Easter Basket

The townsfolk of L'Aquilla Italy observed Easter mass today, with many of them expressing the view that they too were in need of a resurrection, and expressed the hope that they would recover from the recent tragedy that has as of now taken he lives of close to three hundred people and destroyed or seriously damaged numerous homes, resulting in thousands of people left homeless. A great many churches were also damaged in the earthquake that hit the nearly thousand year old town, resulting in the destruction of a great many ancient artifacts going back to the eleventh century.

The local Archbishop observed that the anger expressed at God by so many people who had suffered such devastating loss was, actually, a good sign. While I suppose it would be hard to be angry at someone you didn't think really existed, you can be mad at a concept, and you can certainly express that anger towards those who encourage and promote such beliefs. As such, I don't know that I would be so willing to look for any silver linings if I were in such a precarious position, especially coming from a faith whose leaders, including the Pope, preach that suffering is a good thing.

While the Pope did call for peace and an end to poverty, I would be somewhat surprised if he put suffering very high on his list of ringing endorsements this time around. Then again, the Pope is a strange creature.

Many people of L'Aquilla have lost everything, in some cases everything they have spent a lifetime building. It is sad and tragic, but at the same time, it is uplifting the way they seem to be trying to pull together, the best they can, to try to help each other through this tragic situation. It is in situations like this, in fact, where the Church can actually be at its most positive as a benevolent influence, and I hope that continues to be the case here.

The best news to come out of this Easter was the rescue by Navy Seals of the American sea captain abducted by Somali pirates, in an operation that resulted in three of the pirates killed and the fourth, a boy of sixteen, taken captive. Though obviously somewhat the worse for wear, the captain is unharmed, seemingly healthy, and in understandably good spirits. His crew members, and of course his family, is elated. Couldn't ask for a much better Easter present than that.

Finally, I want to tip my hat to Brian Williams and the staff of NBC Nightly News, for their dogged determination to get to the truth of a story which they researched and pursued with such tenacity and professional dedication I would be amazed, and literally dumbfounded, were they not in the running for this years Peabody Awards. Though led down countless blind alleys and given the runaround for seemingly endless weeks by a capricious White House staff, their long hours of hard work finally paid off. Though Mr. Williams took the Easter weekend off, Lester Holt reported tonight in triumph that the Obama daughters have finally received a dog as a present from Senator Edward M. Kennedy-a Portuguese water dog.

That is to say, the dog is a Portuguese water dog, not Kennedy, who of course as we all know is an Irish-American water dog.