First of all, sincere condolences to all of the family and friends of Charlie McMillan. Such a tragedy to have perished in an automobile accident while still so relatively young. IHM's parishioners in Los Alamos will remember fondly the times he and his wife Janet joined us for our Easter Mass with Charlie playing his recorder. May God grant him eternal rest, and bring comfort to his family.

Such things remind us of the preciousness of life, which young people in particular often take so cavalierly, presuming their own indestructibility. Sadly, we priests and ministers encounter tragedies as Charlie's quite frequently. Sometimes it's an intoxicated driver, or someone texting and not watching, slippings off cliffs and ledges (as Los Alamosians are well familiar with on your mesas), and other accidents. Some of the more frequent preventable deaths we encounter are drug overdoses and liver disease brought about by excessive alcohol consumption; I've had to bury many of the latter, not to mention those killed by DUIs, the many broken homes, etc. In that vein, one might wish society would de-glamorize alcohol, but such doesn't seem to be in the cards for something that's been a favorite since pre-history. Ah, well ... y'all be careful with it, at least. Please.

Christian theology holds that we are to take due care with our lives and our health -- the better to serve God and neighbor. St. Paul reminds us, speaking specifically about sexual morality, but also in general: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God?...you were bought with a price [Paul referring to Christ's sacrifice]. So glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthians 6:19:20) "For we are [God's] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10) -- God's workmanship created in His own image, and even for that reason alone precious and unrepeatably unique. God didn't bring you about in life's miracle to waste it doing cheap thrills.

The Catholic Church teaches: "Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for His honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us." (Cath. Catechism, par. 2280)

So we are not to be reckless with our lives, and even more so not reckless with the lives of others by crazy driving, careless gunplay, etc. Certainly there are many professions in which the lives of those who serve in them are in greater danger than others -- police, firefighters, soldiers, EMTs, electric linemen, etc. -- but those who serve honorably serve to the benefit of the greater community, and thus should be honored even for that reason alone.