Tragedy in Aurora and Oak Creek

Hello my dear reader.

In the middle of the suffering, the confusion, and pain caused by the shootings at Aurora CO, and Oak Creek, WI, we ask ourselves: why? Why do human beings do this to each other?

However among the despair, there are hints of hope. The following is one of those hints of hope, of caring for one another, and of solidarity. Cody Hickman, a survivor of the shooting in Aurora, wrote the following in response to the shared pain in the tragedy of Aurora and Oak Creek:

Friends, my name is Cody Hickman, and I was in theater 8 during the Aurora theater shooting. I am writing this post as a call to action for all of you. All you will be asked to do is repost this message, and help us network some support.

For those who do not yet know, there was a shooting today at a Wisconsin Sikh temple. Lives have been lost, and many have been injured. In the wake of the Aurora Theater Shooting, we all now know what our neighbors in Wisconsin are about the go through. They will need support, and resources...This is a tragedy that many of us now know all too well. There is now a community who will need the same kind of love and support that you have all shown us, for again, I am a survivor of the Aurora shooting, and I am getting better everyday as a result of this effort. So, PLEASE, help us in this. They will need all the help they can get at a time like this.

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Cody's words ring true: there are people in Oak Park who need the same love and support that has been given to the people of Aurora.

I don't have much else to add. So I will simply say take care of yourself and of each other.

peace,

Mario

Bread and wine: reflections from my sermon

Hello my dear reader.

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (Gospel according to St. John 6:35)

What is this bread? How can we get it?
What is this life? How can we have it?
Why are we thirsty?
And what is this hunger?

Bread...life...hunger...thirst.

When you woke up today, were you hungry? Many of us would respond with a 'yes'. I hope that you had something to eat, anything...at the least some bread...

There are many types of hunger. As human beings we all share in the very basic hunger of the body. We need to eat; this is a condition of our existence. And yet, eating for us does not have to be just about basic nourishment. Last Saturday, after spending most of the day meditating, praying, and contemplating on my sermon for the next day, I spent part of evening with friends having bread and wine, talking, joking, etc. This was an example of another hunger: the hunger for friendship and companionship.

We are hungry for many things. And if you my dear reader are a Christian (or not) I believe that what I have been saying so far makes sense to you: that we are hungry. Also, we recognize that there are many types of hunger and it appears that each one requires a different type of food...a different type of bread.

I have much more to say...stay tuned...

peace,

Mario