midweek
Don't bother clicking on to read about the fifty-foot megalodon shark; it was a school of mackerel.
In our prayers at church last Sunday: Eliza Fletcher, age 34, mother of two and kindergarten teacher at an Episcopal School in Memphis, who was forcibly abducted while out on her morning run. Her body was found and the creature who abducted and murdered her tracked down and arrested: Cleotha Abaston, recently early released from prison for the crime of abduction.
His likely fate: detention without bond, trial, conviction, back to prison for life without parole? There is a sickening imbalance, injustice, unreason, illogic, and contempt for victims and their families, in the values of a society that suffers the continued existence of its monsters. Some acts against other humans are so heinous as to warrant the forfeiture of one's human, legal, and constitutional rights.
It defies reason that those and their institutions who vehemently oppose capital punishment even for such vile creatures stand with equal vehemence on the pro-choice side of the abortion issue. Speaking as myself a member of one of those institutions. Yet the equal paradox that those who favor capital punishment are on the pro-life side of the abortion fight.
What is the place of emotion, feelings, anger, outrage, in such a situation? What does agape command? Agape for whom? WWJD?
We are not far evolved from our crocodilian nature. Is there a place in civilized society for draconian punishment of unspeakable evil? The horrors of justice in Iran and China raise flags about who is to define sin and evil.
But the voice of anguish. Eliza Fletcher could have been any man's daughter. Speaking as the father of beloved daughters, and speaking posthumously for a friend who suffered lifelong agony after the violent loss of a daughter.
Earth keeps turning, the sun continues to shine, and life goes on.
Who knows Wadsworth: "into each life some rain must fall, some days must be dark and dreary." Everything has a story, what's that poem's story? "The Rainy Day"
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Wednesday: a busy morning prepping for loved ones coming Sunday to help begin my birthday week: ten-layer cakes, lemon ice box pies, oysters from Virginia, crab cakes from Baltimore, chicken enchiladas from Cahall's, 7H filled with beloveds. They'll be here just the one day, I mean to be here with them, so don't look for me at church.
Exercising the mind:
> spider solitaire,
> Ernst Jünger's "The Storm of Steel",
> propers for 9 October:
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.
Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
Psalm 66:1-11
1 Be joyful in God, all you lands; * sing the glory of his Name; sing the glory of his praise.
2 Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! * because of your great strength your enemies cringe before you.
3 All the earth bows down before you, * sings to you, sings out your Name."
4 Come now and see the works of God, * how wonderful he is in his doing toward all people.
5 He turned the sea into dry land, so that they went through the water on foot, * and there we rejoiced in him.
6 In his might he rules for ever; his eyes keep watch over the nations; * let no rebel rise up against him.
7 Bless our God, you peoples; * make the voice of his praise to be heard;
8 Who holds our souls in life, * and will not allow our feet to slip.
9 For you, O God, have proved us; * you have tried us just as silver is tried.
10 You brought us into the snare; * you laid heavy burdens upon our backs.
11 You let enemies ride over our heads; we went through fire and water; * but you brought us out into a place of refreshment.
2 Timothy 2:8-15
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David-- that is my gospel, for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. The saying is sure:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he will also deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful--
for he cannot deny himself.
Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.
Luke 17:11-19
On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well."
