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About The Georgia bulletin (Atlanta) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 18, 1983)
PAGE 5—The Georgia Bulletin, August 18,1983 Paul Karnowski Word This Weekend 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (C) Isaiah 66: 18-21 Luke 13: 22-30 Hebrew 12: 5-7,11-13 August 21,1983 It sometimes happens with sale items that are priced exceptionally low, but it almost always happens with items that are to be given away. “FREE”, an advertisement will proclaim in large bold type. When it does, odds are we will find a small line of disclaimer type; it will say “limited quantities” or “while supplies last.” As consumers, we greet the word “free” with a healthy skepticism. But sometimes we take our skepticism with us when we read the scriptures. In today’s first reading from the book of Isaiah, we raise an eyebrow of doubt at the opening line. God says, “I come to gather nations of every language.” It seems that the prophet envisions a day when all men and women will worship in Jerusalem. All nations will become one under God’s domain. It sounds a little far-fetched, a little too good to be true. When we get to today’s gospel, we think we have found the disclaimer we were looking for. When someone asks Jesus if only a few will be saved, He says that we should strive to enter through the narrow door. He implies that only a few will be saved. The Lord warns us to be on our toes, warning us not to be “too late”, lest we are locked outside. The two readings seem to parallel the parts of a giveaway advertisement. In the first reading we are told that all will be welcomed into God’s kingdom. And in the gospel we get the disclaimer. Only a few will be admitted. However, if we interpret today’s readings in this fashion, we miss the point. Both readings address the issue of our presumption. Like the Israelites before us, we often make assumptions about the likelihood of our salvation. After all, we are baptized, believing members of a “chosen people.” And we think the odds are pretty good. Isaish and Jesus try to counteract our attitudes, even if they use different methods. Isaiah diminishes the exclusiveness of salvation by emphasizing the number of those who are to be saved outside the faith. And the Lord reminds us that just because we have the faith there is no guarantee that we will be saved. When it comes to admission tickets for salvation, we need not worry about a short supply or “limited quantities.” We need only worry if we presume that we need no ticket. 3 Cnterffirougfi ffie narrow door 21st SUNDAY OF THE YEAR AUGUST 21, 1983 Let us follow that vocation by which we are called from life to the fountain of life. Christ is the fountain, not only of living water, but of eternal life. He is the fountain of light and spiritual illumi nation; for from him comes all these things: wis dom, life and eternal light .... Let us seek the fountain of light and life and the living water by dispising what we see, by leaving the world and by dwelling in the highest heavens. From an instruction by St. Columban, abbot Dolores Curran This Little Electronic Light Of Mine I get a lot of anonymous mail in my line of work. Much of it comes from religious idealogues trying to save me or from movements, groups and individuals wanting publicity. But every so often someone sends me an article or a gem that is so tantalizing, so outrageous or so ludicrous that it begs for a column. Without quite knowing why, I am succumbing to this one. An anonymous pastor sent me a brochure he received on which he wrote, “Surely there’s a column in here somewhere.” It came from an electronics firm that describes itself as, “Designers and manufacturers of electronic votive lights.” True, I swear it. And it gets better - or wonse, depending upon your viewpoint. Under a full color photo of the Sacred Heart of Jesus statue with outstretched arms framing a brace of votive lights is this message, “Electronic vigil lights are a most traditional way for worshipers to express their devotion due to our electronically induced, pulsating light resembling the actual flame of a burning candle.” Is nothing sacred anymore, as we’ve come to hear so Father Gerald Peterson "COPS" Out To Stop Paraquat often since Vatican II? Inside, the pitch goes on. “Safety: Fire risk and fear of fire from burning candles are totally eliminated, resulting in peace of mind and substantially lower insurance rates. “Cleaning: No more carbon deposits on walls and ceilings. No more dripping wax on floors and chapels. Time previously spent for tedious cleaning can be put to far better use. “Profit: Electronic vigil lights are highly profitable and pay for themselves within a few short months. Stop the combat with ever increasing candle prices and worries about storage space.” Finally, for those worried about getting their candle’s worth, the manufacturers proclaim, “Our electronic vigil lights are available in various colors and can be programmed to burn anywhere from 60 minutes to ,7 days. Each unit has a built-in memory and candles shut off electronically in the same sequence they were lit.” Ah, the wonders of a computerized society. Put in our quarter, say our prayer, and get a flicker without smoke, wax or fear of getting a bum candle. As long as the electricity stays on, we’re okay. Why do I want to laugh and cry at the same time? Please don’t write me for the address to obtain this abomination. Electronic bingo is one thing, but vigil lights? It’s only a short step to electronic choir music (cheaper, louder and immensely easier to accomplish), to taped homilies, to recycled holy water in fonts, to flashing lights on pews with room for one more and to Mastercarded collection baskets. The possibilities are endless. On Sunday, August 14, over 400 residents of the north Georgia mountains met in Sautee Presbyterian Church near Helen. They organized themselves and came up with their colorful name, “The North Georgia COPS” (Citizens Opposed to Paraquat Spraying). They are protesting the spraying that took place over several mountain acres on Friday, August 12. And they vow to prevent any future spraying of paraquat even if it means impounding federal helicopters. I join them in their efforts. Apparently the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has decided to use the controversial -- and extremely toxic - herbicide paraquat to destroy illegal marijuana crops on government-owned lands in Georgia. It should not. As stated in a fine editorial in The Gainesville Times of Sunday, August 14: “Granted, paraquat is an effective, quick-acting and cheap tool in the fight against illicit drugs; it destroys marijuana plants within three days of application. But the herbicide is so toxic that when it is ingested by humans, it can cause serious disability or death within a few hours. It attacks the lungs and the damage it does is irreversible.” On July 26 and 27, I spent two days hiking 30 miles in those mountains now sprayed with such a i toxic herbicide. At the time, I felt perfectly safe eating the blueberries growing wild along the trail and drinking the spring water flowing down the mountains. But this kind of governmental action causes me to wonder whether our mountain water is safe. Folks in Atlanta and all of Georgia should be disturbed over the paraquat spraying in the mountains because what happens to these mountains of north Georgia affects the water supply in Atlanta through the Chattahoochee River and on further south. One of the reasons given for spraying marijuana patches with paraquat, as I understand it, is that the federal government wants to impress on countries like Colombia and Jamaica that it is perfectly safe to use paraquat to stop the production of marijuana. Paraquat has been used on marijuana crops for years in Mexico, and the fields are supposedly guarded after they are sprayed. Yet we still get a lot of paraquat-laden marijuana in this country. In fact, the U.S. Center for Disease Control estimated that between 1975 and 1979, more than 9,000 Americans were exposed, annually, to paraquat which had been sprayed on Mexican marijuana, (cf. The Gainesville Times, editorial August 14,1983.) In 1979 the U.S. Congress suspended its support for the Mexican spraying program because health questions were raised. I’m not against a manufacturer trying to get a share of the church market but do we want a church of muzak and flickering lights? We can get those at a disco or McDonald’s. We escape these for a church rich in sensuality. I want my senses touched with the odor of candles and incense, the beauty of art, the sound of rich liturgical music from live voices and the closeness of community. Progress may be inevitable but so is tradition. I don’t want a church frozen in the middle ages. Beeswax candles and pure linen altar cloths sensibly gave way to non-drip and polyester. Computerized collection envelopes don’t disrupt my liturgical experience. But I’ll fight electronic vigil lights and drive-in churches with vigor. And I thank the anonymous pastor who sent me the brochure. He’s right. There was a column in there somewhere. “No one questions the right of the government to control illegal substances, but the tools used for that control should not pose as much - or more - of a potential health hazard than the substances being controlled,” the editorial said. In conclusion let me say I’ve joined the “COPS” (Citizens Opposed to Paraquat Spraying).
