In around the year 400 AD a Christian monk from the east, named Telemachus, entered Rome. Telemachus was immediately appalled by what he saw. Gladiators, a fancy name for prisoners, slaves or criminals, fighting to the death with crowds of onlookers cheering them on. The “games” began as a part of the Roman culture in the year 264 BC and, as such, when Telemachus entered the arena these fights to the death were a deeply entrenched part of the Roman culture for over 600 years. Seeing this gruesome scene,Telemachus ran down to the edge of the arena and cried out for such injustice to be stopped. Although the accounts vary as to whether Telemachus was stoned to death by the crowd, or killed by a gladiator, the crowd at the sight of his death dispersed. Soon thereafter the gladiator games were outlawed by the Roman emperor Honorius. Telemachus was a follower of Christ, the Word of God living in his heart and flowing into his actions changed the world.
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Reflection #4 – Osprey and Ecological Hope
Osprey on man-made nesting pole, near Grand Lake, CO
The media often represents our time as one of ecological doom. We do have our ecological challenges but I think a look at our history of overcoming ecological challenges should give us great hope.
As a boy I remember seeing a periodical with a dead fish on the shore of Lake Erie with the caption, “Lake Erie is Dead”. Today the fish population of Lake Erie, although not perfect, is well managed.
When I was a boy living in Colorado, turkey and elk were seldom seen, now they are common place. At the same time the Front Range Mountains of Colorado often could not be seen due to the heavy particulate contamination present in diesel trucks and buses. The Front Range still has a pollution problem but the sky’s are much cleaner than they were decades ago.
Later I moved to Texas and became a bird watcher. I remember seeing my first Osprey at Armand Bayou Park in Houston, Texas. This was a rare sighting as Osprey populations had plummeted due to being adversely affected by the use of DDT as a pesticide. Now through legislative, ecological, and community efforts to save these magnificent birds, Osprey populations in the U.S. have grown from numbers in the hundreds to an estimated population of over 400,000 today.
Still later as an older adult I had a conversation with two college grads. They had been told that mankind was in an unavoidable direct hit with a total global disaster, the planet was going to be destroyed by infrared radiation due to the growing ozone hole letting infrared light into the atmosphere. The ozone hole did increase from 1970 to 1995 but has since stabilized. Many think this was due to the adoption of the Montreal Protocols (adapted in 1987 with implementation beginning in 1989) and others think that the ozone hole naturally oscillates due to a variety of natural phenomena. It is likely both have contributed to the stabilization of the ozone hole.
I am an engineer by trade and I don’t have all the scientific answers but I am also a study of history. I know mankind has a proclivity of messing things up and a proclivity of thinking the world is headed toward certain doom, but also mankind has been given the grace to rectify and restore.
“Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the tame animals, all the wild animals, and all the creatures that crawl on the earth.” ~ Genesis 1:26
We are made in the image of our Lord. Our dominion should be a peaceful, life-giving dominion like that of our Lord that “who makes his rain shine on the just and unjust”. So don’t lose hope, with God’s grace, and working together, we can prevail.
Peace be with you.
Your friends at A Nature Walk with God
Reflection # 3 – The Speed of Love
Foxglove flower, McLane Creek Nature Trail, WA USA
186,000 miles per second, that is the speed of light. No matter where you are in the universe, no matter how fast your speed, the speed of light is a constant. Light is the constant of which everything else is measured.
Jesus; however, gives us another constant, a constant through which all actions, values, virtues, and relationships are measured, love.
Reflection # 2 – Wildflowers
Wildflowers, Spring Branch, TX
I love this quote of loving and trusting God and living in the moment.
“O My God
“When I look into the future, I am frightened, but why plunge into the future? Only the present moment is precious to me, as the future may never enter my soul at all.
“It is no longer in my power to change, correct or add to the past; for neither sages nor prophets could do that. And so what the past has embraced I must entrust to God.
“O present moment, you belong to me, whole and entire. I desire to use you as best I can.
“And although I am weak and small, You grant me the grace of Your omnipotence. And so, trusting in Your mercy, I walk through life like a little child, offering You each day this heart Burning with love for Your greater Glory.” -St. Faustina
Jesus, I trust in you. – St. Faustina
So let us burn with love for God each and every moment.
Peace be with you,
Your friends at A Nature Walk with God
– written as follow-up to post written 6/8/2024 - Wildflowers
Reflection #1 - Abba
I was at the park cuddling my new grandbaby against my chest as she softly cried and I sung “Abba Father”. Slowly her sobs turned into deep breaths and soon she was sound asleep.
The infinite God of the universe has revealed himself in many ways but perhaps in no way has he more definitively revealed himself than through relationships, particularly the relationship of a loving father. Understanding loving relationships is at the heart of understanding the triune God, the one who is love (1 John 4: 8, 16).
I remember fishing with my dad. He would calmly eye the water, looking at swirls, eddies and deep dark holes, before he would point out the best place to fish. Then he would help my brother, sister, mom and I rig up our lines and cast our poles. Dad spent more time untangling line than he did fishing but always with a smile. Dad, in his own way, was teaching me patience, a virtue that I would lean on throughout my life.
As I reflect back on life, Dad, and mom, taught me the virtues I would need to live life to the full. Undergirding all of Dad’s teaching was love. Dad’s love was not a superficial love but a deep, abiding love. Dad worked many jobs to keep food on the table but always had time to spend with family.
My dad died at the age of 40 from brain cancer but even through death he showed us how-to live-in love, as he kept his eyes on his loved ones, caring for them until the end. Dad showed his affection through action and deed. He cared about my future and diligently prepared me, and my siblings, to always strive to be our best, what God wants us to be.
I am blessed, my father was a truly loving father. Jesus many times in the bible refers to his Heavenly Father as a loving father. In the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) Jesus tells us of the never-ending love of our Heavenly Father. In this story as the son returns to his father you see the father acting as a “Daddy”. “While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.” ~ Luke 15: 20
When I die, I visualize Jesus, mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, Mary and Joseph, arm-in-arm running to greet me at heaven’s gate, only to be led by my Heavenly Daddy, running at full speed with the wind of the Holy Spirit in his hair, meeting me, embracing me and kissing me.
Peace be with you,
Your friends at A Nature Walk with God
– written as follow-up to post written 6/2/2024 - Abba