The Catholic Church is rife with Symbolism. It has been a rather notable matter of contention between them and various other sects of the Christian tradition. A few recent news stories, if viewed as a whole, and from a Catholic perspective would seem to be sending a message.
From The Telegraph:
Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer struck by lightning
Iconic statue of Christ overlooking Rio de Janeiro sees right thumb damaged by lightning strike
IT does not really get much more wrath-of-god, than being struck by lightning, but then the thing is 98 feet tall, standing at 2,300 ft on top of Corcovado mountain so is basically a giant lightning rod. Taken on its own, no big deal, but then…
Also from The Telegraph:
Pope Francis’ peace doves attacked by crow and seagull
Two white doves released alongside Pope Francis have been attacked by other birds
And, well, the Vatican has lots of roofs and places for birds to roost so I guess we should not be overly surprised by this either, its a good thing no other dire Pope related news is …
From World News
Vial of Pope John Paul II’s blood stolen from Italian church
By Claudio Lavanga, Producer, NBC News
ROME — A relic containing drops of late Pope John Paul II’s blood has been stolen, and Italian police speculate the thieves may want it for satanic rites.
The vial was stolen from the Church of San Pietro della Ienca in the mountainous Abruzzo region in central Italy on Saturday. Pope John Paul II, who died in 2005, loved to go on skiing holidays in the area.
But are the rank and file of believers in symbology sufffering as well, let’s look and see.
From NBC
Snake-handling preacher dies from rattlesnake bite in West Virginia
By Gil Aegerter, Staff Writer, NBC News
West Virginia preacher Mark Randall “Mack” Wolford, who believed Christians should handle snakes to test their faith, died after a rattlesnake bit him over the weekend.
Wolford was bitten on the thigh about 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon, but he didn’t come to the hospital until 10:30 p.m., a nursing supervisor at Bluefield Regional Medical Center told the Charleston Daily Mail. The incident occurred during an outdoor service at Panther State Forest, about 80 miles west of Bluefield in southern West Virginia, the paper said.
Wolford had turned 44 on Saturday. He had seen his father die of a snakebite when he was teenager, the Daily Mail reported.
I have to say, if I believed in symbolism, I would be staying indoors and wearing a yarmulke while working my prayer beads in a tub full of Ganges brand bottled water while spinning a prayer wheel and bowing to Mecca.