Friday, December 13, 2013

Spirit and Life: Heroes in the Season of Hope

spiritlife

Heroes in the Season of Hope
Dear Friends,
This Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, we light the third candle of the Advent wreath. The rose-colored candle and the priests' rose vestments mark a change in the tenor of this penitential season. For those who have been using Advent as a time to prepare heart and home for the celebration of Christ's birth, it is a reminder to rejoice in His approaching arrival. For all it is a reminder to get serious with the remainder of the season and use it profitably, to exercise not the feeling, but the virtue, of Hope.

And we do need hope. I don't know how many of you have seen the recent video of the heroes -- yes, the heroes -- who defended the cathedral in San Juan, Argentina from a violent assault by a feminist mob. It was a truly ugly scene: a cursing, half-naked throng of hate-filled and obviously deeply wounded souls molesting, assaulting and spray-painting the defenders of the house of God. These defenders did not retaliate, but kneeled or stood arm-in-arm, praying the Rosary while being kicked, spat upon and cursed.

The cathedral itself suffered some damage along the outside, but the interior was not broached, and the Holy Eucharist in the tabernacle was unmolested. And as we see too often, the police stood by and did nothing, as they were directed to do. And of course despite the fact that this was clearly a news-worthy event with obviously compelling video readily available, the media turned away. To the agenda-driven media, it's the wrong story: Faithful Catholics are not to be portrayed as peaceful victims in the culture wars, and the defenders of abortion and the LGBT agenda -- the perpetrators of these crimes -- must not be portrayed as the aggressors. Hence, nothing to see here.

The defenders of the cathedral are heroes. Without question.

The confrontation between good and evil does not get much more clear than this, through the eyes of faith. On this same view we see incredible virtue -- and hope -- as triumphant. The faithful Christian can be justly angry at this injustice, but cannot despair at yet another assault on life. Rather, how can we not look at the example of faith and courage in our brothers and not be filled with hope, and more: a challenge to step up our own game? What would we do in this situation? What can we do in our own situation?

Continue reading on HLI.org...   
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Father Shenan J. Boquet
President, Human Life International

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