In Another's Words

On or around January 22, the anniversary of the two Supreme Court decisions which allows abortions to be performed for any reason at any time during the entire length of the pregnancy, I attempt to write something about this.

This year, on the 47th. anniversary of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, I have decided not to comment.

Instead, I am going to let someone else speak.

For the first time in the history of the National March For Life, the sitting President of the United States made a live appearance and gave a speech.

Yes, I realize a majority of the country does not like how he has conducted himself in the office, much less the policies he has enacted so far in his first term, especially regarding this topic. And, yes, since he is up for re-election, assuming he is not removed from office and banned from seeking the position ever again during the on-going impeachment trial, this may seem to be a part of his election campaign. But this is a significant, even a watershed moment for the pro-life movement. The incumbent, who has done so much in advancing a pro-life agenda, despite legislation enacted in New York State and Illinois and the machinations of the governors of Virginia and California in the past year, has earned the right to rally the troops at their most important event.

Courtesy of LifeSite News, here is the text of President Donald Trump's speech to those gathered at the National Mall:

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Thank you very much and thank you, Jeanne. It is my profound honor to be the first president in history to attend the March for Life. We are here for a very simple reason: to defend the right of every child, born and unborn, to fulfill their God-given potential.

For 47 years, Americans of all backgrounds have traveled from across the country to stand for life. 

And today as President of the United States, I am truly proud to stand with you.

I want to welcome tens of thousands – this is a tremendous turnout – tens of thousands of high school and college students who took long bus rides to be here in our nation's capital. And to make you feel even better, there are tens of thousands of people outside that we passed on the way in. If anybody would like to give up their spot, we can work it out.

We have a tremendous group of people outside. Thousands and thousands wanted to get in. This is some great success.

Young people are the heart of the March for Life. And it’s your generation that is making America the pro-family, pro-life nation.

The life movement is led by strong women, amazing faith leaders, and brave students who carry on the legacy of pioneers before us who fought to raise the conscience of our nation and uphold the rights of our citizens. You embrace mothers with care and compassion. You are empowered by prayer and motivated by your unselfish love. You are grateful and we are so grateful ­­– these are incredible people – to be joined by Secretary Alex Azar and Kellyanne Conway.

And thanks also to Senators Mike Lee and James Lankford who are here. Thank you, fellas. And Representatives Steve Scalise, Chris Smith, Ralph Abraham, Warren Davidson, Bob Latta, John Joyce, Lloyd Smucker, Brian Fitzpatrick, and Brad Wenstrup. Thank you all. I have to say – and I look at it, and I see it exactly – we have many more politicians in the audience. But if you don't mind, I won’t introduce them all.

All of us here understand an eternal truth: Every child is a precious and sacred gift from God.
Together, we must protect, cherish, and defend the dignity and the sanctity of every human life.

When we see the image of a baby in the womb, we glimpse the majesty of God's creation.When we hold a newborn in our arms, we know the endless love that each child brings to a family. When we watch a child grow, we see the splendor that radiates from each human soul. One life changes the world – from my family, and I can tell you, I send love, and I send great, great love – and from the first day in office, I have taken historic action to support America’s families and to protect the unborn.

And during my first week in office, I reinstated and expanded the Mexico City Policy and we issued a landmark pro-life rule to govern the use of Title X taxpayer funding. I notified Congress that I would veto any legislation that weakens pro-life policy or that encourages the destruction of human life.

At the United Nations, I made clear that global bureaucrats have no business attacking the sovereignty of nations that protect innocent life. Unborn children have never had a stronger defender in the White House.

As the Bible tells us, each person is wonderfully made.

We have taken decisive action to protect the religious liberty – so important – religious liberty has been under attack all over the world and frankly, very strongly attacked in our nation. You see it better than anyone. But we are stopping it. And we’re taking care of doctors, nurses, teachers, and groups like the Little Sisters of the Poor.

We are preserving faith-based adoption and to uphold our founding documents, we have appointed 187 federal judges, who apply the consultation as written, including two phenomenal supreme court justices – Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

We are protecting pro-life students’ rights to free speech on college campuses. And if universities want federal taxpayer dollars, then they must uphold your First Amendment right to speak your mind. And if they don't, they pay a very big financial penalty, which they will not be willing to pay.

Sadly, the far left is working to erase our God-given rights, shut down faith-based charities, ban religious leaders from the public square, and silence Americans who believe in the sanctity of life. They are coming after me because I am fighting for you and we are fighting for those who have no voice. And we will win because we know how to win. We all know how to win. We all know how to win. You’ve been winning for a long time. You’ve been winning for a long time.

Together, we are the voice for the voiceless. When it comes to abortion – and you know this, you’ve seen what’s happened – Democrats have embraced the most radical and extreme positions taken and seen in this country for years and decades, and you can even say, for centuries.

Nearly every top Democrat in congress now supports taxpayer-funded abortion all the way up until the moment of birth. Last year, lawmakers in New York cheered with delight upon the passage of legislation that would allow a baby to be ripped from the mother's womb right up until delivery.

Then, we had the case of the Democrat governor in the state of Virginia, the commonwealth of Virginia. And we love the commonwealth of Virginia, but what is going on in Virginia? What is going on? The governor stated that he would execute a baby after birth. You remember that.

Senate Democrats even blocked legislation that would give medical care to babies who survive attempted abortions. And that’s why I’ve called on Congress – two of our great senators here, so many of our congressmen here – I called upon them to defend the dignity of life and to pass legislation prohibiting late-term abortion of children who can feel pain in their mother's womb.

This year, the March for Life is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment, which forever enshrined women's rights to vote in the United States and given by the United States constitution. Such a big event. Today, millions of extraordinary women across America are using the power of their votes to fight for the right and all of their rights as given in the Declaration of Independence – it’s the right to life.

To all the women here today, your devotion and your leadership uplifts our entire nation and we thank you for that. The tens of thousands of Americans gathered today not only stand for life – it’s really here that they stand for it so proudly together. And I want to thank everybody for that. You stand for life each and every day. You provide housing, education, jobs, and medical care to the women that you serve. You find loving families for children in need of a forever home. You host baby showers for expecting moms. You make – you just make it your life's mission to help spread God's grace.

And to all the moms here today, we celebrate you and we declare that mothers are heroes. Your strength, devotion, and drive is what powers our nation. Because of you, our country has been blessed with amazing souls who have changed the course of human history.

We cannot know what our citizens yet unborn will achieve. The dreams they will imagine. The masterpieces they will create. The discoveries they will make. But we know this: every life brings love into this world. Every child brings joy to a family. Every person is worth protecting.

And above all, we know that every human soul is divine and every human life, born and unborn, is made in the holy image of Almighty God.

Together, we will defend this truth all across our magnificent land. We will set free the dreams of our people. And with determined hope, we look forward to all of the blessings that will come from the beauty, talent, purpose, nobility, and grace of every American child.

I want to thank you. This is a very special moment. It’s so great to represent you. I love you all. And I say with a true passion, thank you, God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you all. Thank you.

January 2020 Morning Offering Prayer Intention

Here is the intention for this month when reciting the Morning Offering:

Promotion of World Peace. We pray that Christians, followers of other religions, and all people of goodwill may promote peace and justice in the world.

A reflection for this intention is found here.

(Another case of "better late than never".)

December 2019 Morning Offering Prayer Intention

Here was the intention for this month when reciting the Morning Offering:

The Future of the Very Young. That every country determine to take the necessary measures to make the future of the very young, especially those who suffer, a priority.

A reflection for this intention is found here.

(Caught up in the Advent spirit? Nope. Just plain forgot.)

Old Song For A New Decade

Tonight is a unique ocassion. The new year that arrives will have a zero at the end of it. While time is a normal way to mark milestones, this one should be a bit more festive. And when the time for that special chime comes, the one that marks end and beginning of a year and a decade, may these words from Robert Burns ring out with more meaning:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 
And never brought to mind? 
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 
And auld lang syne? 
 
For auld lang syne, my dear, 
For auld lang syne, 
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, 
For auld lang syne. 
 
And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp, 
And surely I'll be mine! 
And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, 
For auld lang syne. 
 
For auld lang syne, my dear, 
For auld lang syne, 
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, 
For auld lang syne. 
 
We twa hae run about the braes, 
And pu'd the gowans fine; 
But we've wandered mony a weary fit 
Sin' auld lang syne. 
 
For auld lang syne, my dear, 
For auld lang syne, 
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, 
For auld lang syne. 
 
We twa hae paidled i' the burn, 
Frae morning sun till dine; 
But seas between us braid hae roared 
Sin' auld lang syne. 
 
For auld lang syne, my dear, 
For auld lang syne, 
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, 
For auld lang syne. 
 
And there's a hand, my trusty fiere, 
And gie's a hand o' thine! 
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught 
For auld lang syne. 
 
For auld lang syne, my dear, 
For auld lang syne, 
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, 
For auld lang syne.

May God bless you as you begin 2020. May His grace and favor shine in what you do, say, and are. May He bestow upon you and yours an abundance of virtue in your lives.

Happy New Year, Everybody! 

The End Of The '10's

At the end of the day there will also not only be an end to the month, not only an end to the year, but also to the end to the decade.

Time sure flies when you're having fun.

But, then again, how much fun did I have the past ten years?

As for the past year, I could just re-post this. (The more things stay the same, the more they are the same.)

The search for a full-time job continues to bear no fruit. I don't mind it when an employer hires or narrow their search for someone who is a better fit for them; that's part of the process. It still bothers me a bit when applications seem to go into the rabbit hole of no acknowledgement (which seems to me say I'll get no consideration). It bothers me even more to have applied for something and then discover the position was filled by the person who was serving in an interim role. Then why bother to advertise an opening at all? But the one thing I don't understand is when someone says their search is going to go in a different direction. Is that just a polite way of saying I'm not what they seek? (Time to revive that post with the prayer to St. Anthony seeking his intercession in the job search.)

As I was reviewing all of my past posts about this day, I was reminded about what I said in 2015. I have to ask myself if I have grown in courage since I wrote that. The answer is, "Not enough, if at all." Fortitude, like all virtues, must be exercised. It only grows with grace. I can't talk a good game anymore. Actions do speak louder than words.

So, what's in store when the calendar gets changed?

"Give us this day" and let's see what happens.

"Go Forward. Be Bold."

Roar into the '20s.

2019 Christmas Card

May the Infant Jesus bless you and yours.
May the Christ Child bring you peace, joy, hope, and love.
May the newborn King of Kings and Lord of Lords reign in your heart and life.

Merry Christmas, Everybody!

2019 Christmas Eve Reflection

The First Reading from the Mass of the Nativity of the Lord--At Dawn:

See, the LORD proclaims to the ends of the earth:  say to daughter Zion, your savior comes! Here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. They shall be called the holy people, the redeemed of the LORD, and you shall be called "Frequented," a city that is not forsaken. 

Isaiah 62:11-12

Of the four Masses offered at Christmas, the Mass at Dawn is probably the least attended. The Masses prior to this one claim the most attention--the Vigil Mass because of of its convenience; the Mass During the Night, its sentimentality. Event the Mass that follows this one, the Mass During the Day, has more of the faithful in the pews.

This is even more true if for "pastoral" reasons, only one set of readings is used for all the Masses of the Nativity regardless of time of day. This practice is a bit of a travesty. Each of these Masses has its own unique theme. When they are prayed in proper order, they speak the entirety of the message of the event we celebrate. (Lest you think I have never assisted at this Mass, think again. I have been assigned as a cantor a few times in my life.)

The reading for this Mass, save for the Gospel (a continuation of St. Luke's account of the Birth of Jesus), are not that well known. I have shared my reflections of the Second Reading in an earlier post. Once again, as a form of lecto divina, I will share my thoughts about what I have read. As always, take them as a point of departure for your own meditation.

See, the LORD proclaims to the ends of the earth. God is always speaking to us. Creation came to be by just a Word from the Father on the breath of the Spirit. He spoke to Adam and Eve. After the fall, as the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us, "In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son" (cf. Hebrews 1:1).

Say to daughter Zion, your savior comes. Throughout salvation history, God has promised to deliver us from the effect of Original Sin. What He has promised, He now has delivered. The "O" Antiphons point us to the Savior under various titles for which He is known. But it is the last one--Emmanuel:  God is with us--which is the most relevant. The Son of God, Jesus (a variation of Joshua, meaning "God Saves"), has now come down to earth in a form we can recognize, if only we open our hearts.

Here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. As I understand this sentence, "his" refers to the People of God while "him" refers to God. And what is this eternal reward, this infinite recompense? If it comes from God, it has to be that vast, for He is that vast, as has the waiting of humanity to be freed.

They shall be called the holy people, the redeemed of the LORD. Once again, and for the last time, God has begun to make a new covenant with humanity, first offering it to the Israelites, then to the Gentiles. The terms will be revealed in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, climaxing in His Death and Resurrection. And as in all covenants, we have to uphold our end of the bargain. Once again, St. Augustine reminds us that while we were created without our permission, we will only be save with it.

This is the universal call to holiness to which the Second Vatican Council refers. We have been sanctified through and in Christ. As He has redeemed us by His Blood, we, like the door lintels of the Israelites at Passover, have to be marked with this sign. The Lamb of God has taken away the sins of the world. We only have to be properly disposed to receive this great grace. The Word has said the word; we have only to obey (hear again).

This is how we are adopted as children of God.

You shall be called "Frequented," a city that is not forsaken. God is with us always. He has never forsaken us, although by sinning we have forsaken Him. Through His Church and with the help of the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation, He stays with and within us. It is more than being "frequented"; it is indwelling.

While all the readings for this Mass are short, there is a sweetness and depth to them just waiting to be explored. Like Mary, we have the opportunity to ponder these things in our heart. Perhaps, if you still have things to do Christmas morning, you may first want to "go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." (cf. Luke 2:15)

And this thing?

Hodie Christus natus est.

The Morning Star waits for you in this new dawn.

Preparing For A King

It's been a long time since I have heard this hymn, much less sung it (the tune, by the way, is Truro). I never realized it is an Advent hymn until this year. But the lyrics, based on Psalm 24:7-10, originally written by George Weissel and translated by Catherine Winkworth, fit the themes of preparing and waiting:

1. Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates; 
behold, the King of glory waits; 
the King of kings is drawing near; 
the Savior of the world is here! 

2. Fling wide the portals of your heart; 
make it a temple, set apart 
from earthly use for heaven's employ, 
adorned with prayer and love and joy. 

3. Redeemer, come, with us abide; 
our hearts to thee we open wide; 
let us thy inner presence feel; 
thy grace and love in us reveal. 

4. Thy Holy Spirit lead us on 
until our glorious goal is won; 
eternal praise, eternal fame 
be offered, Savior, to thy name!

Ero cras. 

"O" We Came Once More

The Catholic Church is wonderful in its liturgical rhythm, both during the day as well as throughout the year. The genius of the Divine Office/Liturgy of the Hours shows the beauty of the request to pray at all times. And as one gets drawn into the rich cycles of prayers and antiphons, one will find favorites.

Among the most favorite section of the entire prayer are the antiphons sung before the Magnificat used during Vespers/Evening Prayer from December 17-23. Each sunset, a different title of the soon-to-be-born Christ Child is referenced. These words show how the words of the prophets come to fruition in the blessed fruit of the womb of the Virgin Mary.

These seven antiphons, collectively known as the "O" Antiphons, were an inspiration in my early days as a 'blogger. Every year since this 'blogs inception, I have presented them as a series of meditations, adding things as I saw fit. They have been some of my most popular posts as well a a good way to finish the Advent season. While I do bring out a lot of repeats, these are still worth the effort to re-post.

I hope you have enjoyed them again.

I promise to have a preview for these next year.

The Days Of Waiting

We have arrived at the beginning of a new liturgical year. The first major solemnities come quickly:  Immaculate Conception; Nativity of the Lord; Mary, Mother of God; Epiphany; Baptism of the Lord. It seems the pace of our spiritual life has suddenly quickened.

Yet the watchwords from now until December 25 are prepare and wait. As we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of our great God and savior Jesus Christ (cf. Titus 2:13), we must also prepare the way of the Lord (cf. Isaiah 40:3). Such a odd juxtaposition of concepts--doing something and doing nothing. Mary and Martha at the same time. (How Chestertonian.)

Such is the nature of the season we celebrate. But the "four weeks" of Advent are as necessary as the nine months following the Annunciation. It is the "time" required to be completed. Such a great celebration needs that kind of anticipation and planning.

The time will come for Mary to give birth to Jesus. We know the hour, and it will come as appointed. How we ready ourselves for it will make all the difference in the world.

The days of waiting, the time for preparation, have begun.

It will be here sooner than you realize.

Ready the wreath, ready the candles, ready yourself.