When the Homily is about Immunology

The redemptive qualities of Water

I really am feeling ill at the vindictive politcal spin being hammered into the general public these days. The people of the Gulf Coast have become political pawns and EVERYONE is to blame for it. I cannot even watch or listen to the news anymore because it seems all you ever hear are veiled (or not so veiled) accusations of racism and then the damage control spin doctors doing their shifty work. It's sickening that people with political agendas are using this tragedy to advance their cause...I'm at the end of my rope. A pox upon them all, I say.

Too many images of water that kills, destroys and maims...but we need to understand that, don't we? How often have I seen ignorant people float the upper Skykomish River in two innertube-like rafts (one for themselves and another for their cooler of beer) bought from the local drugstore and then when I get down to the end of my drift start looking for the S&R chopper that will no doubt be doing recovery as opposed to rescue.

Water...absolutely neccesary for life (recall that you will die of thirst long before you die of hunger - for afterall you are MOSTLY water) and yet also able to snuff your life out in an instant. It is a powerful theological metaphore and I know of plenty of examples where people have treated water without the respect it deserves and have paid dearly for doing so. (Actually we ALL know of at least one VERY big example of that now don't we?)

But these days we could all use some of the more life-giving images of water and who knows, perhaps it will help me to let go of my bitterness - over 300 new Orthodox Christians in Macedonia:





All else aside...that water looks TOTALLY fishable!