We came home yesterday to see our Camp Kreitzer sign obliterated by attack using an almost full bottle of sweet tea as the weapon. The sign has graced our property for close to twenty years and always gave me a little thrill when we returned home from a trip. It seemed to say, "Camp Kreitzer is still here and all is well."
Our mailbox has occasionally suffered the slings and arrows of vandalism, but never the sign. And it seemed to me to be a metaphor about what's happening to our country. Senseless vandalism by those most responsible for caring for her. Of course, in that case, we ourselves would be the vandals. We would throw the bottles and fling the door wide open and invite invaders into our home to wreck the place.
I admit that's a bit of a stretch, but it really made me sad to think that someone probably took delight in destroying something lovely for no reason at all.
My husband took the sign to the business that made it in the first place. We will replace it after having it blessed. I think I will also attach a St. Benedict medal asking the good monk to protect our beautiful little homeland.
I'm also praying for the vandal and those who throw litter along out lovely stretch of road. Like St. Paul says, I can heap burning coals of conversion on his head. I hate to think of someone going to hell or spending extra time in Purgatory for senseless, thoughtless sins. What did the vandal get out of it? Perhaps a momentary sense of satisfaction at the effectiveness of his aim? A high five from friends? And yet he will have to pay for that sign later on if he hasn't repented and atoned. He may think now that he got away with it. He didn't. It's on his account.
Speaking of that we bought the sign originally for about $80; the price of replacement is $150. But perhaps the real reason for this event is that the perpetrator needs prayers, and he will be receiving them since I pray for everyone who has ever touched my life. I will probably think of him every time I look at the new sign. And I will shower him with intercessory prayers. We are called to return good for evil. Please pray for the person who destroyed our sign. It was a game where success made him a loser.
These increasing and increasingly bizarre acts of senseless violence we’ve seen manifesting over the past eight years are simply the outer sign of the inner reality - souls that are separated and increasingly remote from their Maker, Love itself, the Word which is logic or reason itself … the cavernous God-sized hole in their heart empty, in desperate need of being filled by its Maker. And so the person rages, because he is spiraling further and further away from He alone who can bring peace of soul.
ReplyDeleteHell is pure violence, punishment inflicted by God and murderous rage by the damned occupants upon the objects of their hate (everything). And as the Catholic Church has lost its way (which is me and you and real people, not just the Institutional Church) evangelizing lost souls to the Gospel, we see the effects of Paganism run amuck across our community’s souls and in their thoughts, words and deeds.
It is time we returned to Our Lord’s Great Commission with urgency to preach the Gospel, make Disciples - (Mark 16:15-16)
So sorry this happened to you, but so it goes - the violent seek out the most peace loving among us.
So sorry that happen to you. The person who did this is now very fortunate to receive your prayers. Clearly they need the prayers.
ReplyDeleteI think this is an envy issue, probably female, I don't think men would attack something with a bottle of tea, if a male was, it would be a soyboy.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is it was a carload of teenagers or young adults just raising hell for the heck of it.
ReplyDeleteOn May 25, 2012 I left the US after almost exactly 30 years of working and living there. I was the target of a lot of violence. Sometimes I thought I was going to go insane and most likely, my mental sanity was compromised. It got worse when I was 'received' in the Catholic Church. One day I opened the Bible at random only to lay my eyes on a verse where Jesus says "If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first." (John 15:18) I lost count of the number of crazies I worked and lived with. Who would not like to have Jesus as a friend or neighbor? Answer: most of us. Think of the cruelty inflicted on so many in wars, abortion, bullying, traffic disputes, slavery, pornography, etc. etc. The civil life ideals of the Founding Fathers lay still in the future. The country is home to millions of excellent human beings but there are others. We must think about others, we must make an effort to approach others and conquer them with kindness.
ReplyDeleteMary Ann, were other homes in your neighborhood likewise vandalized?
ReplyDeleteNot that I noticed, but I didn't ride around checking and I didn't notice any damaged mailboxes at the places near us.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry this happened.
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