January 22 2020 - Legal Protection of the Unborn - Justice brings peace

Throughout our nation today, Catholics engage in prayer for the restored legal protection of the unborn.  This liturgy for life and justice calls for the wearing of purple vestments: purple, the color of grief and prayerful penance.  We grieve the abundance of sin and murder considered “legal”, occurring on a daily basis for 47 years.

We pray and do penance for a restoration of justice, for grave injustice is perpetuated legally allowed against the unborn, the denial of their right to life. The legal allowance for abortion is contrary to our nation’s founding documents which sees life as an inalienable right endowed by the Creator to every human being. And of course, abortion is repugnant to the Gospel, a clear violation of the fifth commandment. The Catechism says, “Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception.”

Pope Francis, speaking to U.S. bishops, said recently that working for the overturning of unjust laws which deny the right to life for the innocent unborn is a “preeminent priority”.

The Prophet Isaiah says, “justice will bring about peace.” Peace, which our nation is sorely lacking in so many ways, can only be obtained when we work to right injustices, and so we work and pray today to right this preeminent injustice.

Vatican II declared, “God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.”

We pray that the truth of the Gospel of Life will take root in the hearts of every member of the human family, and that we may be found diligent in praying and working for the safeguarding of life for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the leaders and members of the Church may fulfill with joy their calling to proclaim, celebrate, and serve the Gospel of Life, we pray to the Lord…
That Court decisions which permit the destruction of innocent life may be resisted and reversed, we pray to the Lord…
That God may protect all unborn babies, and keep them safe from the scourge of abortion, we pray to the Lord...
That all women facing difficult or unplanned pregnancies may receive compassionate care and the support they need, let us pray to the Lord.
That all medical professionals involved in the practices of abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia, may experience conversion of mind and heart and cease these activities, we pray to the Lord…
For all women who have had abortions, that they may seek out and experience God’s tender mercy, we pray to the Lord.
In thanksgiving for the many children who have been saved from abortion through the efforts of the pro-life movement, we pray to the Lord…
For all the dead, for all the souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and for X, for whom this Holy Mass is offered.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

Sept 10 2018 - Grandparents Day, Peace and Justice, Beatitude (School Mass)

As was mentioned in our introduction before Mass this morning, today we have a few events being commemorated today. We are celebrating the important role our grandparents play in our lives. We also remember the victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks, those who lost their lives because of hate and violence. We offer special prayers for justice and peace, that the justice and peace of Jesus Christ might fill our world and our hearts. And just like we do at every Mass, we gather to offer thanksgiving to God for the gift of our salvation.

Our Gospel reading is very fitting to have read today. We heard the famous beginning of Our Lord’s great Sermon on the Mount, these opening lines to his great sermon are known as the beatitudes. And we should be pretty familiar with the beatitudes. Our third graders, I believe, study them line by line when they learn about Jesus’ ministry. We do well to memorize the beatitudes, so that we always have them with us. And in the liturgical life of the Church, the beatitudes are read at baptisms, weddings, funerals, and throughout the Church year. We read them so often, and in so many different settings because they are the attitudes and dispositions we are meant to cultivate throughout all of life whether we are grieving at a funeral, or rejoicing at a wedding, or coming to a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Christian.

The beatitudes help us to practice the blessedness, the holiness, that God wants for all of us. Not all of us are designed by God to be great athletes, great musicians, great public speakers, greater writers or scientists, we all can’t be all those things. But God has designed all of us to be holy. Each one of us can become deeply holy, and we are to do so by practicing the beatitudes.

By practicing the beatitudes we begin to value heavenly things over earthly things; humility over pride, repentance over hard-heartedness, gentleness over harshness, justice and peace over violence and selfishness; courage over fear; purity over perversion.

The beatitudes teach us that True Success in this life isn’t measured by the size of our house or bank account, the number of athletic trophies or academic rewards we accumulate but by allowing the Christian faith to permeate every dimension of our life; by using our time, talent, and treasure for God’s Will, not our own.

We thank God today for our grandparents, who are so often models of holiness, and blessedness, and Christian faith for us. For many years, every Sunday, week after week, year after year, my grandparents would bring me to Sunday mass when my own parents would not. I would not be here today, a would not be a priest without my grandparents faith and generosity. Grandparents never underestimate your role in these young people’s lives.

We also pray today that each of us may put into practice the lessons the Lord teaches us, that grave evil, like the September 11th terrorist attacks may never happen again. We pray t who allow hatred and evil to fill their hearts, may come to know the love and peace of Jesus Christ, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.