We live in a culture of death, and the decisions and the attitudes of the people and society around us may discourage us in our struggle to live a culture of life. Someone I know once told me that whenever he is frustrated by a problem that he cannot fix, he works on fixing a problem that he can. The wisdom behind these words helped inspire this blog. We may not be able to immediately fix the huge problems in the world. We may not, in our lifetimes, be able to completely reverse the culture of death. But we can take steps to change our own actions and attitudes.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, for instance, we can remember to be thankful for the gift of life. Life may seem difficult at times. The powers of evil may seem to rule, our work may seem to make no difference, and we may begin to feel powerless. I choose today to be grateful for my life anyways. I’m grateful for the people I have come to know and love. I’m grateful for my knowledge of God and of the good and the true. I’m grateful for the victories God has allowed me to see. I am grateful for the comfort and grace God has granted me in times of defeat.
I’m grateful for the smell of fresh air, the cool joy it gives to my lungs. I’m grateful for beautiful landscapes, the bright colors singing to my eyes. I’m grateful for sunny days and for stormy nights. I’m grateful for the peacefulness of the early morning and the solitude of late night. I’m grateful for the stars, when I have the chance to see them, decorating the night sky.
I’m grateful for green grass, for dogs and cats. I’m grateful for sunsets, a masterpiece from God free for all to see. I’m grateful for my family, for old and for young. I’m grateful for music, meaning expressed more truly and beautifully than ever words could hold. I’m grateful for life, for beauty, for truth, and for the chances I have to defend them.
Try to take time to be thankful for life. Even when life feels miserable, look for little joys, little bits of goodness that sneak past the clouds. For if we appreciate life and all that it holds, we will be more inspired and ready to defend it. We will recognize just how precious the gift is that some are all too ready to deny to others or to throw away for themselves.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Families and the Culture of Life - Part 2
The family is the building block of society. So if we want to spread a culture of life in society, we must first spread a culture of life in the family.
How do we treat our parents? Do we view them as merely a way of getting what we want, or perhaps as an obstacle to getting what we want? Do we always expect perfection from them and get angry at them when they fail? Or do we instead look at them as human beings made in the image and likeness of God, worthy of dignity and respect? Do we listen to God’s law “Honor thy father and thy mother"? Do we recognize the acts they have done for us out of love?
Perhaps your parents haven’t loved you as they should. Do you love them? Are you able to forgive them for any harm or neglect they may have given you? Or are the barriers too difficult, the hurts too deep? If this is the case, be sure to turn to Jesus. Pray for the grace for healing. Remember His Divine Mercy and forgiveness. Remember His love for us on the cross. After all we did to Him, after all the times we rejected Him, He still loved us enough to die for us.
Remember with father, mother, sister, brother, son, and daughter, to give of yourself in love. Ask not what your family can do for you but what you can do for your family. Okay, so you can and should express your needs to your family, but look out for the needs of others as well. Be kind to someone after they have had a stressful day. Offer to help out. Try to keep positive.
If parents can see their children as gifts from God rather than burdens, we can gradually wear away the mentality that promotes abortion. If children can see the loving sacrifice of their parents, a model of Christ, perhaps we can have more respect for the elderly. Perhaps the children will return the favor when they need help in old age. If we can start viewing people as good in their own regard, regardless of what they do for us, perhaps we can prevent the killing of people regarded as useless to society.
So start in the family that great, ultimate task of the human person. Give yourself as an offering of love to those around you every day. Show solidarity with your brothers and sisters, your mother and father. Look to the Holy Family for guidance. And never loose hope. For after the cross comes the resurrection, and a new life in the family of Christ.
How do we treat our parents? Do we view them as merely a way of getting what we want, or perhaps as an obstacle to getting what we want? Do we always expect perfection from them and get angry at them when they fail? Or do we instead look at them as human beings made in the image and likeness of God, worthy of dignity and respect? Do we listen to God’s law “Honor thy father and thy mother"? Do we recognize the acts they have done for us out of love?
Perhaps your parents haven’t loved you as they should. Do you love them? Are you able to forgive them for any harm or neglect they may have given you? Or are the barriers too difficult, the hurts too deep? If this is the case, be sure to turn to Jesus. Pray for the grace for healing. Remember His Divine Mercy and forgiveness. Remember His love for us on the cross. After all we did to Him, after all the times we rejected Him, He still loved us enough to die for us.
Remember with father, mother, sister, brother, son, and daughter, to give of yourself in love. Ask not what your family can do for you but what you can do for your family. Okay, so you can and should express your needs to your family, but look out for the needs of others as well. Be kind to someone after they have had a stressful day. Offer to help out. Try to keep positive.
If parents can see their children as gifts from God rather than burdens, we can gradually wear away the mentality that promotes abortion. If children can see the loving sacrifice of their parents, a model of Christ, perhaps we can have more respect for the elderly. Perhaps the children will return the favor when they need help in old age. If we can start viewing people as good in their own regard, regardless of what they do for us, perhaps we can prevent the killing of people regarded as useless to society.
So start in the family that great, ultimate task of the human person. Give yourself as an offering of love to those around you every day. Show solidarity with your brothers and sisters, your mother and father. Look to the Holy Family for guidance. And never loose hope. For after the cross comes the resurrection, and a new life in the family of Christ.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Families and the Culture of Life - Part 1
At the center of most, if not all, life issues lies the family. The family is the building block of society, and in today’s world, we see the family under attack on many different levels.
To live a culture of life, we must protect and uplift the family. You can help stop the breakdown of the family in your own families. Take time to talk with your family. Often, with busy lives, families are divided up in many different directions. Busy schedules may mean that you are rarely all together and free to do things at the same time. Make time in your schedules to be together. Try to have at least one time a week where you can spend quality time with your family. Visit with each other. You don’t have to discuss anything important. Rest together. Play games. Have a meal together (perhaps one not in front of the television). If you don’t live at home, take the time to call your family and visit. At least let your family know that you love them.
Every family is different, and I’m not trying to create a concrete mold that everyone should follow exactly. Not every family is at the same place. Maybe its completely unreasonable to expect your family to start having a family game night. Maybe all you can ask for is a time where all your family is together. Or maybe that isn’t even possible. Maybe all you can manage is to spend time with every member of your family individually.
The point is that wherever you are and your family is, you should push yourself to take steps to bring your family closer together. Make the courageous act to love, to reach out, perhaps, to that family member that feels isolated from the rest of the family. Perhaps try to make peace with that family member you don’t get along with. Try to let go of just one resentment.
Maybe you think that your family is already fine, already united. Great. Take steps to come even closer. How is your family’s spiritual life? Do you pray together? Perhaps you can reach out to others as a family.
If the family is the building block of society, then to save society we must save the family.
To live a culture of life, we must protect and uplift the family. You can help stop the breakdown of the family in your own families. Take time to talk with your family. Often, with busy lives, families are divided up in many different directions. Busy schedules may mean that you are rarely all together and free to do things at the same time. Make time in your schedules to be together. Try to have at least one time a week where you can spend quality time with your family. Visit with each other. You don’t have to discuss anything important. Rest together. Play games. Have a meal together (perhaps one not in front of the television). If you don’t live at home, take the time to call your family and visit. At least let your family know that you love them.
Every family is different, and I’m not trying to create a concrete mold that everyone should follow exactly. Not every family is at the same place. Maybe its completely unreasonable to expect your family to start having a family game night. Maybe all you can ask for is a time where all your family is together. Or maybe that isn’t even possible. Maybe all you can manage is to spend time with every member of your family individually.
The point is that wherever you are and your family is, you should push yourself to take steps to bring your family closer together. Make the courageous act to love, to reach out, perhaps, to that family member that feels isolated from the rest of the family. Perhaps try to make peace with that family member you don’t get along with. Try to let go of just one resentment.
Maybe you think that your family is already fine, already united. Great. Take steps to come even closer. How is your family’s spiritual life? Do you pray together? Perhaps you can reach out to others as a family.
If the family is the building block of society, then to save society we must save the family.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Selfishness
Selfishness is so easy to fall into. We naturally look after our own self interests. And selfishness lies deep in the heart of some issues of the culture of death. People are afraid to be open to new life because they are worried about what will be asked of them if they are.
We are meant to love and care for ourselves. Our problems come when we love ourselves in a disordered way. We are disordered when we love ourselves so much that we cannot see our flaws, that we cannot see the suffering of others, and that we cannot see God. We make ourselves the god of our own little universe, and expect everything to revolve around us.
If we want to truly live in a culture of life, we must gradually reorder our love of self, putting it into its proper place. We have to realize that God is greater than us. We have to realize that other people have the same dignity that we have, and deserve respect too. We need to realize that being made in the image and likeness of God means being made to love, to give completely of ourselves to others and to God.
This is a radical, yet beautiful call. If we ever want to truly live out this call, we must take small steps out of our selfish mindsets. Consider the needs of others for a moment before you consider your own. Take the time to hold the door for someone. On the road, let someone get onto the highway in front of you. Maybe you don’t have to be the first one in line. Maybe you have something that someone else needs more. Maybe giving an extra dollar to charity won’t kill you, but may allow someone else to live. Maybe, a minute out of your day can give someone the hope they are needing. Maybe a little prayer will give someone the strength to go on.
May God bless you all!
We are meant to love and care for ourselves. Our problems come when we love ourselves in a disordered way. We are disordered when we love ourselves so much that we cannot see our flaws, that we cannot see the suffering of others, and that we cannot see God. We make ourselves the god of our own little universe, and expect everything to revolve around us.
If we want to truly live in a culture of life, we must gradually reorder our love of self, putting it into its proper place. We have to realize that God is greater than us. We have to realize that other people have the same dignity that we have, and deserve respect too. We need to realize that being made in the image and likeness of God means being made to love, to give completely of ourselves to others and to God.
This is a radical, yet beautiful call. If we ever want to truly live out this call, we must take small steps out of our selfish mindsets. Consider the needs of others for a moment before you consider your own. Take the time to hold the door for someone. On the road, let someone get onto the highway in front of you. Maybe you don’t have to be the first one in line. Maybe you have something that someone else needs more. Maybe giving an extra dollar to charity won’t kill you, but may allow someone else to live. Maybe, a minute out of your day can give someone the hope they are needing. Maybe a little prayer will give someone the strength to go on.
May God bless you all!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Dignity Moments
Those who work towards a culture of life often speak of the dignity of the human person. Something about the human person gives him or her a special dignity above the animals. Humans are made in the very image and likeness of God. For this reason, the dignity of the human person must be protected.
The culture of death disregards the dignity of the human person. Followers of the culture of death kill unwanted children and elderly, through abortion and euthanasia. They exploit other human persons through pornography and forced labor. The culture of death works in more subtle ways as well, through the clothing people wear, through the attitudes shown in movies and television, and even through the way people view others in general.
Those who aspire to a culture of life may see the beauty in the idea of the dignity of the human person, but may forget this in their everyday lives. We may catch ourselves using others instead of loving others. In a store, we may only look at the employees in terms of how they can help us, and not in terms of their human dignity and how we can help them. We may be unnecessarily rude or cold towards people who may need our kindness and love. We may look to members of the opposite sex for our own pleasures and desires, and forget that we are looking at someone made in the image and likeness of God, with the same dignity that we have.
At these times, we must challenge ourselves to what I will call dignity moments. We must step back and appreciate the value and dignity of that person, and look to see if we are truly loving and respecting that person as we should be, or if we are simply using that person for our own selfish ends.
This will not be easy, and we cannot do it alone. We must support each other, and hold each other accountable. If we see our brothers and sisters failing to respect each other as persons, even in small ways, we need to call each other on the carpet for it. We should not do this out of arrogance, but with humility and love. Encourage your friends to call you on the carpet when you make mistakes, otherwise, we will not change. A culture of death surrounds us; subconsciously we slip into patterns of the culture of death. And if we cannot correct the small things in our own lives, how will we ever be able to correct the large?
The culture of death disregards the dignity of the human person. Followers of the culture of death kill unwanted children and elderly, through abortion and euthanasia. They exploit other human persons through pornography and forced labor. The culture of death works in more subtle ways as well, through the clothing people wear, through the attitudes shown in movies and television, and even through the way people view others in general.
Those who aspire to a culture of life may see the beauty in the idea of the dignity of the human person, but may forget this in their everyday lives. We may catch ourselves using others instead of loving others. In a store, we may only look at the employees in terms of how they can help us, and not in terms of their human dignity and how we can help them. We may be unnecessarily rude or cold towards people who may need our kindness and love. We may look to members of the opposite sex for our own pleasures and desires, and forget that we are looking at someone made in the image and likeness of God, with the same dignity that we have.
At these times, we must challenge ourselves to what I will call dignity moments. We must step back and appreciate the value and dignity of that person, and look to see if we are truly loving and respecting that person as we should be, or if we are simply using that person for our own selfish ends.
This will not be easy, and we cannot do it alone. We must support each other, and hold each other accountable. If we see our brothers and sisters failing to respect each other as persons, even in small ways, we need to call each other on the carpet for it. We should not do this out of arrogance, but with humility and love. Encourage your friends to call you on the carpet when you make mistakes, otherwise, we will not change. A culture of death surrounds us; subconsciously we slip into patterns of the culture of death. And if we cannot correct the small things in our own lives, how will we ever be able to correct the large?
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Living the Culture of Life
We are engaged in a culture war. The late Pope John Paul II often spoke of a culture of life and a culture of death. We are called to promote a culture of life. Often people think that this means opposing abortion, euthanasia, cloning, and the like. But living a culture of life goes much deeper than simply opposing certain practices. A culture speaks to the essence of who we are as a society, which speaks to how we view ourselves as persons.
We live in a culture of death. The fruits of this culture are abortion, euthanasia, and the like. The root of this culture is in how we view each other as persons. We view others in terms of what they are doing for us. We view our lives as opportunities for pleasure and sensation. We view pain and suffering as the greatest evils.
Yet, by the Catholic Church, we are taught that suffering is necessary for true love. We see this explicitly in Christ’s dying on the cross for love of humanity. We are taught that human beings are made in the image and likeness of God, and that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. A culture of life demands that we love and respect ourselves and our neighbors. A culture of life demands a respect for the dignity of every human person. Each person has value in his or her own right, and not just in how that person can benefit us.
Yet even though these ideas may sound beautiful and fascinating to us, we find difficulty applying them to our own lives. We are immersed in a culture that fills us with lies about who we are and what we need, and we often follow a culture of death without even realizing it. We may take our ideals to the voting booth, or to the rally, and focus on big issues such as abortion, euthanasia, and pornography. But we may forget them when looking at our younger siblings or cousins, at our elderly relatives, or at members of the opposite sex.
In order to truly promote a culture of life, we must live that culture. We must challenge ourselves everyday to live more like Christ, to look beyond ourselves. Fortunately, we are not called to do this alone. Even Christ had help carrying His cross. In the very nature of culture is community. We must support each other in this mission and hold each other accountable. This is not easy. I know I struggle with this. But if we take the courage to make even small steps to live in a culture of life, with God’s help, we can touch hearts and move souls.
My goal for this blog is to stimulate ideas on how to live a culture of life, and to encourage others and myself in this endeavor. My message for this entry is that we must not try to do this alone. We must always remember to ask for God’s help, and maintain a prayer life, otherwise we shall be acting in folly. Go to Confession. Receive Christ in the Eucharist. Pray the rosary. Find your own special devotion. Remember, all things are possible in God.
May God bless you all! St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!
We live in a culture of death. The fruits of this culture are abortion, euthanasia, and the like. The root of this culture is in how we view each other as persons. We view others in terms of what they are doing for us. We view our lives as opportunities for pleasure and sensation. We view pain and suffering as the greatest evils.
Yet, by the Catholic Church, we are taught that suffering is necessary for true love. We see this explicitly in Christ’s dying on the cross for love of humanity. We are taught that human beings are made in the image and likeness of God, and that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. A culture of life demands that we love and respect ourselves and our neighbors. A culture of life demands a respect for the dignity of every human person. Each person has value in his or her own right, and not just in how that person can benefit us.
Yet even though these ideas may sound beautiful and fascinating to us, we find difficulty applying them to our own lives. We are immersed in a culture that fills us with lies about who we are and what we need, and we often follow a culture of death without even realizing it. We may take our ideals to the voting booth, or to the rally, and focus on big issues such as abortion, euthanasia, and pornography. But we may forget them when looking at our younger siblings or cousins, at our elderly relatives, or at members of the opposite sex.
In order to truly promote a culture of life, we must live that culture. We must challenge ourselves everyday to live more like Christ, to look beyond ourselves. Fortunately, we are not called to do this alone. Even Christ had help carrying His cross. In the very nature of culture is community. We must support each other in this mission and hold each other accountable. This is not easy. I know I struggle with this. But if we take the courage to make even small steps to live in a culture of life, with God’s help, we can touch hearts and move souls.
My goal for this blog is to stimulate ideas on how to live a culture of life, and to encourage others and myself in this endeavor. My message for this entry is that we must not try to do this alone. We must always remember to ask for God’s help, and maintain a prayer life, otherwise we shall be acting in folly. Go to Confession. Receive Christ in the Eucharist. Pray the rosary. Find your own special devotion. Remember, all things are possible in God.
May God bless you all! St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!
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