Mar 15, 2026

Living in Unconditional Love (259)

 

“Love flows from God to humans without effort:

As a bird glides through the air without moving its wings-

Thus, they go wherever they wish united in body and soul,

Yet separate in form.”

–Mechtild of Magdeburg

 

My wife Eileen died from esophageal cancer in February 2020 one year after being diagnosed, 60 years after we met on Long Island. Then my brother Tom became ill (not COVID), and I spent a total of six weeks being with him in Ohio, but he died in October 2020. My sister-in-law Sue Mahoney died from Covid-19 in January 2021. On top of it all stood the pandemic, locking everyone down almost two years. Covid has proved to be a persistent problem, and many of the long-term effects are quite serious, and it has proven much more serious than flu.

03/15/2026                             It seems strange to know that I have been here in Lima for a month. The weather is always beautiful but sometimes quite windy, and often foggy in the mornings. The temperature reaches about 80 during the day, dropping to about 70 at night. The seas have been rough this week. Today I saw only one braving the surf (usually 40-50 or more), and he (or she) was not far out. The surf is white all the way along the shore, and it looks a like it would be difficult to stay.

We went out to eat one evening at Chili’s (the kid’s favorite place) and went to see the latest Disney movie on Friday. We tried to go to the afternoon show but it was sold out, so the kids played on the playground, we had a burger, and kids had a hot dog, and we went to the evening show. There were only 4-5 families then. Funny but had some dark scenes. Everything was in Spanish, even all the printed material in the film.

There was an explosion at the cities’ gas distribution center last weekend, and Maria’s Catholic school was closed. The little ones still had school, which is located within walking distance. They opened the lower grades of Maria’s school after two days and she was happy to go back to school. She said she missed school and her classmates. They had tele-school on the two days she was home.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) reports that almost 90 are dying every hour because of the lack of funds that T ordered removed so he could enforce immigration. Every Hour! Our nation which was once looked upon as compassionate and working to eradicate hunger has turned into a nation of greed and pride. Then he attacks Iran, with no plans to get the oil out of the gulf which must pass through a narrow strait by Iran. He never thought that out, as usual. He did not believe Iran would retaliate.

Meditation

Gentle One, I sigh at the pain that is in our world, much of which is being caused by the thoughtless actions of those in power. Our chosen leader in among the worst, simply because he doesn’t stop and think and his morality is suspect. I ask for mercy and help to bring our nation to a more moral sense of action.