So last night I watched President Obama's speech regarding the removal of troops from Iraq, signaling the official end of Operation Iraqi Freedom which was begun by President Bush in 2003.
In case you missed it, here's a link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzO9LZzZoOk
I watched it on the White House's YouTube channel and participated in the discussion by submitting questions and voting on other questions. The two questions that I posted were (more or less):
1) The establishment of peace happens not merely in the absence of war, but requires the active promotion of the human flourishing of all. What are we prepared to do to assist Iraq in establishing lasting peace even as we remove our troops from their nation?
2) What is your plan, Mr. President, for establishing more collaboration and positive relationships with Iraq and other nations in the Middle East, and to promote long-term peace in the region?
I was shocked at how many people voted negatively against my questions. I was also shocked by how many questions were about "why are we spending billions abroad when we have people here who are in poverty?" or "Let the Iraqis take care of their own country!"
While "charity begins at home," one also has to recognize that the poor in America often have access to safety nets (resources through social service agencies, charitable organizations, etc.) which do not exist in other nations, especially not in those just recovering from nearly a decade of war. I'm all for taking care of the poor here in the US, but we have to realize that we live in a globalized world. In his encyclical Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, Pope John Paul wrote:
"Solidarity ... is not a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many people, both near and far. On the contrary, it is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good; that is to say, to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all." (#38).
As I grow older I am realizing that it's problematic to have the view that I'm only responsible for what is immediately in front of me. I can go to the store and purchase a cheap t-shirt at a large store and think: "Great! I saved a few bucks!" But what I might not realize is that that shirt that I just bought was produced in a sweat shop by a child laborer. Or the vegetables we eat - may have been harvested by a migrant worker who is not paid a just wage for his or her labor because she is "undocumented." Nearly everything we consume, use, or purchase these days is a product of the global market. How I live my daily live here in the States - might be having an impact on the daily lives of people all over the world.
As cheesy as it sounds, I can't help but think of the song from Disney's Pocahontas - "And we are all connected to each other, in a circle, in a hoop that never ends." Catholic Social Teaching would say that our good - is tied up with the common good of all humanity. If there are people suffering in any part of the globe, our good is not being fully realized.
All of us need to pray for the conversion of heart necessary to recognize the truth that we cannot stop caring about the people and situation of Iraq. Yes, we've invested billions in helping to (hopefully) secure political stability and freedom. Yes, it was a high price to pay that required great sacrifices from us as a nation. But our job isn't - and will never be - finished. Now what the US needs to do is to increase its commitment to providing humanitarian aid and assistance with the economic, cultural, and spiritual development of Iraq. Ultimately, peace is not achieved with weapons but with caritas - love. Our continued commitment to these aims is what will help us secure their good - and ours.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Recently, I've found myself drawn to reflect on the life and witness of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Her 100th birthday is in a few days, on Aug. 26, 2010.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've been thinking about people who travel abroad to do long term service. The first year MDiv that I am paired up with as a 'mentor' just returned from a year of service with the Salesians of St. John Bosco in South Africa. Listening to her stories from her time there, I think she is doing more to mentor me than I am her! She inspires me.
I also recently talked to a student who lived in Cavanaugh last year who just returned from an ISSLP (International Summer Student Learning Program) working with the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta at MT's home for the dying. She said it was an amazing experience and wants to go back!
What struck me - is how much this young woman seems to have changed as a result of her experience. When she left she came across (to me, at least) as a carefree sophomore with far too much bubbly-ness and energy. Talking with her this past week, she still radiated the joy she always did, but I felt that there was a new depth and maturity behind it. She spoke of visiting Mother's tomb daily, and how each day they put a quote of Mother Teresa's there - written out entirely using flowers. She spoke of how some days she would go in to the tomb at times when she was struggling - and that very often the quote would just "hit the nail on the head' for whatever she was struggling with that day. Even from the grave, Mother Teresa spoke to her heart!
Her enthusiasm and zeal was contagious. I walked away from my conversation with this student thinking about whether I would ever consider doing international service - and whether that might be something God wants of me. Wanting some guidance, I remembered that I have this little novena book which has quotes and reflections by Bl. Teresa of Calcutta and decided that I should take a look at it once again.
That evening, I went down to the chapel in our dorm and pulled out the novena book - the words of Mother Teresa, her "thought for day" on the first day of the novena really spoke to me as well:
"Do not search for Jesus in far lands; He is not there. He is close to you; He is in you."
It struck me that I need not go to India or Africa or South America or the Middle East to find Jesus. He is, as St. Augustine would say, "more intimate to me than I am to myself."
The homily for this Sunday (given by a young priest of the Congregation of the Holy Cross) spoke of how God gives us TODAY as a gift, and that God can only be found in the present. We only need to be attentive and we will see Him, experience Him right where we are.
It struck me that my challenge for this year is to live in the moment, to be as present as I can to the present moment, to serve those who are right in front of me, and not to desire to be or to serve somewhere else.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Arabic I Here I Come!
So after about 20 emails, everything is in place. I am officially auditing Arabic I!
One of the residents I work closely with (she's our multicultural commissioner in the dorm!) told me about these two great websites: antimoon.com and alljapaneseallthetime.com. Both of these websites give strategies for language learners to increasing their language learning success.
I've been reading their pages and getting myself very excited about this. I forgot how much I love language learning!
One of the strategies which one of these websites gives is increasing your INPUT (exposure to the language) on a daily basis. They recommend reading a book in the target language for an hour a day, watching TV programs, listening to music in the target language.
This year I haveCable TV in my apartment in the dorm, and had a TV donated to me for use. Though I had cable last year, I didn't have a TV, and I insisted on not going out and buying one - since honestly, having a TV is simply another distraction that frankly I don't need! But - flipping through the channels I've realized that ND's Cable package features a number of foreign-language channels - including one in French, German, and Italian. It's been super fun to watch Italian game shows and catch the tail end of German news programs. Although I don't understand a whole lot all the time, I've found myself being able to understand more and more of it as I watch it more and more frequently. Doing this has given me a renewed interest in learning languages. I think they might even have some Arabic programming, although I'll have to double check.
Someday I hope that I will be able to be fluent in one or more foreign languages, and that I'll be comfortable in communicating with others in a foreign language as I am in my mother tongue.
Wish me luck!
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