[Announce] A darkness that closes tight around us. . .

[Robert Waldrop]

Thoughts on the vigil of the Dia de los Muertos, AD 2008. . .

Invisibility is a wonderful thing, for politicians, bishops, and others in the aristocracy.

This year they have managed to disappear entire peoples.  Afghans?  Never heard of them.  Iraqis?  Who are they?  American soldiers?  Don't know any.

Since our religious and political aristocrats don't see the people of Afghanistan, Iraq, and our own soldiers as human persons, they just don't see them at all.  Voila!  Millions of inconvenient truths are marginalized into nothingness.  We be the Americans!  We have much more important things to talk about!  Like Justin Timberlake's new jeans, and Paris Hilton's latest shenanigans, and how much money we are going to get if we vote for the right candidate for president. 

Let's not forget to debate endlessly how many nits we can pick out of the English translation of the liturgy and to be especially creative in our how-many-angels-can-dance-on--the-head-of-a-pin theological maunderings so that no one's conscience is ever bothered by our enthusiastic embrace of unjust war.  War these days is no longer war, murder is no longer murder, people are no longer people.  See, everyone is happy except, I suppose, those who are dead and those who knew and loved them and are left behind in sorrow and pain.

Endless rivers of blood may be flowing at the behest of our government, but never let it be said that the people of the United States of America, nor the Catholic Bishops, nor our political and economic aristocracy, let our willing complicity with unjust war trouble us even for a moment. We be the Americans!  It is our right to destroy whoever we want, to wallow in their blood, to rejoice in their slaughter!  We need their oil!  We lust with a perverted psychological thrill for the vicarious televised experience of war and devastation!  Our arms manufactures need money!  Politicians must be elected!  Go away you silly Catholic Workers with your endless talk of justice and mercy and other such utter stupidities.  Get with the Imperial program!

And so it comes to pass that nobody cares for the Afghans, Iraqis, or the American soldiers, except for the ones who love them and a scattered and motley crew of Catholic Workers, a very few bishops and religious leaders of various faiths, the peace churches, and on the secular side the libertarians, anarchists, greens, sectarian political left, permaculturists, and what's left of the peace movement. 

Our liberals and conservatives and centrists have much more interesting battles to worry about. As for the the US Catholic Bishops -- well, they never much cared for our soldiers, or the Iraqis, or the Afghans in the first place. They are undoubtedly relieved that these human persons have been so totally depersonalized and dehumanized that whatever happens to them is of no concern to anyone as high and mighty as e.g. the Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago, or His Excellency the Archbishop of Baltimore, or the Most Reverend Archbishop of Denver.

Here are words,  written long ago, by the Prophet Micah, addressing a corrupt aristocratic priesthood of his own era. They remain timely and speak with great power to the present situation:

"Listen you leaders of Jacob, house of Israel! Is it not your duty to know what is right, you who hate what is good, and love evil? You who tear their skin from them and their flesh from their bones? They eat the flesh of my people and flay their skin from them, and break their bones. They chop them in pieces like flesh in a kettle, and like meat in a caldron. When they cry to the Lord, he shall not answer them, rather shall God hide from them at that time, because of the evil they have done. Hear this, you leaders of the House of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel! You who abhor what is just, and pervert all that is right; who build up Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with wickedness! Your leaders render judgment for a bribe, your priests give decisions for a salary, your prophets divine for money, while you rely on the Lord saying, "Is not the Lord in the midst of us? No evil can come upon us. "

So it comes to pass, in these days of the crash of empire, that the darkness draws tightly about us.  All that is left is faithfulness -- to every day go out and overcome evil with good, to light candles that hold at least a bit of the darkness in abeyance. That and our tears and our sorrow, as we await the judgment of God and history upon the American Empire.

It is said that on the Dia de los Muertos -- the Day of the Dead -- the Veil grows thin and the spirits of those who have died are closer to we the living.  So let those of us who do remember that the people of Iraq, Afghanistan, and our own soldiers are truly human beings, with hopes and desires and fears and strengths and weaknesses and who have people who love them, live with them, and die with them -- open our eyes, ears, hearts, and souls to those who have perished in these evil and unjust wars. Let us be one with God, who hears the cry of the widow and the orphan, and listen to their cry for remembrance and justice. 

Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them.  May their souls, and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, help the helpless, comfort the sorrowful, bring justice to the poor, peace to all nations, and solidarity among all peoples.  Give us strength to stand against the demonic powers which prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Most Holy Lady of Sorrows, we pray for all those who may die this week because of war and economic chaos, especially the children. Prepare them for the agony, despair, and terror of the violence that is upon them. Comfort them and hold them close to the bosom of thy most Immaculate Heart as they drink deeply of the bitter cup which is forced upon them. Wipe their tears, calm their fears, welcome them to peace and safety. Eternal rest grant to them, and may perpetual light shine upon them.

St. Joseph, Patron and Protector of the Poor, Savior of the Savior, Terror to Demons, call all people this day to rise in judgment against the wickedness that brings the violence of war upon the world. Overturn the thrones of tyranny, scatter the unjust, judge the bloody rulers who make the cry of the widow and orphan rise to heaven with the righteous standard of the Gospel of Life. Save our holy mother the Church from the bishops and priests who by their silence and with their material cooperation embrace the culture of death and give comfort and aid to the demons of war. Help us to overcome these grave evils with goodness, beauty, wisdom, love, and grace.

Lord, at your Passion, as Simeon foretold, a sword of sorrow pierced the most sweet soul of the blessed Virgin Mary, your Mother. Grant in your mercy that we who reverently recall her sorrows may reap the blessed fruits of Your Passion. You who are God, living and reigning with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever.

O Christ our God, Lord of Glory, who gave us joy and blessing from your Mother's womb, have mercy on us and save us.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

Amen.


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