heating system checked in the fall and
your cooling equipment checked in the spring by a licensed and insured
contractor to keep your system performing efficiently and safely.

Today we will feature the second installment of a three-day series on the Energy Star program,
established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992. This program
is a voluntary, market-based partnership to conserve energy and reduce air
pollution. With the assistance of the U.S. Department of Energy, the
"Energy Star" label is a feature of more than 40 types of products.

(6.) Consider an A/C upgrade. If your air conditioning system is more then 10 years
old, consider an upgrade. Air conditioning accounts for nearly half of your
summer energy bills. Ask for ENERGY STAR qualified models to get the highest
efficiency. Make sure your contractor properly sizes and installs your new air
conditioner. Improper sizing and installation can significantly reduce the
performance of your new equipment. Your licensed contractor should use a
calculation tool such as Manual J or other similar tool to assess the proper
size.

(7.) Tighten Your Ducts. If you have a forced air furnace, heat pump, or central air
conditioner, then a duct system is responsible for circulating "conditioned"
air throughout your home. Leaky ducts can reduce your system's overall
efficiency by as much as 20 percent and deliver more comfort where you want it.
Sealing your ducts can save up to $140 annually on energy bills, help you
consistently heat or cool every room and also improve indoor air quality. It is
especially important to seal and insulate ducts that are in the attic or
crawlspace.

(8.) Keep out of hot water. Set your hot water temperature at the "normal" setting -
no higher than 120 degrees F. This can cut your water heating costs by 11
percent. Second, if your water heater is pretty old, make a quick trip to the
hardware store or home improvement center for a hot water insulation kit to
wrap your water heater and save even more on water heating costs. (New water
heaters are better insulated, so may not require an insulation kit). Third,
place pipe insulation on the hot water pipe that carries the heated water from
the water heater - especially in cold basements or closets.

(9.) Load it up. Wait until you have a full load to run your clothes washer, dryer
or dishwasher in order to use less energy. Use the energy saver feature on your
dishwasher, and skip the heat dry cycle. If you're trying to do your part to
prevent brownouts/blackouts or reduce energy demand in your area, it's best to
run these appliances during off-peak hours, in the morning or evening.

(10.) Out with the old. Refrigerators use more energy than any other appliance in
your home. If your refrigerator is 10 years old or older, it may be time for a
replacement. A new ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator uses less than half the
energy of a 10-year-old conventional model. Get rid of the old fridge idling
in your basement or garage; it probably uses more energy than any other
appliance in your home, and is wasting you money.

Today we will feature the third installment of a three-day series on the Energy Star program,
established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992. This program
is a voluntary, market-based partnership to conserve energy and reduce air
pollution. With the assistance of the U.S. Department of Energy, the
"Energy Star" label is a feature of more than 40 types of products.

(11.) Look for the ENERGY STAR on new appliances. Always ask for ENERGY STAR on
refrigerators, clothes washers, room air conditioners, dehumidifiers, and other
appliances when replacing or remodeling. Check with your local utility or use
our Special Offers Finder to see if any product incentives or rebates are available
in your local area.

(12.) Let the Sunshine In/Keep the Sunshine Out. In the winter, open your window
shades and drapes to let the natural warmth of the sun in during the day. At
night, close them again to help insulate your windows against heat loss. In the
summer, close shades and drapes and consider adding awnings or heat-blocking
window film to keep out the sun and reduce the work your air conditioner has to
do.

(13.) Power down computers and electronics products. A common misperception is that
computers and other electronics use small amounts of energy. In fact, they
account for an increasing energy load in most homes, and often draw power even
when switched off. To save energy with laptops, computers, printers, wireless
routers, and other electronics, use a power strip that can be turned off when
you're done using them, or at bedtime. Unplug battery chargers and power
adapters when they are finished charging, or not in use, otherwise they
continue to drain (unnecessary) energy. Activate your computer's power
management features, so it powers down when sitting idle.

(14.) Get Your Score. Use the Home Energy Yardstick online at www.energystar.gov/yardstick to find out
how your home energy use compares to other homes. You may be surprised. To
get your score you will need to enter some common information about your home
such as age, square footage, number of occupants and energy bill totals for a
consecutive 12-month period (one year). If you don't keep your bills, contact
your utility for a 12-month summary.

(15.) Finally, Drive Wisely. Consolidate trips and errands - several short trips can
use twice as much fuel as one trip covering the same distance, especially in
wintertime. Continue to carpool, ride share and use mass transit whenever
possible. Keep your tires properly inflated and aligned, and your car well
maintained, to improve overall fuel efficiency. When buying a new vehicle, make
a smart choice. Look for energy efficiency, air pollution and greenhouse gas
scores at EPA's Green Vehicle Guide.

October 27, 2005 Getting Outdoors in Shortened Daylight

This coming week daylight saving time ends and we go back to
standard time. As with every year, I hate this setting back the
clock (or advancing an hour in the early spring). Changes expected
next year only mean a longer span of daylight saving time; the
exercise of turning up or back clocks will remain.

With the sharpening wind and the declining sunlight, many of
us are tempted to reduce the amount of time we get outdoors each
day. It is perhaps natural that the human body finds it difficult
to adjust to the change in weather, and doubly difficult finding
daylight on either end of the day to do those physical exercises of
walking or jogging or biking that we found easier in warmer
weather. The only consolation is that the weather is cooler than
during those hot months when exercising in the blazing sun was
dangerous. That is not our problem in October. Just getting out
is an undertaking, but for the sake of health and well being
adjustments must be made. Here are some hints to help:

* Reaffirm the benefits of getting outdoors. Fresh air and
full spectrum sunlight are needed for balanced health. It is
always harder to affirm this in winter than in summer. But these
hints should be extended to others who are quick to omit the daily
outdoor practices;

* Know when it will get dark and adjust to the limited
daylight. Some outdoor exercises (e.g., stationary biking on your
back porch) do not require daylight, but for safety sake most do.
The fact is that other things can be done indoors during these
darkened days. The Lapps are said to hibernate indoors for about
three months of their total darkness. All of us in this portion of
the temperate zone have nine hours of daylight on the shortest
days, so we should make the best of it.

* Rearrange the schedule to do more outdoor exercise on fewer
days and make use of free days. Some of us have afternoon
schedules that do not permit the shortened afternoon to be used.
We could get out most often on Saturday morning or on Sunday
afternoon after church. By making these freer times longer we will
compensate for the loss of the more regularly scheduled summer
exercise period.

* Switch to another activity, if necessary. I prefer jogging
in any season except when it sleets. Some may walk or jog in
lighted places, but I would find that difficult because of my
residential surroundings. I will miss jogging three to four miles
on grass in the park every morning, but will make up for it by some
afternoon and weekend rescheduling.

* Dress warmly and comfortably for the outdoor exercises.
The proper equipment makes the outdoors more inviting. If we start
in the right manner in cooler weather, we can adapt to the
increased layers of clothes. It is all with better health in mind.

October 28, 2005 Choose Snacks Wisely

This is national Pie Day and a perfect time to talk about
snacks -- for what better one is there than a piece of homemade
pie. I confess to eating a cookie while beginning this essay.
Perhaps the fact that my current weight is within my projected
reduction schedule makes this the more tempting. But now I look at
the package and am horrified to see that each of these goodies has
70 calories -- and the pleasure erodes. No more cookies! That
makes it all the more imperative to reaffirm what so many say about
snackers.

We are all aware of obesity problems in our nation and most
importantly within my native state of Kentucky. The couch potato
is generally a snacker. So are those working around food or near
to a refrigerator with food. Snacking is the way some people get
nourishment while avoiding spending time eating. Nutritionists
would have to admit that merely eating larger amounts three times
a day is not the better procedure. Eating more food earlier in the
day and less later is regarded as the best practice, but it does
not have to come with a required number of meals.

Let's avoid the cheesy, sugary, creamy, oily, and overly
salted prepared snacks. Yes, avoid the corn puffs, creamy cup
cakes, cheese dip, potato chips, onion rings, soft drinks, candy
bars, and cookies. Instead, pass over the aisles in the
supermarket devoted to these packages of materials that smell so
good and look so inviting. And that includes moon pies.

You don't have to go cold turkey. Change to some of these
often made suggestions:

* Celery or carrot sticks
* An apple a day or an alternative piece of fruit
* Unsalted crackers
* A slice of melon
* Unsalted popcorn with garlic and chili in place of salt
* Raw broccoli or cucumber slices
* Unsalted peanuts
* A drink of water
* A walk, for that is what may be sufficient.

I had a colleague in the 1970s who would go and drink water
each time the hunger pangs mounted, and that held his weight within
his acceptable limits and seemed to give satisfaction. He said it
was certainly better than a cigarette break.

Having said all this, what about Pie Day? Regard a nice piece
of homemade pie as a special meal, not a snack. Let this be a
special once in a great while celebration unaccompanied by too many
other sweets. Moderation in all things does not mean always
fasting from what you like -- only using it within the constraints
of moderation. What about a piece of pie being a reward for doing
some extra physical labor for a friend.

October 29, 2005 Stock Market Crash

On this day 76 years ago, Black Tuesday, the stock market
crashed in New York. The Dow Jones Index that was at 381 in
September had fallen throughout October and it dipped to a low of
230 (40% loss) on October 29, 1929. It created a dark mood on all
and led to people jumping out windows, a thirty billion dollar
paper loss in stock worth, and four thousand banks closing their
doors. The few still living who took part in those bank runs in
1929 remember the sobering effect of that day. Confidence in the
American economic system was shaken. Following the crash it was
hoped that because of certain banking reforms and stock trading
stoppages such a tragic event would not reoccur. But could it be
a repeated?

Do we have certain ingredients that could add up to loss of
confidence in the American economy? We fiscal conservatives of
whatever stripe think so. In fact, an Associated Press poll of
1,000 adult Americans this past July found that 70% of those polled
were worried about the size of the federal debt either some or a
lot. Several key ingredients of fiscal uncertainty include:

* Federal debt. The United States went from $236 billion
budget surplus in 2000 to a deficit of $412 billion last year. The
three big federal entitlements (Social Security, Medicare, and
Medicaid) come at ever larger price tags requiring increased budget
outlays. A war with little end in sight costs hundreds of billions
of dollars along with increased war casualties and a lack of clear
resolution;

* The credit card mentality. We have reached a general
mentality that it is all right to spend as long as other groups
such as the Chinese government will lend us money. American
imports exceed exports by tens of billions of dollars, continuing
to break records each year. Dependence on outside sources (often
unstable nations) for 60% of our petroleum needs is becoming a
dangerous situation. Only a few decades ago we fretted about an
imbalance of 3.1% of the overall economy. Now the imbalance is
6.5% and seems to be still growing;

* Consumer debt. The individual debts of private citizens
have mounted into the trillions of dollars ($11,497 per person)
exclusive of mortgages due in part to mindless use of credit cards
and failure to spend within reasonable limits. Americans used to
save, but savings have plummeted from 11% savings in the post-World
War II era to nearly zero now. Today about one out of every five
dollars of personal income is used to make debt payments;

* Corporate activities. Failures of financially mismanaged
industrial giants like Enron and threats resulting from massive
liability cases against tobacco, drug and other companies all cast
doubt on the integrity of business giants. We can't go on as we
are and expect a magic ending. The scene may be closer to October,
1929 than we are willing to admit. Is this too pessimistic?

October 30, 2005 Practice What We Preach

In the Gospel passage we read today (Matthew 23: 1-12) Jesus
says to observe all that the Pharisees teach but not to follow
their example. All their works are done to be seen, and they place
heavy burdens on others, while they themselves do not lift a finger
to budge them. They do not do what they preach.

Too much preaching? Preaching is a tricky subject, especially
for those of us who write and encourage other people in some way or
other. Without knowing it we start to preach -- and sometimes what
we preach we may not follow perfectly. However, the admonition to
practice what we preach extends from religious preachers, to
representatives in our Federal government, none of whose children
are in Iraq, or to our representatives at the United Nations, and
to civic, educational and business leaders. In fact, it applies to
parents and their relations to children, and to youth and their
relations to each other. Everybody has to admit that it is so much
easier to preach than to practice, no matter how inspiring or
pertinent is the preaching. But that does not deny the need for
some preaching, especially when all of us need to hear things.

Do I practice? Last Thursday I was asked to say some words
about simple living and how I was inspired to come to such
practices. My inspiration was my parents who practiced what they
preached, living simply, having a relatively small house and few
luxuries, working hard, and furnishing us mostly home grown food.
The harder part was to say I practiced what was preached to me. In
listing ten areas of simplicity I did a self examination and found
myself satisfactory on nine but water conservation is difficult to
attain without a compost toilet.

Is one impelled to preach? It is hard for an American to
preach simple living, especially since it is so important that the
preaching be through deeds and not words. However, as Jeremiah
realized, sometimes we are impelled to speak even when others do
not want to listen. The good of society may demand that we not
remain silent. With such speaking comes the need to purify our
practice so that we prove our point through our example.

More necessary preaching? Some will say, don't preach for we
won't practice. It might be better to preach what must be preached
and hope the practice of others will follow. Too often we expect
people to pay through heavy taxes for services that are not always
perfect and for practices that squander money with few returns. An
example is this current Iraq War. To say we need more taxes is
ridiculous, when far more than enough money is being raised to meet
our legitimate needs. But military expenses have become a massive
burden on our people and the greater part are going not to the
field personnel but to companies producing products that will never
be used in any foreseeable future (e.g., sky war defenses and
outmoded naval and air bases). Few preach thrift today due to the
hypocrisy involved or its unpopularity. But for our total good it
is necessary to preach it.

October 31, 2005 Halloween and Patience

Many of us do not celebrate Halloween; we endure it. Well
that applies to older folks, and to managers and owners of
property, which could be damaged by the trashing that occurs on
some Halloweens in rural parts of Appalachia and elsewhere. "Trick
or treat" takes on a sense of dread. Halloween is also not
celebrated by some strict Christian groups because of its pagan
origins. Communities are making more efforts in recent years to
offer substitutes for the witches, goblins and ghosts of
traditional Halloween.

On the other side of the philosophical divide one finds a
number of people, young and old, who consider this a time to
celebrate, to put on masks and have a ball, to carve pumpkins into
jack-o-lanterns, to decorate halls with black and orange streamers,
and to take children from house to house in safe neighborhoods
hoping for treats. They make a good argument that we have baptized
other pagan feasts occurring at the time of Christmas and Easter.
Why not this one? One reason is that many keep it like pagans.
Whatever the reasoning, the discussion calls for a certain patience
by people not wanting to celebrate, but not stopping those who do.

Halloween is part of the fading glory of October when we turn
from outdoor to indoor activities, from cooling space to heating
space, from light clothing to heavier garments. We await the
dreaded cooling climate as the land seeks its temporary annual
rest. And we need to pause as well and seek greater patience. We
need to see that some enjoy celebrating in ways that others do not
find as entertaining -- and this requires us to go along. In fact,
we need to smile and be hospitable when the celebrating folks come
knocking at the door with their costumes. It is a call to be more
social as the leaves fall and the weather changes. We have become
too habituated to having our own way. Once a year, let's allow
those who enjoy a feast we can not fully comprehend to have their
own way for an evening. Is it asking too much?

--------------------------------

Oh Great Spirit, Who moves across the waters and changed
darkness to light, give us the patience to build community with all
of your creatures and especially with our fellow human beings.
Help us to recognize that not all are at the same place in life's
journey, and many of us lack the patience to really build
community. Allow us to transfer the acquired skills and
experiences -- which are true gifts from You -- to a public forum
for others to hear and understand. Teach us patience while waiting
for seeds to sprout, plants to mature, and neighbors' hearts to
change. Open those hearts and minds, should they resist, hide, or
retreat into their own inner worlds. Teach us to gently prod them
forward and show them that we need their presence in fulfillment of
our own work. Amid rebuffs, help us to remain enthusiastic. Open
our eyes to see that this struggle is a great foreshadowing of a
better world, a New Earth that we help build and await in patience.

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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Food	Portion	Sodium (milligrams)

Smoked herring	3 oz.	5,234
Dried chipped beef	1 oz.	1,219
Cured ham	3 oz.	1,114
Frankfurter	1	639
Dinners:
Reg. chili con carne with beans	1 cup	1,194
Frozen meat loaf	1 dinner	1,304
Canned goulash	8 oz	1,032
Stuffed peppers	8 oz	1,001
Swedish meatballs	8 oz.	1,880
Corned beef hash	1 cup	1,520
Chicken and dumplings	12 oz.	1,506
Frozen chicken dinner	1 dinner	1,153
Fast food chicken dinner	1 portion	2,243
Canned Spanish rice without meat	1 cup	1,370
Tomato sauce	1 cup	1,498
Potatoes au gratin	1 cup	1,095
Vegetable juice cocktail	1 cup	887
Baking soda	1 Tsp.	821
Salt	1 Tsp.	1,938
Onion salt	1 Tsp.	1,620
Garlic salt	1 Tsp.	1,850
Soy sauce	1 Tbsp.	1,029