VIEWS

This month we commemorate the 44th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the infamous Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide. How do we, as a people of faith respond? Before we can answer that question, we need to remind ourselves what it is that we’re for, or what it means to be truly pro-life. Unfortunately, it seems to me that too often we forget.

Near the end of the beloved Charles Dickens’ classic, “A Christmas Carol,” the cold heart of Ebenezer Scrooge is transformed and he exclaims, “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”

I’ve been blessed to write for The Catholic Sun since 2002, and last year, I was asked to write for a small community newspaper. Many of my articles have had a Christian focus to them and recently, I approached the owner of the publication about establishing a special section in the paper devoted to local churches (something newspapers used to do once upon a time.)

My teen niece called me last week to tell me her dad — my brother — was getting on her nerves. What teenager hasn’t said that, right?

“Toma al niño y su madre, huye a Egipto …”. Con este comando del ángel, José, en medio de la noche, huyó de la masacre que Rey Herodes planificó para el niño Jesús; y la Sagrada Familia se convirtieron en refugiados (Mateo 2:13f).

“Take the child and his mother, flee into Egypt …” With this command from the Angel, Joseph, in the middle of the night, fled the massacre that King Herod intended for the child Jesus; and the Holy Family became refugees (Mt 2:13f).

“Going to church” in the Protestant American South holds a certain amusing lore through which I fondly recall the small Louisiana congregation of my girlhood, although at the time I was embarrassed by some of its quirky traditions at worship services.

Noah’s neighbors were so engrossed in celebrating their good fortune that they were caught unprepared for the calamity of the Flood. Had they invited the less-fortunate villagers, perhaps the party may have ended in joy.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, but giving thanks to the Lord for our many blessings should be a way of life, not just a fleeting thought on the fourth Thursday of November.

My mother and father’s 73-year marriage came full circle several weeks ago as Mom and the rest of our family lovingly ushered my father to the goal of their union from the beginning: the merciful encounter with our heavenly Father when this earthly life is done. The little church where we celebrated the funeral Mass was filled to overflowing with those touched by the truth, goodness and beauty of my parents’ deeply loving and fruitful, even if not perfect, union.