The world in which we live

     The German philosopher Leibnitz has called this "the best of all possible worlds." I will not attempt to address the question of multiple universes that some physicists are postulating today. Yet we do know this world in which we are living at present is not perfect. Far from it! When God created it, however, he declared that it was "good."  But the daily killings in Libya and elsewhere testify loudly to the contrary that ours is a very broken world. As you may know, many Christians attribute this brokenness to the Fall. In spite of its brokenness, however, it is the only world we have. It's the best we have got for moment, at least until God restores it. Here is where we now live and where God is calling us to love him and our neighbor.

     As in recent developments in the Middle East, we must see the light of renewal and change breaking through the gloom that seems to dominate this world. This light is still faint, perhaps; moreover, it requires the eyes of faith in order to see it. But this light is real and a portent of greater things still to come. It is appropriate that, at least in the northern hemisphere, spring has now broken. For Christians, in addition, Easter is just around the corner. Christ's resurrection assures us that not only will we experience that resurrection in our bodies but the whole world will one day be renewed. It will be resurrected, as it were.
     This is how I see these developments in the Mediterranean world. Very clearly they are not that final renewal, but they do contain the seeds of a restored world that will become evident some day. They are signs that are there to comfort us as well as assure us that this world does not belong to the Evil One but only to the one God who created each and everyone of us and who is restoring it. We are all human beings. This is one thing that unites all of us. Since this is the only world there is, we must, therefore, learn to share it and live in peace with each other. This is not easy, but such attempts are also tiny portents of what is to come.
     Although my focus is especially on religion, this blog will deal with the problems that we are facing in this world today. In this "global village" in which we live, where we deluged with news, often of a catastrophic nature, as the triple whammy that hit Japan: first an earthquake, then a tsunami, and finally major radiation problems that are still not over. What a litany! How should we address this triple whammy? I will leave that to a future posting.
     I am writing this blog as a Christian to Christians, but not only for them. Thus I invite those who are not Christians to look over my shoulder and to respond as well to what I am saying here. Yet I want to issue the standard disclaimer that these are my personal remarks and thus should not be attributed to other Christians, especially those who do not agree with everything that I am writing. Please comment, therefore, with these remarks in mind.
     You don't have to read each of these postings, but they are listed in order, with the latest first. To select another posting please scroll through the blog archive. Enjoy.