Reflection Day

So much has been going on in my life lately that I decided today needed to be a day of reflection. I wrote a fan letter to Wil Wheaton, plan to go to mass, and then I'm going to make the most of the day by reading a mystery novel, and then reading parts of The Science of the Cross by Edith Stein, Sr. Benedicta of the Cross. For those who don't know, Edith Stein was born a Jew, had the misfortune to live in Germany, converted to Catholicism, because a Discalced Carmelite, was taken by the Nazi's from her convent, and died, I think, in Auschwitz.

Isn't that charming? So you might ask what has a saint to do with mystery novels. Don't ask, I'll just tell you.

Mystery help my sense of compassion. While that may seem contradictory, some people avoid mystery novels because the novels arouse compassion within them. Compassion is in short supply, as it always has been. There is some Irish visionary that says the world is in the worst shape it's ever been in...well, on the ecological level I would agree, but if they are referring to people being more violent than in the past, that's just a load of horse manure.

Violence is part of humanity as much as love is part of humanity. I shudder writing that, but somehow I believe it to be true. Were it not, then Zok the caveman wouldn't have picked up a tree limb and cracked open Klug's head like a melon. We think that our violence is under control, but I promise you, if someone breaks into your house and wants to hurt one of your children, you'll find out just how violent you can be without a second thought.

Mystery novels help me to reflect on the nature of violent acts; love, hate, revenge, greed, lust. Wait a minute, did I just state all the reasons we go to war? Now, Edith Stein was a brilliant woman who worked with the philosopher Husserl. The fact that she was Jewish by birth condemned her to death by a very violent regime who believed that all problems could be solved by scapegoating the Jews. My God, does it never end. Our nation scapegoats gays and lesbians, Hispanics, and God help you if you are an African American male!

Maybe I should just end this with a thought. Ahem. "Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you."