October 6, 2019 - "Respect Life Month"

October is a special time for us to pray for life.   A few weeks ago now Archbishop Gregory wrote to the priests of the Archdiocese about Respect Life Sunday, which Catholic Churches in the United States are observing today.  Let me quote two paragraphs from his letter for you now:
 
As you know, Catholics around the world celebrate Respect Life Month during the month of October.  This year, the USCCB has chosen the theme Christ our Hope in Every Season of Life to guide our efforts to promote the dignity of every person during Respect Life Month.  This theme is especially fitting here in the Archdiocese of Washington where we face attacks on the sanctity of the human person at various stages of life.  Within the Archdiocese of Washington’s bounds, abortion is legal through nine months of pregnancy.  Three years ago, the District of Columbia legalized physician-assisted suicide, which targets the elderly and people with disabilities, and this year, we expect another attempt to legalize physician-assisted suicide in Maryland.  The culture of death surrounds us, but Christ is our hope!
 
In the Gospel, Jesus tells us, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea’ and it would obey you.’” I pray that we may have faith the size of the mustard seed and work together to protect the most vulnerable among us.  Thank you for your tireless efforts in defense of all life.
 
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have prepared a sheet with some guidance how to pray for life during this Respect Life Month.  Let me present the reflection that our Bishops offer us in this regard:
 
From the time we are knit together in our mothers’ wombs until we take our final breaths, each moment of our lives is a gift from God.  While every season of life brings its own challenges and trials, each season also gives us opportunities to grow in relationship with Him.  As new attacks on human life continue to emerge, we might be tempted to despair, but Christ instead offers us unfailing hope.  Christ’s promise of salvation does not mean that we will be spared from suffering, but rather that even in the darkest moments of our lives, we will be given the strength to persevere.  For this reason, a woman experiencing a difficult pregnancy can find the strength to welcome her precious child into the world.  A man facing a terminal diagnosis can see that the end of his earthly life is the beginning of eternal life with Christ.  When the seas of life swell and we are battered by the waves, hope allows us to remain anchored in the heart of God.  May we hold fast to Christ, our hope, from the beginning of life to its very end.

Our Bishops have made several suggestions about acts of reparation that we could do during Respect Life Month.  I would suggest that you look these over and select one to do in October:
 
· Choose one Friday this month to fast and pray for a greater respect of human life.
· Pray a decade of the Rosary for this month’s intention:  May we hold fast to Christ, our hope, in every season of life.
· Offer some other sacrifice, prayer, or act of penance that you feel called to do, for this month’s intention:  May we hold fast to Christ, our hope, in every season of life.
 
A final thought: October is Respect Life Month!  Please visit respectlife.org/respect-life-month for simple ways to get involved.
 
Until next week,
Fr. John