The Advent Season calls us to continue “waiting in joyful hope” for all that God intends to do for us, and the Christmas Season urges us to be filled with Joy as we celebrate Jesus’ Birth, God with us forever. Even in the face of the tremendous disappointment that many of us experienced in the recent mid-term elections when the prolife agenda seemed to be overtaken by a more radical pro-abortion mentality, we must heed St. Paul’s advice: “Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, and persevere in prayer.” (Rom.12:12)
As we approach the joyous celebration of Christmas, when Jesus came into the world as we all did, we need to keep in mind that throughout his earthly ministry Jesus said, “Do not be afraid!” Jesus has won the ultimate battle over sin and death. Jesus has defeated the binding power of the Evil One. Jesus has promised us that He has “built His Church upon Rock, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18) That is the reason why we can rejoice in hope. As followers of Christ, we know the end of the story — God’s ways will ultimately prevail, and so we endure in these current afflictions. Jesus has shown us the power of prayer in His own life, and He has urged us to pray always; therefore, even now, we must persevere in prayer.
It is true that this amendment to our state constitution is a major disappointment; but it is by no means a final defeat. However, with the passing of the amendment to our State Constitution, we are being called to determine a new and more energized pro-life movement.
Ultimately this is not about amendments, laws, or elections; what we need to focus on is conversion of hearts and enlightening of minds. We need to ensure we completely understand the Church’s moral teachings, and the beauty and wonder of God’s precious gift of human life. We need to continue building a culture of life and praying that God’s mercy and grace will change the hearts of those who are bound by the illusions of individual freedom and the right to do whatever one wants to do, with no regard to the well-being of others — in particular to the very lives of the most vulnerable among us, unborn babies.
However, we have work to do. The tried-and-true spiritual directives of the early saints continue to be what we must do: work and pray.
Beginning now, and perhaps making it your 2023 resolution, let us recommit ourselves to work by defending and protecting human life in all that we do, and to vote for those in future elections who will do the same. Let us do all that we can to protect, defend and respect human life at every point along the life spectrum, from conception to natural death.
In addition to work, I ask all of us to pray fervently. I strongly suggest we all commit ourselves to praying the beautiful prayer known as the Memorare at least daily.
In addition, I would ask every Catholic to redesignate Friday of every week as the day of abstaining from meat, or whatever food that would serve as a sacrifice for you. If you are already doing so, I would ask that you would designate that sacrifice for the intention of respect for human life.
Dear friends, Jesus has revealed to us that following him and living in his ways is not an easy path; it will be filled with challenges, and on occasions, setbacks, sometimes from our own human failings, and at other times because of society’s very sad choices. But we must remain people who continue “waiting in Joyful Hope” as he comes to us each and every time we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, and for the coming of our Lord at the end of all time. Jesus is the hope that never disappoints. And he is the reason for our hope. He is the light that shines in the darkness, and no darkness, even the darkness of this constitutional amendment,
will ever extinguish it.
May the Peace of Jesus, our Hope, be with you now and always.