Lucy and Linus have a chicken wishbone. They are going to pull it to make a wish. As Lucy explains to Linus how the wishbone works, Linus asks, "Do I have to say the wish out loud?"  Lucy says, "Of course, if you don't say it out loud it won't come true." Then she makes her wish first. She says, "I wish for four new sweaters, a new bike, a new pair of skates, a new dress and one hundred dollars."  Linus goes next. "I wish for a long life for all of my friends," he says. "I wish for world peace, I wish for great advancements in medical research."  At this, Lucy takes the wishbone and throws it away. "Linus," she says, "that's the trouble with you, you're always spoiling everything." 

It does spoil things, does it not, when into our self-centered, materialistic, divided world comes one who …