Doomsday Preppers and Survivalists Go Mainstream For Good Reason

There have been many articles in the last couple of years about preppers or survivalists (people who stockpile food, water and other necessities in case of a calamity, the apocalypse or something like that happens) are no longer fringe groups. People from all walks of life, are interested in being prepared. Preppers have gone mainstream and there are millions of them. When I watched what happened in Texas last week and read about it, (such a sad situation of people losing electricity for days in extreme cold and then water problems) it becomes very evident that in the event of a natural disaster or weather related catastrophe, the government cannot mobilize fast enough or deal with the situation adequately. You are on your own for awhile, that seems to be what happened there. So it seems the preppers have been right all along, it's best to be prepared, even if it means just having plenty of canned foods, first aid kits, a portable generator and battery operated heaters on hand. 

I'm not running out to buy any freeze dried food (which can last for 20 years or more) but I am starting to think about how important it is to be prepared for any scenario. If the climate scientists are correct, we are going to be having more violent and unpredictable storms in the future, because of climate change. (Pope Francis has tried to warn us.) 

What does this all have to do with God? Well, God gave us a beautiful creation, but we keep abusing it. That has consequences as Pope Francis has stated in Laudato si. Environmental degradation is causing terrible problems and this will only get worse if we don't turn the situation around. Human beings tend to be stubborn and self-centered. Pride is a deadly sin for good reason. I hope young people will take this seriously enough, to make a difference. 

Maybe a good thing to do this Lent would be to think about what more we can personally do to help the environment. Think about and work towards reducing your carbon footprint. Churches should have that on the agenda too. I have to do the same. And start thinking about what constructive ideas you can take from the preppers, without retreating to a bunker.  

Nancy

According to Genesis, "Be Fruitful and Multiply"- Three Times for Emphasis

 The Church universal has been reading and listening to the Book of Genesis being read at Mass......I also listened to Fr. Mike Schmitz, reading on his podcast, "The Bible In A Year," from the  Book of Genesis. (Fr. Mike's podcast is amazing and I highly recommend it!) It is the first podcast I have listened to everyday! What a great idea!

But getting back to the first book of the Bible, it has struck me that three times in the Book of Genesis, God commands us through God's inspired Word, "Be fruitful and multiply." Be fruitful and multiply-- three times. 

Where do these three demands from God appear? In the first chapter of the Bible, "God created man in his image, in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them saying to them, 'Be fertile and multiply', fill the earth and subdue it.."  (Gen.1:28)

According to the Great Flood story in the Bible, Noah and his family and all the animals were on the open waters in the Ark for 150 days and then on dry land (Mt. Ararat) for another 100 days and then...." God said to Noah, 'Go out of the ark, together with your wife and your sons and your sons' wives. Bring out with you every living thing that is with you-all bodily creatures, be they birds or animals or creeping things of the earth and let them abound on the earth, breeding and multiplying on it." ((Gen.8:17)

In Chapter 35 of the same book, God says to Jacob, "Jacob is your name, but your name shall no longer be Jacob, Israel shall be your name. So he named him Israel. And God said to him: 'I am God almighty- 'Be fruitful and multiply. A nation, indeed an assembly of nations shall stem from you...." (Gen. 35:11)

I never realized until recently that this command was given three times in Genesis.  I find that interesting. It makes me think......

Nancy

I Don't Want To Be Humble

I don't want to be humble, like you 

You're so good!

Chanting that sacred litany on Tik Tok

"O God take away my desire for esteem"

Well what if I want to be esteemed

What if I choose to be consulted

I like admiration and praise

You pray to be saintly and that's virtuous

I don't doubt your goodness or pure intentions

But please don't doubt mine!

NJ Azzaro