The photo above has been circulating pretty widely since terrible Hurricane Sandy struck the east coast last month. Despite horrific fires that followed the hurricane in a heavily Catholic area of Queens, New York, this statue of Mary remained standing midst ruins. My eleven year old son Oliver of the existential angst, who is anxious about the coming Mayan end of time calendar date and who possesses a giant, invisible antennae tuned in to everything that passes through the universe, looked at the photo soberly and said,
O.K. I mean, it's nice, but if Jesus and Mary and God are so strong, why didn't they leave the building standing for the people and let the statue burn?
Honestly, readers, I have my work cut out for me.
Yeah. I find that whole thing sort of sinister. I think Oliver is right.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering the same thing.
ReplyDeleteBest,
Bonnie
a wise young man--
ReplyDeleteOliver is exactly right. Spare us both religious superstition. He's going to be ok.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you have your work cut out for you - I think Oliver has it figured out! He's just ahead of his time. A wise old man in a pre tween's body.
ReplyDeleteRight on Oliver!
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about God lately, with the conclusion that God is a Texan. He loves football and therefor Texas, where football starts in infancy and more people go to games than churches and not supporting the local team is a form of blasphemy.
Out of the mouths of babes, as they say. (In the Bible, ironically.)
ReplyDeleteYes. Out of the mouths of babes. New Years will come and go and Oliver can breathe a sigh of relief until that antenna is tweaked again. But he will be fine.
ReplyDeletexoxoxo
I'm waiting for an answer from god that is understandable..
ReplyDeleteMaybe our friend Carrie (of the direct line to Mary) has a good answer for that one. He is a wonder, isn't he?
ReplyDeletei'm with oliver.
ReplyDeleteha! Well said Oliver!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE HIM.
ReplyDeleteBetter that he's thinking critically and asking questions than bleating along like a hapless sheep. Lovely that he is your son and you are his mother.
ReplyDeleteHe is well along the road.
ReplyDeletewhoa - he's an amazing kid
ReplyDeleteI will be so glad when it's December 22nd
I hate what rumors like this do to kids
it's just plain mean