Justicia, Paz y Tierra / Justice, Peace and Earth

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

San Antonio Eco-Study Tours @ Talking Tree Farm

Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Death Penalty is a Homicide in Our Name

On December 10, 1948, different representatives from all regions of the world drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights through the General Assembly resolution 217 A (III). Since then, all countries and regions aim to protect the human rights as a standard.

Given the World Day Against Death Penalty on October 10, it is a practice that people pause and reflect about the current practices in the world United States has capital punishment as part of its law. China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Singapore are the top countries that executed people in the world and United States is the top 5 in 2022. Death penalty is a very old part of the justice system. It has been codified as part of the law as early as eighteen century BC.

United States of America is a civilized nation consists of people with good education and advances in science and technology. This country is also working on many aspects of Justice and Peace on all angles with gun violence, human trafficking, war, and drugs. There are loopholes but still there is a freedom of speech that makes this journalism, social media, and other communications from the public spaces possible given the policies and regulations around it. Let us take a look to assess the justice and peace that this country is upholding and practicing.

One of the key aspects of justice is to be able to give the rights of the people. United States being educated and a source of innovation has the big opportunity to transform society must look into the laws that are not serving the generation of today.

According to Human Rights Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:

"No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, unhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."

Mr. Robert Roberson with TDCJ Number 999442 born on November 11, 1966. He is scheduled to be executed on October 17, 2024. He is sentenced to death for the murder of his two-year-old daughter Nikki for a shaken baby syndrome. The retired assistant chief detective Brian Wharton, now an ordained minister in United Methodist Church, testified for the prosecution and helped send Mr. Roberson to death row in 2003. Mr. Wharton now doubted his case and feared that justice was not served. A top pathologist of 46 years of experience testified that the child suffered from severe undiagnosed pneumonia and doctors treated her with high dosage of medications for which now is considered fatal especially for children. There were other illnesses that the child was suffering such as unexplained breathing apnea, and other medical symptoms such as coughing, vomiting, diarrhea week before her death. Based on these, the justice system is putting someone's life for death penalty with doubts.

Our system of justice must look for the root causes so that we can truly restore the peace and justice to those that are lacking what they truly deserve.

For those who are religious, ponder Matthew 25:40,42-43

And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,[g] you did it to me.’...for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,... I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’

Jesus Christ already died for all and forgave all who put him to death. Luke 23:32-34

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

Why are we still killing people even after so many advancements of life, science, and technology? What are we missing? Should we be working towards progress where we are cultivating life-giving opportunities and healing spaces where everyone's life is treated with dignity, and human rights are truly respected. We are killing people by paying someone to execute the people who may or may be innocent. God is merciful from the Old Testament (Gen 18:26-33) to New Testament (Luke 5:35-38).

We are transcendental people, we are always improving and transforming. This is an invitation to reflect what improvement and transformation are we being called to be. Let us ponder on making our world a true just and peaceful world where we can thrive from womb to tomb.

---------------------------

From TCADP (Texas Coalition Against Death Penalty):

"On Saturday, October 12, 2024, join TCADP supporters in San Antonio for breakfast and a presentation by Donna Coltharp, an Assistant Federal Public Defender with the Capital Habeas Unit (CHU) of the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Texas. Prior to joining the CHU, Donna was on the faculty of St. Mary’s University School of Law. She will share what is involved with defending clients accused in capital murder cases. This event will take place from 8:30-10:00 a.m. in the conference room of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, 2718 West Woodlawn Avenue, San Antonio 78228. RSVP to Mardi Baron at mardibaron@gmail.com."

Please check the TCADP for more details and updates on these events.

@University of Incarnate Word's Student Engagement Center October 10, 2024 11:00am-1:00pm

Want to talk to us about Death Penalty Abolition? Come and visit us in University of Incarnate Word's Student Engagement Center in the first floor on October 12 from 11:00pm-1:00pm. Your can learn more about the issues. The representative from TCADP will also be there.

Monday, September 30, 2024

Season of Creation (Week 5 Reflection)

Scripture of the Week:

James 5: Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. Your wealth has rotted away, … our gold and silver have corroded and that corrosion will be a testimony against you.
Mark 9: “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your names, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ … will surely not lose their reward.”

Reflection:

Jesus appreciates the people who are working in His name. There is no competition but collaboration towards a common purpose. Considering the environmental effects that the various people and countries across the global are being reaped regardless of whether this person belongs to one organization or another, as long as we are doing this for the love of God. He will surely be increasing their knowledge and faith. We need each other all around the globe to be able to implement solution in countries with support needed for those who are underdeveloped and not able to fund themselves to fix the devastating effects of natural disasters.
The people will not surely lose reward as "the Lord is gracious and compassionate... The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made." (Ps 145:8-9).

Laudato Si this week:

Article 190 There is no value that can be placed upon the environmental protection as it is not based on benefits and costs. The reality is that some of the companies look at increasing the bottomline and profits more than anything else. They do not bother to stop and ponder on the cause of environmental disasters and consequences of anthropogenic actions, neglecting the needs of our brothers and sisters especially the underprivileged. This is not a magical solution to the problem. What we are facing is not about increasing in productivity and output from businesses but to be mindful of how these all affect the world.

Article 198 The politics and economists are in competition with each other. Those in the power and interested nothing but financial gain are the usual concerns where the vulnerable people's needs are rejected and the care for environment is ignored. How can we work towards a supportive society where power and influence are used so that integrity of all are upheld and natural rights are protected?

Article 206 The lifestyle is a way to advocate for the right products that reduces environmental degradation. The consumers have a part in choosing the right matter so that they take the social responsibility as part of their role to care for our common home.

Article 222 The ability to be happy with little is part of the prophetic and contemplative lifestyle whether we do not buy endlessly without consideration to the limitations on resources. We become satisfied with the idea of sufficiency and moderation. Accumulation of things for pleasure and domination will not give us happiness.

Prayer Intentions

We pray that our community and nation will be responsible in caring for the needs of the creation which includes the environment and especially our underprivileged brothers and sisters.

We pray for all so that we can all respect and support the prophets of our time and we also can take a prophetic role in caring for Creation towards a sustainable and contemplative lifestyle that does not violate the dignity of the most vulnerable and those who are not able to speak for themselves.

Let us pray to the Incarnate Word.

All these in Jesus name, Amen.

___________________________________________

Watch the vblog on Sustainable and Advocacies Practices: Sustainable Practices (Laudato Si, Business and Personal)

Weaver's of Love ministry providing free clothing to underpriviledged adults, children, toddlers, diabetes shoes, community garden, soup kithen (not in the photo), and group support.

Learn More:
Laudato si' (24 May 2015) | Francis (vatican.va)
Homily Helps September 2024 (Cycle B) | Catholic Climate Covenant
Laudato Sí Action Platform Commitment - Presentation Sisters (pbvmunion.org)

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Blessings of the Animals @UIW Grotto

Monday, September 23, 2024

Season of Creation (Week 4 Reflection)

25th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B (September 22, 2024) Scripture passages:

Wisdom: The wicked say: Let us beset the just one because he is obnoxious to us; …. Let us see whether his words be true; … With revilement and torture let us put the just one to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience. … Let us condemn him to a shameful death; … God will take care of him.

Psalm 54: The Lord upholds my life. Freely will I offer you sacrifice; I will praise your name, O Lord, for its goodness.

James 3: Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice.
Mark 9: Jesus sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, that one shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”

Reflection:

This week's Gospel talks about stewardship. Jesus invites us to be in the service of others. Jesus exemplifies a life of being the last with unity to God's Divine Will. He prays, reflects, and take actions. He serves the poorest, abandoned, and washes his apostles' feet. He teaches the ignorant so everyone can live a life with dignity.

This week's Laudato Si:

Article 90: Living beings have dignity with unique worth while human beings who have responsibility given our ability to care and destroy the species and therefore the planet. Some have much properties without awareness or intentions of distributing these to those who may be in need while some in dire poverty have no means to get out of their situations, being left at the extraordinary mercy of others. There are those who see themselves as more superior than others and have no intent of changing habits or contributing to good causes.

Article 144: The global market has opened the flood of products available to people of different origins and affecting everyone's culture. This globalization came from making the product available to all given the mobility of the people over a period of time. While there is a beauty and need to respect each culture for its own right for people to understand themselves from within and without given the symbols and practices that identify them. The world is cared for with respect with its dynamism and flexibility.

Article 161: The pace of consumption can determine the waste that we produce. The current unsustainable lifestyle can cause the catastrophic weather and unbearable consequences of these natural disasters. We can look at our accountability before the people who are reaping the effects of these disastrous climate and natural disastrous ocurrences.

Article 208: All of us have the ability to care for others by letting go of our self-centeredness and self-absorption. It is not about neglecting oneself but thinking of others including our natural environment so that our world becomes sustainable.

Article 212: These sustainability efforts are calling us towards goodness that brings change to the world that is to spread the common goods to all.

Prayer Intentions:

We pray for using our wisdom and faith to reduce our consumption according to our needs and pass it on to our children and others so others can care for our Mother Earth. We pray to the Lord...

We pray for the well being of all people especially for the children and future generations so that by these actions of defending basic necessities to clean air, water and climate, we will be able to bless them with livable future.

Let us pray to the Incarnate Word.