Holy Mary, Mother of God...

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 It shouldn't happen.

In our technologically advanced society, how could something so horrible happen.

Late Wednesday evening, January 29, 2025, an American Airlines jet and a US Army Blackhawk helicopter collided just outside of Washington DC.  Sixty-four people were aboard the jet and three soldiers on the helicopter.  There are no survivors.  What's worse?  It was reported overnight that some of the passengers on the jet were figure skaters who attended the US Figure Skating Championship in Wichita, Kansas over this past weekend.  They were not part of the champion skaters, but they were part of the National Development Camp -- young athletes who were seeking to improve their skill in their sport.  It shouldn't happen.  In a case like this, even saying things like "they didn't suffer" or "you just never know the time or day when God will call our name" do not sound like good answers.  Of course, there is still faith in God and hope for their salvation in Jesus Christ, but sometimes that doesn't seem to be very comforting either.  This one is tough.

It's also cases like this when we ask "Does God punish souls that were not baptized?"  Not every family did so for their children is my humble opinion.  But God's unfathomable mercy should help us to believe that there is NO way God would punish someone who dies in a horrific accident.  And still, I can't help but think of the parable of the sower who, when there were weeds along-side the wheat, he told the gardeners to let them grow together, and that those reaping the harvest to pull up the weeds and the wheat.  They would be separated after the harvest.  Does that sound fair?

Ninety percent of what is happening in the world today is still unfair.  Technology is meant to be used for the good and yet many people figure out ways to use it either for their personal gain, to wreak revenge, and to commit crimes.  And while I say many people, it's not even a large percentage of people doing so.  In other words, this is not ALL of society, but there are still A BUNCH of weeds around.  I was thinking about the people who lost their lives in New York City on September 11, 2001 -- all of those people could not have been weeds.  Probably not even a decent percentage of them were weed material.

There is so much craziness.  How do we remain sane and not lose our humanity?  This morning's first reading from the Letter to the Hebrews states the exact formula "We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works. We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another." (Hebrews 10:24-25c)  This is what we have talked about for a long time in the Church -- kindness, encouragement, perseverance -- these are all qualities of good disciples.  Faith, hope, and love are the greatest of virtues, and the greatest of the three is love.  

Pray for those people in the plane crash and for their families.

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