Another sad story in the news of someone self-destructing. Another case of a talented, highly intelligent, wealthy person unraveling to the point of choosing suicide. As reported in the news, Reddit co-founder and computer genius Aaron Swartz committed suicide recently in his Brooklyn apartment. He was due to face trial in February for a controversial computer hacking case. His death came exactly two years after his arrest on allegations that he breached a computer network to download millions of pages of documents kept at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). He had pleaded not guilty.
Swartz was remembered as a computer genius who at the age of 13 designed his first website. But apparently he had suffered from depression for many years. Depression must be treated, especially when someone is going through a crisis, otherwise the unthinkable can happen, which is what happened in this case. This should never have happened. He was only 26 years old. He lost hope and hopelessness and despair can be deadly.
When I speak to parents about the value of religious beliefs and the benefits of children and adults having a relationship with God, I tell them the importance of prayer for helping children deal with stress, rejection and uncertainty. In the modern world children are exposed to all kinds of horrific news accounts, tragedies and day to day struggles. A relationship with God, believing God is your best friend and someone you can always count on and turn to, in all situations, is crucial for children and adults, now more than ever.
I have no idea what religion Aaron Swartz was, or if spirituality or religion was important to him but I do know that without a deep relationship with God, life can be arduous and difficult at times, especially when someone is going through a crisis. Life must be lived with hope and the certainty that tomorrow can be better.
Last week I spoke to Catholic parents. I stressed the importance of prayer for children, especially attending Mass (for Catholics it's Mass that's important but for those of other religions, their own rituals are equally important). Parents have to keep the lines of communication open, eating dinner as a family is very important and a simple way to achieve that. Simple things are known to make us happier and I gave them a list of those things.
I'm sorry for the grieving family of Aaron Swartz. May he rest in peace. May they gain comfort from the hope that the soul survives bodily death and he is at peace.
NJA
UPDATED- I read in NY's Newsday (1/22/13) that Aaron Swartz facing "13 felony charges of computer fraud, was offered a plea deal that would have required a prison term of four to six months, but he staunchly rejected any offer that entailed pleading guility to a felony or serving any time." To think he could have struck a plea deal, spent a few months in jail, and put it behind him and yet he chose suicide instead is just so sad.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Friday, January 11, 2013
Thou Shall Not Steal-Bundles of Hay
In case you needed anymore evidence that we are living in strange times comes this news out of the Western United States. According to a New York Times article I read, "Cash for Hay Driving Thieves To Move Bundles," apparently all across the West "ranchers, farmers and county sheriffs are grappling with a new scourge: hay rustling" or the stealing of hay. Sadly, it seems that because of record droughts in the West (2012 was the hottest year in U. S. history) and grass fires, the price of hay, grain and animal feed has hit record levels which has caused some thieves and even desperate farmers to forget that stealing is both a crime and a sin. "It's the economics of the times" said Jack McGrath an under sheriff from Colorado who has seen a rise in hay thefts. Most often these thieves strike during the darkness of night, in remote areas, stealing everything from grapes, beehives, avocados, hay and even agricultural machinery, which is valuable for scrap metal.
What is this world coming to? Even in rural America, agricultural crime is on the rise. Farmers are having to padlock their gates, paint their bales of hay with their brand name, so they can be identified and even going so far as to placing "bugs" on bales of hay to trap thieves and track them down.
The Hebrew Bible as well as the New Testament has a number of verses warning against the negative consequences of stealing. The most famous of course is "Thou shall not steal" the seventh of the Ten Commandments. Pride causes people to think they can get away with stealing, but God says over and over again in the Bible, there are dire consequences to taking what doesn't belong to you.
So when caught what did one thief tell the sheriff who had pulled him over, "Can I take it back?" And the sheriff said, "No!" Well, it's not that easy.....when you break the law, you just can't say, "I'm sorry."
A few more strange effects of global warming and drought-a loss of common sense, dignity and good decent values. The world needs prayer more than ever.
NJA
The seventh commandment forbids unjustly taking or keeping the goods of one's neighbor and wronging him in any way with respect to his goods. It commands justice and charity in the care of earthly goods and the fruits of one's labor. For the sake of the common good it requires respect for the universal destination of goods and respect for the right of private property.
(Catechism of the Catholic Church-2401)
What is this world coming to? Even in rural America, agricultural crime is on the rise. Farmers are having to padlock their gates, paint their bales of hay with their brand name, so they can be identified and even going so far as to placing "bugs" on bales of hay to trap thieves and track them down.
The Hebrew Bible as well as the New Testament has a number of verses warning against the negative consequences of stealing. The most famous of course is "Thou shall not steal" the seventh of the Ten Commandments. Pride causes people to think they can get away with stealing, but God says over and over again in the Bible, there are dire consequences to taking what doesn't belong to you.
So when caught what did one thief tell the sheriff who had pulled him over, "Can I take it back?" And the sheriff said, "No!" Well, it's not that easy.....when you break the law, you just can't say, "I'm sorry."
A few more strange effects of global warming and drought-a loss of common sense, dignity and good decent values. The world needs prayer more than ever.
NJA
The seventh commandment forbids unjustly taking or keeping the goods of one's neighbor and wronging him in any way with respect to his goods. It commands justice and charity in the care of earthly goods and the fruits of one's labor. For the sake of the common good it requires respect for the universal destination of goods and respect for the right of private property.
(Catechism of the Catholic Church-2401)
Saturday, January 5, 2013
The New Year, Writer's Block, Creation and NYC
I'm not really totally sure what writer's block is but I think I have it. I just don't feel motivated to write and I'm not sure why. But write I must. Bear with me.
I was staying up in the mountains for a few days, with my husband, to bring in the New Year. The place where we were staying was at a high elevation in the Catskill Mountain range. At night I could see the universe, so many stars shining brightly. They are the stars we can't see in the city or the suburbs because of the light "pollution." The night sky as viewed from the mountains is a wondrous thing, it was awe-inspiring. How anyone can think that creation, life and our beautiful planet is an accident is beyond me. I'll never understand that. I am inspired by God's magnificent creation and the order, complexity and intricacies of creation "speak" to me of a divine Creator.
Yesterday I was in Manhattan on a day trip with a group of like-minded women who like to explore our city and the surroundings. We went to the New York Public Library, an historic landmark on 5th Avenue. For someone like myself who loves books, it was "heaven." The famous Rose Main Reading Room with its 52 foot high ceiling, beautiful chandeliers, the decorative, gilded ceiling with murals of clouds, and thousands of reference books is something to see. There are so many treasures in New York City, the Main Library is surely one of them.
A favorite part of the weekend for me will be on Sunday morning, when I speak to young children about Epiphany. They love the story, I've done it before. The story of the three wise men, bearing gifts for the baby Jesus, the star that shined brighter than any star, that led them to a great Divine King.... there is so much to capture their religious imaginations and deepen their faith.
And so, seeing their young faces, listening to their responses, which will demonstrate their innocent faith and belief, having them respond to questions about the baby Jesus and the gifts they will bring to Him, that will certainly be the highpoint of my weekend.
NJA
I was staying up in the mountains for a few days, with my husband, to bring in the New Year. The place where we were staying was at a high elevation in the Catskill Mountain range. At night I could see the universe, so many stars shining brightly. They are the stars we can't see in the city or the suburbs because of the light "pollution." The night sky as viewed from the mountains is a wondrous thing, it was awe-inspiring. How anyone can think that creation, life and our beautiful planet is an accident is beyond me. I'll never understand that. I am inspired by God's magnificent creation and the order, complexity and intricacies of creation "speak" to me of a divine Creator.
Yesterday I was in Manhattan on a day trip with a group of like-minded women who like to explore our city and the surroundings. We went to the New York Public Library, an historic landmark on 5th Avenue. For someone like myself who loves books, it was "heaven." The famous Rose Main Reading Room with its 52 foot high ceiling, beautiful chandeliers, the decorative, gilded ceiling with murals of clouds, and thousands of reference books is something to see. There are so many treasures in New York City, the Main Library is surely one of them.
A favorite part of the weekend for me will be on Sunday morning, when I speak to young children about Epiphany. They love the story, I've done it before. The story of the three wise men, bearing gifts for the baby Jesus, the star that shined brighter than any star, that led them to a great Divine King.... there is so much to capture their religious imaginations and deepen their faith.
And so, seeing their young faces, listening to their responses, which will demonstrate their innocent faith and belief, having them respond to questions about the baby Jesus and the gifts they will bring to Him, that will certainly be the highpoint of my weekend.
NJA
Monday, December 24, 2012
Merry Christmas! A Blessed New Year!
I'm getting ready to go to Mass, we will have to arrive 45 minutes early to get a seat today. The rice balls are ready to be fried. This year my cousin is hosting Christmas Eve dinner so it will be less hectic tonight but I've still been cooking for days. Tomorrow I will have company on Christmas Day.
I'm grateful for the beautiful feast of Christmas, for the Savior of the World who made all this possible. The Christ Child brings joy and hope. Certainly the world needs the message He preached of love, forgiveness, God's mercy, healing, prayer, salvation and bringing forth the Kingdom of God. For those who hear the message and respond, they are surely blessed. For those who reject the message, we can only pray that someday they will come to the knowledge and love of God. A relationship with God through prayer is enriching and brings hope, if only all eyes could be opened to that reality.
May you have a blessed Christmas and I pray the New Year will be filled with hope, joy and new beginnings for all. It's been a difficult year for many on the east coast of the U. S. The news has been horrific, but for those who love God, they can go forward knowing many people are praying for them and caring from afar. Hope is essential for a Christian as is sharing compassion and charity.
Merry Christmas!
NJA
I'm grateful for the beautiful feast of Christmas, for the Savior of the World who made all this possible. The Christ Child brings joy and hope. Certainly the world needs the message He preached of love, forgiveness, God's mercy, healing, prayer, salvation and bringing forth the Kingdom of God. For those who hear the message and respond, they are surely blessed. For those who reject the message, we can only pray that someday they will come to the knowledge and love of God. A relationship with God through prayer is enriching and brings hope, if only all eyes could be opened to that reality.
May you have a blessed Christmas and I pray the New Year will be filled with hope, joy and new beginnings for all. It's been a difficult year for many on the east coast of the U. S. The news has been horrific, but for those who love God, they can go forward knowing many people are praying for them and caring from afar. Hope is essential for a Christian as is sharing compassion and charity.
Merry Christmas!
NJA
Monday, December 17, 2012
The Devil's Work in Newtown, Conn.
Once again, the devil is at work, the mark of the evil one is all over the tragedy in Newtown, Conn. Those beautiful children and their educators struck down too young in a horrific mass murder, through gun violence. Advent joy has been stolen from Newtown and from compassionate people everywhere. Too many families will never be the same. So many caring people have been saddened by this tragedy. As President Obama said yesterday at the Interfaith Prayer Service, something has to change. "Can we honestly say we are doing enough to keep our children, all of us, safe from harm?....If we are honest with ourselves, the answer is no...we are not doing enough and we have to change."
Nancy Lanzer the mother of the shooter, was shot by her own son, even though she stood by him his entire life. Though we will never know, what made him snap, I'm sure that he was hearing voices telling him to do what he did or at least suggestions. Why else would he kill the only person who stood by him, as he struggled through life being different and alienated? Why else would he pick on the innocent young children, who he didn't even know. Demons are cunning and for someone with a mental illness or mental challenges, I'm sure devils are able to influence a weak and disturbed mind, in my opinion. (Though people smarter than me, believe the same thing.) Evil is real, evil must be defeated and overcome but for someone who struggled their entire life with a mental disability, unfortunately, horrifically, the demons won this time. Mental illness needs to be studied more, researched more and more money has to be put into programs that help those who suffer from it.
One reporter called St. Rose of Lima Church in Newtown, the bedrock of the community. People filled the Church the night of the killings and afterwards seeking comfort and solace in prayer and within the sacred, peaceful space. There are no answers, these were senseless killings, but let's pray that changes are made in society that stop this from happening again.
Children need quiet time, prayer time and quality family time. In the modern world, everything is happening too fast. Children watch too much violence on TV and in movies, there is too much violence in video games, there is too much rushing around. Children need to relax, to build a relationship with God through prayer and they need to eat dinner with their family, as often as possible and build meaningful communication with family members and friends. Children need to attend religious services or Mass. Prayer is healing and helpful for human beings, at every stage in life. It is essential for children or people with mental illness.
We can do better as President Obama remarked. We must do better. There is so much at stake. I am certain that God weeps too.
NJA
Nancy Lanzer the mother of the shooter, was shot by her own son, even though she stood by him his entire life. Though we will never know, what made him snap, I'm sure that he was hearing voices telling him to do what he did or at least suggestions. Why else would he kill the only person who stood by him, as he struggled through life being different and alienated? Why else would he pick on the innocent young children, who he didn't even know. Demons are cunning and for someone with a mental illness or mental challenges, I'm sure devils are able to influence a weak and disturbed mind, in my opinion. (Though people smarter than me, believe the same thing.) Evil is real, evil must be defeated and overcome but for someone who struggled their entire life with a mental disability, unfortunately, horrifically, the demons won this time. Mental illness needs to be studied more, researched more and more money has to be put into programs that help those who suffer from it.
One reporter called St. Rose of Lima Church in Newtown, the bedrock of the community. People filled the Church the night of the killings and afterwards seeking comfort and solace in prayer and within the sacred, peaceful space. There are no answers, these were senseless killings, but let's pray that changes are made in society that stop this from happening again.
Children need quiet time, prayer time and quality family time. In the modern world, everything is happening too fast. Children watch too much violence on TV and in movies, there is too much violence in video games, there is too much rushing around. Children need to relax, to build a relationship with God through prayer and they need to eat dinner with their family, as often as possible and build meaningful communication with family members and friends. Children need to attend religious services or Mass. Prayer is healing and helpful for human beings, at every stage in life. It is essential for children or people with mental illness.
We can do better as President Obama remarked. We must do better. There is so much at stake. I am certain that God weeps too.
NJA
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Times Square Anti-Christian Billboard Is Sickening
When I saw a photo of the anti-Christian billboard that militant, nasty and disrespectful atheists put up in Times Square, NY it made me sick. How dare they? To put up a picture of Jesus crucified, the Savior, Redeemer, God incarnate for Christians and refer to an historical figure revered by billions with the caption, "Dump the Myth," is beyond low. These are ignorant and cunning people who wish to sow discord. They've pushed the Christian community too far. I'm sure some of the workers, who helped put that controversial billboard up, were probably Christian. I wonder how they felt about what they were doing.
Bill Donohue of the Catholic League should start to collect donations for next year to make sure that a billboard honoring the Nativity and honoring Christ is put up in Times Square.
Bill Donohue, the spokesman for the Catholic League said this, "This year is different. This is vile. When you depict Jesus on the cross with a crown of thorns, this is exploitative. We as Christians never harass, intimidate or insult atheists. But they can't seem to say, 'We simply disagree with you.' They have to insult us."
Well, I'm insulted, outraged and disgusted with these small- minded, arrogant, prideful, anti-Christian people, who have no respect for the sacred or religious beliefs of others.
NJA
My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love you. I ask your pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love you. (Fatima Pardon Prayer)
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/12/12/holiday-message-atheists-dub-jesus-myth-on-times-square-billboard/
Bill Donohue of the Catholic League should start to collect donations for next year to make sure that a billboard honoring the Nativity and honoring Christ is put up in Times Square.
Bill Donohue, the spokesman for the Catholic League said this, "This year is different. This is vile. When you depict Jesus on the cross with a crown of thorns, this is exploitative. We as Christians never harass, intimidate or insult atheists. But they can't seem to say, 'We simply disagree with you.' They have to insult us."
Well, I'm insulted, outraged and disgusted with these small- minded, arrogant, prideful, anti-Christian people, who have no respect for the sacred or religious beliefs of others.
NJA
My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love you. I ask your pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love you. (Fatima Pardon Prayer)
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/12/12/holiday-message-atheists-dub-jesus-myth-on-times-square-billboard/
Saturday, December 8, 2012
End Of The World....NOT!
The world certainly could not end during the Season of Hope-the sacred liturgical season of Advent. Doubt it! Human beings tend to deny death, our own death. Many people live as if they will never die. We are all going to die one day, so in reality the end of the world, our world, the end of our lives on this earth will end one day (hopefully peacefully). This obsession some people have with the world ending with sudden destruction is strange. Unfortunately, for many who lost everything, the apocalypse happened already when Hurricane Sandy came ashore on the northeast coast of the United States. Flooding, historic storm surge, fire, death, destruction, loss of power....that was an apocalypse of sorts for many.
No one knows the day or hour as Jesus said, only God the Father, and God is merciful. Christ will return in glory but not after destruction and chaos, that's not God's way.
An interesting article appeared in Sunday's New York Times, titled, "In Panicky Russia, It's Official: End of the World Is Not Near," by Ellen Barry. Apparently, apocalyptic "fever" has taken hold in parts of Russia. From the article, "For those not schooled in New Age Prophecy, there are rumors the world will end on Dec. 21st, 2012, when a 5,125 year cycle known as the Long Count in the Mayan calendar supposedly comes to a close. Russia, a nation with a penchant for mystical thinking, has taken notice. Last week, Russia's government decided to put an end to the doomsday talk. Its minister of emergency situations said Friday that he has access to 'methods of monitoring what is occurring on the planet Earth' and that he could say with confidence that the world was not going to end in December......"
Well, I agree with that. I can say with confidence that God's mercy and goodness will prevail and that we can count on that.
However, preventive measures will have to be put in place, in case the future holds more violent, unpredictable storms, because of global warming, and that's just common sense.
A Blessed Advent........
NJA
No one knows the day or hour as Jesus said, only God the Father, and God is merciful. Christ will return in glory but not after destruction and chaos, that's not God's way.
An interesting article appeared in Sunday's New York Times, titled, "In Panicky Russia, It's Official: End of the World Is Not Near," by Ellen Barry. Apparently, apocalyptic "fever" has taken hold in parts of Russia. From the article, "For those not schooled in New Age Prophecy, there are rumors the world will end on Dec. 21st, 2012, when a 5,125 year cycle known as the Long Count in the Mayan calendar supposedly comes to a close. Russia, a nation with a penchant for mystical thinking, has taken notice. Last week, Russia's government decided to put an end to the doomsday talk. Its minister of emergency situations said Friday that he has access to 'methods of monitoring what is occurring on the planet Earth' and that he could say with confidence that the world was not going to end in December......"
Well, I agree with that. I can say with confidence that God's mercy and goodness will prevail and that we can count on that.
However, preventive measures will have to be put in place, in case the future holds more violent, unpredictable storms, because of global warming, and that's just common sense.
A Blessed Advent........
NJA
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