Aisling on Earth

                                                          Labor Day 2026.                                           

       " Labor is not a mere commodity. Work is the expression of Human Dignity" Pope Leo X 13th.       " The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly  that The Lord of The                                                               Harvest, to send workers into His vineyard." Matthew 9: 38.          "             "The first thing to secure is to save the unfortunate people from the cruelty of men of greed,                                        who use human beings as mere instruments for money"  Pope Leo X 13th.

              " Faced with injustice, inequality, where the human dignity is trampled underfoot, where                             " the fragile are silenced, take a stand. To hope is to take a stand." Pope Leo 14th.                 I am stuck for words. Yet, there is a flood of words, backed up, waiting to be be released. Floods, are required for growth, and production.  Floods, are also destructive. Our home is being visited with floods, that are so difficult to observe, as instruments of destruction. Today it is sometimes very difficult, on the internet, to distinguish between actual destructive flood waters, and what is the creation of technology. I do not envision the following to be harsh, but harsh words are indeed necessary for the True Gospel of Justice can be preached, and here written, about. I am not speaking, writing from a dearth of knowledge. I have been blessed to share in the lives of some of the most vulnerable, namely the agricultural field workers. I was involved with a, " green onion strike," back in the mid 1970. What a challenge that was. Being hit with the concerns of both sides, with the Social Gospel as the ultimate authority. That Gospel of Life, was so difficult for some to understand, and accept as the true rule to be, faith-fully followed. A long time friend and I found ourselves on opposite sides. This happens when there is a commitment to, Gospel Social teachings. 

    One of my greatest privileges as a priest was to celebrate mass, for the undocumented field workers. The Eucharist was celebrated in some fancy church, or in any church for that matter. Most Sunday afternoons it was celebrated under the same orange trees that they picked fruit from, and slept in. Not under, IN. Yes, you read right, IN the trees.The trees were their homes. Their place of community, care, and aid. The altar was a barrel, turned upside down. Those barrel altars are still vivid in my minds eye. Sharing Eucharist with that church, with those men, who took THE RISK of gathering to be The Body of Christ, and receive Christs Body sacramentally,  truly radicalizes a person. There was one eye on the barrel altar, and another on the sky. Why ? They never knew when an immigration helicopter would come searching for them.  What risk would you be prepared to make to attend Sunday Mass?  If loss of lively hood, was at stake would you risk going to mass ? Research on how the growers used to call in the immigration to do their devilish work, when it came time for the workers to be paid ??????

Such were and are the lives of those actual members of The Crucified Christ, as He continues to be exploited and dehumanized.  These are the ones who are demonized, so politicians will have raw meat for their supporters. Our sisters and brothers innate dignity, as human beings is being denied, and then trampled on. All for what end ? While you pick your vegetables reflect on Who it is that were the original harvesters ?  Yes, come to believe it was your sisters and brothers, your Christic Presences !!!!! Yes, these the original pickers are your brothers and sisters, as all, make up The Body of Christ. Can the dignity of being a sacramental Presence be denied ? All are the continuous incarnation of The Mysterious, Presence. YES !all are the bodies through which, The Incarnation continues to be a living, lived Reality.I hope this will trigger the necessary motivation for you, " to take a stand ". Be informed, I beg you !!!!!   Indifference and complacency are two of the attitudes that enables this crucifixion to continue. Self-righteousness leads to destructions, untold. 

      For now, only for now, or as long as we have the necessary water, the harvest is plentiful. The global weather patterns are changing so must our planning. Our present powers that be seems to be blissfully ignorant of the inherent challenges that must be addressed. They are ignoring the pleadings of the scientists, and of the two recent Popes. The Holy Spirit has given us Pope Francis and Leo who both assumed the mantle of prophets, in the biblical sense. They both have spoken and now Pope Leo is a true worthy prophet for our times. The prophetic Papacy of Francis, began the call for the in-depth changes for the Catholic Church to be an authentic prophetic voice. A voice that spoke truth to power. Francis the began the return to the seeds sewn by The Holy Spirit, in the documents of  The Second Vatican Council, under the shepherding of St. John, XX 3rd. I was coming to the end of my formation in the seminary. Later like all seminaries to be called " the home for expectant fathers." On hindsight there was more truth, than poetry in those words, agree? Then I began to live the changes in the following tumultuous  years. The changes were opposed vociferously then. The war against change is our contemporary sad experience. The Holy Spirit being The Spirit of Truth cannot guide the church into error. 

  Pope Francis, a gift from The South American Church, of necessity came with a different understanding of catholicity.  Liberation Theology has an innate power to provide different lenses through which the poor, the exploited, the marginalized are seen. The Paschal Mystery anchors the foundational beliefs. Mercy was his calling card. Not for those who had the necessary money, but for all. "Tutti, tutti" was his mantra.He reintroduced to The Prodigal Father, whose mercy never fails. It is in infinite supply, naturally for those who do not loose faith and confidence in mercy's infiniteness. His great words of encouragement, " The Father NEVER tires of offering mercy. It is us the rebellious and resentful children that tire of asking. Sad to say, religiosity and binary thinking contributed to the "tireing", of many. The qualities of mercy-full, love can be found in past blogs.

 Having The Holy Year of Mercy was intended to bolster the sagging belief in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, not obliteration (Rohr). Synodality was introduced, as a way of sharing the power of decision making. Boy !! did that ruffle more than a few feathers of the churches ostriches.  Now add women to places of authority at the the highest levels at the Vatican. Sad to write this shame-full truth the infighting has been furious and nasty. Change, of necessity is always opposed, especially by all those who are unwilling to let go of their fear of losing power. What prophetic letters he wrote." Laudato Si " was a voice of change. Change essential for the survival of the human race. The earth existed before the evolution of the human race. It will have existence after our disappearance. There have been five previous extinctions. Yet evolution continued. The lasting image of Pope Francis, " The church is a field hospital, next to the battle." We are called to be "wounded healers" not continue as "wounded, wounderers". ( Nowen) 

     Pope Leo X 14th is also a product of The South American Theology.  Born in America, but in his adult years was exposed to the positive dynamic presence of Liberation Theology. He was appointed bishop of one of the most deprived, drastically poor Dioceses. He shepherded That poor, deprived, exploited, Body of Christ. That experience has lead him to be contemporary, "voice of the voiceless". He speaks Gospel Truths to confront and confound the purveyors of deceit-fillled half truths, and in so many instances, downright, lies. He definitely is the shepherd our church and greater community aches for. He challenges the waging of an unjust, and unlawful war. He is The Good Shepherd who is to be found in event the outskirts of The Sheepfold. No person or place is beyond his pastoral outreach. Yet he finds opposition within the catholic community. He is not enjoying the unwavering support of those obligated to support the chosen one, gifted us, by the Holy Spirit.                                 " Holy Spirit awaken us to Your living, and active Presence, in the tabernacle of our depths. We need Your promptings, to encourage us to take the necessary steps, required, so all may live in a more just and peace-filled, cosmic community. Open our eyes so will not be blinded by false promises, and deceit-filled practices. Yes !! " the Truth will set us free". Freedom comes to us at a cost. Strengthen, then, our resolve so we may not weaken, be sidetracked by the comfort promised by lies. The Father of Lies is a powerful presence. Your Presence, Oh ! Spirit of Truth, will lead us to all truths. I believe, strengthen, Joe, in the areas of his, disbeliefs. In all truth, they are so, many. Help !!!"  Amen.