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I commented the other day on a reel that showed an elderly woman vehemently yelling about how “we aren’t going back” in reference to Roe being overturned. She was so angry, so bitter. Her advocacy for killing unborn babies had manifested itself externally and there was not an ounce of joy within her. I was so sad for her. To be so near the end of her life and to still be so determined to advocate for killing unborn babies is tragic. Where she should be cuddling and spoiling sweet babies, it is a tragedy to see grandma-aged women so hateful over babies in the womb. I was compelled to pray for her all day yesterday as I can’t imagine the grip around her heart. Anyway, under my comment, I was lashed out at by many people. One guy told me that he was going to “destroy as many embryos as he could so that I can’t make a difference.” Another lady expressed that “a fetus isn’t a human” and that’d she kill any fetus if she got pregnant. One lady told me to “pray to get a backbone so that you stop unholding a patriarchy that hates you.” When my husband and I were dating, we lived together and I—surprise, surprise—became pregnant. Neither one of us were living out our faith. I was scared to death. It was my senior year of college, we weren’t married, I was embarrassed, we had no money and I wasn’t ready to be a mom. Sobbing through tears, I showed Dustin the pregnancy test and he smiled. “Why are you smiling?!” I exasperatedly asked. “I’m sorry, I know you’re scared, but I just can’t be sad about a baby.” And then he hugged me and told me we’d figure it all out. The patriarchy that the woman speaks of is real and abortion is a dream for the bad men that comprise it. Abortion allows bad men to use women for sex, get them pregnant, and then force/demand/encourage getting an abortion so that they have no responsibilities. Then they go on to scar another woman. It’s also a rapist’s and incestual predator’s dream: Get rid of the “evidence.” Sadly, this woman thinks she’s fighting against the patriarchy, but she’s actually helping them through her support of abortion. A good man doesn’t even see abortion as an option, but instead loves the baby he has helped create and vows to take care of the woman. I regret my response to finding out about my oldest’s life, but I’m grateful her father smiled at hearing about her. Twenty-three years later and she continues to be a joy to our lives. May we welcome new life, Catholic Pilgrims, even when we are scared and unsure of what the future may bring. Live the Faith boldly and travel well.
Continue ReadingLast night, I was explaining to my son that Advent is a time of expectant waiting. While we aren’t really waiting for Jesus’ first coming anymore, we do prepare to celebrate His birth. We, also, need to open our hearts for Him to come into them. How do we go about doing that? One way is to relinquish control. Yesterday, someone commented that they know God has forgiven them, but they struggle to forgive themselves. Many expressed that they could relate to this. I could relate to this as I once struggled with the same thing. To forgive myself meant, in my mind, that I was condoning my sinful actions. Forgiveness always feels a bit like that to us humans. It’s why we struggle to forgive others. We don’t want them thinking we are okay with what they did. In our pride, masked as humility, we withhold forgiving ourselves as if to attempt to outdo God in justice. “God can forgive me, but I won’t forgive myself because what I did was just so bad. Look, I’ll continue to punish myself. Look how just I am.” This is pride talking. We are not more just than God. Imagine if your child did something wrong and hurt you. After some time, they come and ask for forgiveness and you give it. Then, sadly, they continue to beat themselves up over it. As a parent, this would deeply sadden you and worry you as you watch your child continue to punish themselves. As a parent, you wouldn’t want this and neither does God want it for you. This Advent, if you struggle to forgive yourself, offer that control over to God. If He has forgiven you and you are contrite about it, let go of your pride and stop trying to outdo Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. He opened the door to forgiveness and flourishing, don’t undermine that. Pray for the graces to give up the control, Catholic Pilgrims. God does not want you stuck. He wants you to be transformed with His light and love. It’s okay to forgive yourself. Have a blessed Monday.
Continue ReadingA few weeks ago, I was in Berkeley and during the homily, the priest said that when he used to teach at a Catholic high school, he’d ask his students if they wanted to be saints. The overwhelming majority said, “No.” When the priest pressed as to why, they said they didn’t believe they could truly be themselves if they were saints. Isn’t that interesting and devastatingly sad? What an incredible job Satan and the world has done in convincing us that holiness is boring, lame, and strips us of our true selves. Holiness is the exact opposite, though. It helps us to transform into who God truly meant us to be. Why is it that we think a life of sin is better? Why do we think this and then at the same time try to think ourselves better than “big-time” sinners? Nobody is inspired by a life that was/is steeped in sin. We are inspired by saints, even if we won’t admit it. The truth of the matter all comes down to trust and faith. I know, because I used to think like those high school teens. Too many people don’t trust that a life of holiness will be fulfilling and too many people lack faith that Heaven is better than any pleasure we experience here on earth. We are not impressive when we sin. Sinning is easy and asks nothing of us other than to give in. Striving for holiness is not easy. It asks a lot of us, which isn’t a bad thing. St. Paul encourages the Thessalonians, and ultimately us, to “be blameless in holiness before Our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His holy ones.” You were made to be a saint. We were all born to be saints. There is nothing boring, lame, or stifling about striving for holiness, Catholic Pilgrims, no matter what the world tells you. Have a beautiful first Sunday of Advent.
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