Understanding Culture of Life

In Matthew 5:15, we are told that we are to not put a candle under a basket, but to raise it up for the whole world to see. In 1Peter 3:15 we are asked to be prepared always to explain the hope in our hearts.

What does this have to with the Culture of Life and the upcoming March For life?
For starters, why is it that we say the truth is twisted in our world today?

Lets take a look at the past 90 years of human history.
In the early twenties, thinkers and ambitious people that were on a mission to change the world thought it would be best to impose on society a new concept of living our lives. They embraced self pleasure and wanted to create a freedom for women to receive pleasures and take on any issue of equality to their male counterparts. Birth Control was born and then some 50 years later was widespread during the sexual revolution, as a freedom from authority and rules.

Little did society realize it was actually putting itself further in chains.
Freedom comes from the ability to choose no to a desire, not to be owned by it.
This explains plenty why shows, media, schools and even our own Catholic families tend to portray real sexuality and real freedom in a twisted message.

As the thought of sexual pleasure without pregnancy became a norm in this world, many subscribed to the concept of artificial contraception even more, it seemed like the risk of pregnancy had gone away or at least lowered. Woman believed they were building themselves up in equality cause they could work without a pregnancy leave, but a lot of parents didn't realize this contraceptive theory also entered their families, their very homes. Teen pregnancy rose to new heights and many people started having "unexpected" pregnancies.

Of course the only reason it was unexpected was because they had thought they could control what only God controls. This has lead to an increase in a new phenomenon which became legal in the early 1970's: Abortion.

Either due to an inconvenience, an ignorance, guilt, shame or some other unworthy feeling, woman started adding abortion to their vocabulary. Many young woman found the unexpected suddenly intruding on their life which they had not planned completely.

From that historical Jan 22nd Court decision sprung out a new movement, Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit started raising a grand army of followers, an army that has every year grown in size and passion. They gather because they believe in the real truth of life, in the real sanctity and honor that life brings. They have realized that woman were in fact not free, but enslaved in a selfish desire, that only turned most of them into sexual objects, not real women as God intended. They realized that Men were enslaved as well, and their dignity had been stripped from them. They could not control their lustful desires, the selfish living and constant use of women not for companionship but as objects. The real man should have complete control and freedom from such things, and should be able to be strong and courageous, to stand up for what is good and right and to offer respect and support to women.

This was a call for an army to stand up and witness Life. And in order to that, they learned they had to witness Christ. It is the divine love that we find in Christ that truly saves us and frees us from bondage. So here we are, today in 2008, with all these things in our society that have pulled us down and twisted the truthful desires of our hearts. It is here that we must heed the words found in Matthew and 1 Peter, we must shine Christ's light to others to show them the truth, to take away the darkness and bondage. But we must know the truth, we must know Christ and be able to tell people the hope in our hearts, for it is this hope that we will witness during our walk on Tuesday at the March for Life.

With over 50,000 in attendance at the annual rally for life mass at the Verizon center, and with over 300,000 pro lifers marching on the mall alone, isn't it time we all join the army of truth, the army of light, the army of God.

1 Thessalonians 4:7-8

"7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit."

Living in a world of choices

As I reflect upon a recurring theme of Deut. 30, He has given us two choices: Death and Life.
Which one we choose is always the major questions, for sometimes we choose a false good. We can easily be disillusioned or deceived by the evil one.

There are times in our lives where we believe we have the answers, but really we don't have more than a clue to the real answer.

This is the world we live in, a world of choices.
Which do we choose, and where will it take us?

For me, I was thinking about a reaction a coworker mentioned, they said that they personalize things too much, but their psychiatrist helped them find a solution.. to just not personalize things. Well, the initial problem they found with personalizing things was they got frustrated, perhaps because they believed they would have all the answers? who knows..

At the time I went along with it and said, sure.. I mean, hey why not.. it seems simple enough as a solution. But lets look again at the situation.

By personalizing things, the person was passionate, full of zeal and worked hard and did good for the good reasons, once this individual changed their pattern to a cold approach, they still were frustrated, and started not liking so much what they were doing. could it get better or worse?

well, I think the solution lies in knowing the truth. The truth is to choose to live and we can only live through Christ Jesus. So the other solution, unmentioned here is choosing to personalize, but lift up the frustrations and the burdens to our Lord, and let Him take up the load. Be zealous but be calm, be on fire, but be at peace.

What does this mean for the rest of us?
How do you implement it? Is there a big enough reason to care?

of course there is, what this means is that the joy of the Father is yours to take. He promised you a choice, so choose the right one.

If everyone chooses the easy way out, and continues to believe they can leave God out of the equation, then like this individuals passion, your life will go cold. You will be hallow, a body with no spark in the soul. You will continue to live your life but the sun will never shine. The Church walls, all great and spectacular will be empty and cold, with no life within them. It will be as if an eclipse has fallen upon your world.

But if you choose to live, if you choose life always, then the sun will forever shine, the flowers forever bloom, the church halls filled with music and might, the stain glass lit with color upon the floors and ceilings and your love will know no bound.

So next time you hear someone talk about shutting down, lessening the personalization, no longer believing in God or the power of the Holy Spirit, or just being dragged by the current of society, shine your light upon them, destroy the darkness, bring them Hope. In all of us is the Hope of the world, for in our hearts, in our souls, as the Creator has created us in His image, our Hope lies in him, the light of the world.

Amen.