“Ain’t gonna study war no more…”

After the visit to St. Wandrille Abbey, a community of contemplative Christians, I’ve been thinking… actually, wondering why it is that the world continually allows itself to be led into deep trouble by relatively small groups of people who insist they are doing the work of God. Yesterday I wandered into a parish church, not a part of St. Wandrille with its silent monks, but next to it.  The parish church serves the larger community. It’s where religious people go to get instruction in Christian living. Up to the left and above the high altar a colorful statue of the Archangel Michael with spear raised high and thrust through the neck of a decidedly human-looking Satan is definitely a subliminal lesson to parishioners on how we deal with evil in the world.  I don’t have answers… only questions.

These are difficult times in the world.  Evil spreads like the plague, and it definitely has the masked face of men.  I have no idea what is the answer to evil called ISIS, but I wish there were an effective response more contemplative.  I know… I know… It’s wishful thinking…  We go to the Normandy beaches and to the American cemetery tomorrow.  Today in Le Havre and Honfleur it was hard to believe this part of the world was ever at war.  Most of my photos today are from the beautiful inner harbor of Honfleur.