Tragedy and Peru: A Speculation

I woke up this morning and did my morning routine which involves checking the news online. “Breaking News” on most sites this morning was an earthquake in Peru that killed 337 people (thus far). The quake was followed by strong aftershocks and a tiny, 1-foot tsunami. This is a horrible tragedy for the people of Peru and my prayers are with the victims, their families and those who are suffering both directly and indirectly from this disaster.

After the initial shock wore off, I was saddened to think that this could happen on a Marian feast day, the Feast of the Assumption, but then immediately something came to mind. Peru has been in the news lately, as have many latin American countries. While Castro and Chavez seem to make headlines now and then, I’m referring more specifically about the legalization of abortion for the first time in many of these countries.

Before I continue, I’m not the type of person to say that disasters happen because people are wicked, etc. You won’t find me subscribing to the theory that the Holocaust was some form of divine punishment for the Jews having rejected Christ. That line of thinking, in my opinion, is often lacking an understanding of God as both pure justice and pure love. You also won’t find me saying that God doesn’t punish. I only have to pick up my Bible, flip to the Old Testament and read about Sodom and Gomorrah.

And so… in the spirit of throwing out theories that are based purely in speculation, I can’t help but correlate this immense disaster with the recent practice of abortion in Peruvian hospitals, as well as, the recent (2005) UN decreed legalization of the morning after pill in Peru. Also, US-funded organizations in league with the UN Population Fund are trying to legalize abortion under the guise of “women’s health.” Read about it here.

What worse way could one deny Christ and His mother than to deny the very miracle of life and motherhood? I don’t know about you, but breaking my mother’s heart is not something I want to do. In the same way, breaking Mother Mary’s heart is never something I want to do. Has Peru broken her heart?