Anguish

In Brazil, a nine year old girl was pregnant, due to a suspected case of rape by her stepfather.

The mother of this girl allowed an abortion to be performed. The mother was then excommunicated.

Was excommunication the best choice?

In an alternate universe, I would not have publicized this case...I would have had the mother through the Sacrament confess the abortion, and the little girl receive absolution since she had no way of stopping the abortion and couldn't have made a decision herself either way, and if it is found that the stepfather raped the girl, excommunicate him, because his alleged act is the act that led to the abortion.

Is abortion simply unforgivable period? No one in Brazil can recieve absolution for this after confessing it?

I'm not questioning the overall postion on abortion here...

Just the nature of the response.

Uncomfortable Paths

First, a bit of whimsy from this former Protestant...

On Ash Wednesday, I thought....

How incredibly inefficient! One cannot receive the ashes and the Eucharist at the same time.

I attend a parish with a large sanctuary so more than 700 persons had to receive both (although, to be fair, the lines for the Eucharist were shorter because they had more Eucharistic ministers, and, some of us...myself included as a candidate) are not yet permitted to partake of Communion.

And secondly...

I've made a good friend there, who has asked me to attend a healing service with her...

I'm fairly certain that this will not be the weeping and wailing dog-and-pony show of Protestant Charismatic sects, so at least I'll be spared that.

I'm going because she wants me to go.

But as a person with lifelong disabilities I loathe these things.

Ok.

Theologically speaking, if one believes in God as written in the Old and New Testaments...

One cannot limit God's power to heal. He's God. At any point and at any time he could come down and heal us all tomorow.

He hasn't....and he hasn't set up a glowing neon sign in the heavens explaining why some recieve miracles and some do not.

God does not make junk.

We are *all* "fearfully and wonderfully made."

I refuse to pine and wait for a miracle. There are things to see and do.

There are days I wish one particular impairment out of four gone, yes...

But some others are intrinsic to my person. They make me who I am. If they were "healed" I'd no longer be me.

Also for those with disabilities who *do* see their faith walk as a waiting to be healed or cured....

I feel for them, I do. Because what a profoundly difficult rollercoaster of emotion they must be riding.

God dissapoints them every week until he *does* decide to cure them, or until they die.

I am quietly pleased to have a place to settle my antsy emotions, to calm the race in my head...and a true sense that God *inhabits* that sanctuary...and gives love and mercy to those who come in....

Individually, I also get a strong sense that God loves me, as I exist now. No need for miracles or cures.

And more still, for those with disabilities who are never healed in this life...

There's a *reason* this is so. God has a reason...we may figure out what it is, we may not.

And acceptance of that means one may proceed with life without concerning oneself with miracles.

And hopefully, educate the wider world that we're people first and fine as we are.