I am in the midst of watching Ken Burn’s documentary on “The National Parks.” I have been struck by the struggles that took place to secure these national treasures in the hands of the public’s government, protecting them from the private entrepreneurs who sought to exploit them for personal gain (as happened with Niagra Falls – the guady exploitation of which helped Congress realize that they shouldn’t allow a repeat of that travestyl.) The arguments sound eerily familiar to what we hear surrounding the health care debate. That is, when government “interferes” with private enterprise, it is not uncommon to hear the defense of capitalism versus socialism, as though one system is good and the other is bad. That’s just nonsense. We live with both economic philosophies all the time, choosing to apply each one at different times for very compelling reasons. Each one has its place.

My rights and well-being are always worked out in the context of our rights and well-being and vise versa. And we have been slow to realize that “our” is not just confined to the human family, but includes all parts of God’s creation – animate and inanimate. Just as we are called on to speak on our own behalf (it is healthy to stand up for our own well-being), we are also called on to speak out on behalf of the corporate body – humans and the rest of creation included. We people of faith believe this “call” is given us by God as a sacred trust. God has given us the capacity to be wise – to advocate for the well-being of both the “me” and the “we.” If the whole thrives, each part of the whole thrives and vise versa.

I’ ve been out of commission for three months … surgery having thrown me for a little loop.  Just posted some thoughts, but I’m out of practice and posted it under a new “page” instead of a new “post,” I think. I’m going to try to remedy this and get it where it belongs. (Success!! I celebrate any time I manage to fix something in the electronic world – usually problems of my own doing.)”