One of my chickens died last night, the first loss except for the one who ended up in the Fox's tummy as a teenager. We don't know why Bonnie died, perhaps she was egg bound. Whatever the cause, I'll really miss her. I posted this on my Grandma blog today.
How can people kill babies? I think of Jim, the retired postman, who was a deathscort at the killing center where I sidewalk counseled for so many years. He loved his dog, Pumpkin, but championed child killing. He often told me that abortion just sent the babies back to God, so He could send them to someone who wanted them. I often urged him to think of the babies as puppies, since dogs meant more to him than tiny human souls.
Jim’s gone now…I wonder to where. Think I’ll pray for him today. Despite his evil philosophy, I liked him. Poor, stupid Jim. So sad. I don’t want anyone to go to hell.
Chickens have a reputation for being dumb clucks. And sometimes we see evidence of it when they can't find their way out of the coop, for example. But actually, they have memories and can learn. When they see me coming with a treat they sprint down the hill to be first in line for the goodies. They have their favorite spots in the yard where they return every day. Animals follow God's plan for them. They have no malice or hatred. They live according to their instincts. Their reason may be limited, but they can bring much joy to their human keepers.
Humans are different. We can reason. We can know from the natural law that murdering the innocent is wrong. There's no excuse for acting like brute predators killing by instinct. And, yet, some people do. God loves them and made them for something better. Some will find the better and convert like Mary Magdalene, St. Augustine, Bernard Nathanson, Abby Johnson, and others. Some will stay on their evil path until they end up at the abyss. I want to imitate little Jacinta who had a heart for "poor sinners." And so I'm praying for Jim today. I hope he didn't go to hell. That would make him the dumbest cluck of all.
"...abortion just sent the babies back to God, so He could send them to someone who wanted them." Well, that is the logical conclusion of Pope Benedict's denial of the comforting theological speculation of Limbo. If aborted babies go to Heaven, then Planned Parenthood has been responsible for millions of people's salvation, children who very likely would not have saved their souls if they had not been murdered by their parents.
ReplyDeleteAnd a deceased chicken story. Seven years ago, our five-year-old granddaughter was distraught when one of the family's chickens, Teriyaki, died. She told her mother, my daughter, "All we can do is pray for Teriyaki now, right Mommy?" A child's growing understanding of the Faith, still confused, but sweet...and funny.