22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Deacon Robert Banet
Thank you, Lord!
What do you keep muttering under your breath, Oscar?
I can’t help it.
Can’t help what?
Can’t help thanking God I’m not an atheist.
What’s the big deal about that?
Well, I look around at the world, its complexity, its order, its beauty. It’s awesome.
So ?
So atheists must believe that all this came about by chance, without direction. That’s a real stretch. I don’t have to make that stretch. I can say, Thank you, Lord, for giving me the grace to know that You are the author.
Oh, Oscar, you’re too much. You sound like a fanatic.
Look at the butterfly. A little white dot on the underside of a milkweed leaf.
So ?
Then imagine that that white dot starts to grow and starts eating the milk weed leaf.
And?
And then it turns itself into a J- shaped worm and attaches itself to something that allows it to hang there for a while.
Go on.
It does all this without having been designed! That’s awesome!
I have to agree.
Yes. And atheists have to believe this came about without having been programmed.
I have agree it’s pretty awesome.
Yes, but that’s not all.
There’s more?
Yes. This worm builds a casing for itself and in a few days acquires wings and fights it way out and turns into a beautiful butterfly!
Unbelievable!
Yes, unbelievable unless you have been given the gift of faith.
Maybe you’re on to something, Oscar.
And that’s not all. This beautiful insect starts off to Mexico.
Mexico?
Yes, it’s headed for a particular tree in a particular spot in Mexico.
You’re putting me on, Oscar. How could this be?
Go to your library and look it up. It’s all there.
I can see why you’re continually thanking God for your gift of faith.
Yes. Thank you, Lord. And the butterfly is only one of a million other marvels in God’s creation.
Well, Oscar, maybe you’re not such a fanatic after all.
You better believe it. Praise the Lord!