Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Single Fifty Six Doubled

Fifty six years ago today my sister Ruth Elaine was born. Country singer Deborah Allen was also born that day. September 30th 1953 was the fifty sixth anniversary of the death of Saint Therese of Lisieux, patron saint of aviators, florists, AIDS victims, also of illness(es) and missions. Ruth died in 1991 of breast cancer, the same disease that claimed the life of Azelie, Saint Therese's mom. Ruth made it clear to me that she was somewhat haunted by the proverb "whoso curses his father and mother his lamp shall be put out." She was the mother of five sons, who spent a good deal of their childhood in the Children of God organization. Her son Jonathan has a current affiliation with that organization, which has had to overcome its own shadowy past of childhood sexual abuse and unlawful child custody.

Truman Capote was born in 1924 on September 30th. James Dean died on September 30th 1955 in an automobile accident. In 1993 a 6.4 earthquake rocked Southern India and claimed approximately 10,000 lives.

Here is a prayer of Saint Therese I like: "I implore Thee dear Jesus to send me humiliation whensoever I try to set myself above others." Amen.

An average pregnancy lasts about nine months. Being the last day of the ninth month of the year, September 30th is a good day to be born.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Metaphor for Rapture

I made a comment at deeptruths dot com that nine eleven could be seen as the fulfillment of the Hebrew prophecy "for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us." I have a brother who turned forty two on nine eleven, so tomorrow he reaches the half century mark. Forty two is interesting if nothing else. Don Kistler said it stood for the second coming of Jesus Christ, citing forty two months from the book of Daniel and the forty two generations in the gospel of Matthew.

There will continue to be metaphors for the second coming of Jesus Christ. It is interesting to note that others besides the late David Brandt Berg consider America to be the Babylon of the Book of Revelation. "Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy" intones an ultimate reality for the number forty two.

The half century mark? It could be the year of jubilee is just ending or just beginning. Take your pick.