A People for Life

Then God said: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.”

God created man in his image;

in the divine image he created him;

male and female he created them.

             …God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good (Gn 1:26-31).

The dignity of the human person is there, in our Creation Story. Man and woman were created to be like God and to be with God; to have rule over all the Earth. This divine worth is shared among all humans, of every race, tongue, and age. As Blessed John Paul II said in his 1995 address to the United Nations, “Each and every human person has been created in the ‘image and likeness’ of the One who is the origin of all that is.”

The inherent dignity of every human person is especially important to remember in America today, as we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  In the face of deep-seated hatred and racism, Martin Luther King, Jr. changed this nation with a dream: that America would one day be “a country where every man will respect the dignity and worth of the human personality.”

He peacefully stood with his brothers, preaching the divine worth and equality of every human person, no matter what color or race. He was murdered for this vision, but his witness lives on and continues to change hearts throughout the world. 

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream of equality is something we must continue to fight for. Tomorrow, January 22, marks the 40^th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in America. Millions of unborn children have been murdered in their mothers’ wombs over the last 40 years. Each day, babies continue to lose their lives to the culture of death.

Serving with Truth

The Pope’s missionary intention for July is that “Christian volunteers in mission territories may witness to the love of Christ.”

The United Nations declared 2001 the International Year of Volunteers, and on this occasion Blessed John Paul II expressed his gratitude for all of those who dedicate their lives to the poor. He said:

Thanks to the many forms of solidarity and of service that they promote and make concrete, volunteer workers make society more attentive to the dignity of the human person and his/her many expectations.

… Dear Brothers and Sisters, who make up this "army" of peace spread over the face of the earth, you are a sign of hope for our times. Wherever situations of hardship and suffering appear, make bear fruit the hidden resources of dedication, goodness and heroism in the heart of the human person.

Making myself the spokesman for the poor everywhere, I want to say "thank you' for your steadfast dedication.

In his message, the late Pope explained why it is that volunteers dedicate their lives to others. It is “the innate movement of the heart,” he said, “that inspires every human being to help his fellow man.” Have you ever felt that rush of joy after helping someone in need? Well that is natural, John Paul II said, because it is in giving that we reach perfect fulfillment.

That “good feeling” is not why we serve, though. We serve because Jesus did when He walked the earth, and we serve because God calls us to do the same. We serve because the fruits of our charity bring justice and peace to mankind, and we serve because every human person deserves to be loved. We serve because our charity is a form of evangelization, introducing others to Christ.

Pope Benedict XVI’s trip to Latin America

Pope Benedict XVI spent time in Mexico and Cuba this past week, following in the footsteps of Blessed John Paul II. In his Welcoming Ceremony address at Cuba’s Antonio Maceo International Airport, Pope Benedict said:

Standing here among you, I cannot but recall the historic visit to Cuba of my predecessor, Blessed John Paul II, who left an indelible mark on the soul of all Cubans. For many, whether believers or not, his example and his teachings are a luminous guide for their personal lives and their public activity in the service of the common good of the nation. His visit to this island was like a gentle breath of fresh air which gave new strength to the Church in Cuba, awakening in many a renewed awareness of the importance of faith and inspiring them to open their hearts to Christ, while at the same time kindling their hope and encouraging their desire to work fearlessly for a better future.

Pope Benedict spoke of his own visit as well, and he subtly referenced the economic troubles in Cuba as well as their human rights issues:

I come to Cuba as a pilgrim of charity, to confirm my brothers and sisters in the faith and strengthen them in the hope which is born of the presence of God’s love in our lives. I carry in my heart the just aspirations and legitimate desires of all Cubans, wherever they may be, their sufferings and their joys, their concerns and their noblest desires, those of the young and the elderly, of adolescents and children, of the sick and workers, of prisoners and their families, and of the poor and those in need.

Many parts of the world today are experiencing a time of particular economic difficulty, that not a few people regard as part of a profound spiritual and moral crisis which has left humanity devoid of values and defenceless before the ambition and selfishness of certain powers which take little account of the true good of individuals and families. We can no longer continue in the same cultural and moral direction which has caused the painful situation that many suffer. On the other hand, real progress calls for an ethics which focuses on the human person and takes account of the most profound human needs, especially man’s spiritual and religious dimension. In the hearts and minds of many, the way is thus opening to an ever greater certainty that the rebirth of society demands upright men and women of firm moral convictions, with noble and strong values who will not be manipulated by dubious interests and who are respectful of the unchanging and transcendent nature of the human person.

Hopefully Pope Benedict’s visit will be another “gentle breath of fresh air” for the people of Cuba and her Church.

Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, Pray for Us.