PRO-LIFE HOMILY #2

"This Sort Of Talk Is Hard To Endure! How Can Anyone Take It Seriously?"

by Father Joseph Taphorn, Archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska

My brothers and sisters, today the Church concludes the section from the Gospel of John on the Bread of Life. We have heard for five weeks now about the necessity of receiving Jesus in the Eucharist. But the disciples are still protesting; their reaction, we must admit, seems perfectly logical. How can he possibly offer us His body to eat and His blood to drink? This type of talk is foolish, they say. We benefit from twenty centuries of belief in the Eucharist, so we may not share these same doubts, as did the disciples. But do we doubt other teachings of Christ and His Church? Do we find them hard to accept?
What about our second reading from Ephesians: “Wives should be submissive to their husbands as to the Lord because the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of His body the Church, as well at its Savior… husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church. He gave himself up for her to make her holy… Husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies”.

How many young people today would be willing to choose this as a reading at their wedding? It is a tough teaching, and we may be tempted to say, like the disciple, “This is too much! This sort of talk is nonsense!”

In this passage, St. Paul eloquently presents the true meaning of Christian marriage. It is not something that we should turn off at the outset because we dislike words like “submissive”. Rather, we should strive to understand and appropriate the full meaning of what God is showing us in this passage.

The model for Christian marriage that St. Paul presents is that of Christ and His Church. Christ gives Himself up for His bride, the Church. He dies on the Cross, surrendering His life for those whom He loves. Husbands, like Christ, should give up their lives for their wives and children. They should be willing to die to themselves and their own desires in deference to the ones they love. This is why husbands are seen as the providers and guardians of the family. They are willing to die, if necessary, to save the lives of their loved ones.

The blockbuster movie, “Air Force One”, starring Harrison Ford as the President of the United States, depicts the hijacking of Air Force One by communist terrorists. Along with his aides, the President’s family is also aboard. The Secret Service rushes him to a special escape pod and insists that he flee to safety. That is his duty to his country, the prevailing logic goes. Unbeknownst to his aides, our hero climbs out of the escape pod before it ejects and remains on board the plane. He knows that he must protect and defend his family, even if it means sacrificing his own life. While this is not a recommendation for the movie, and the tale may seem fantastic, the point is well made. The love that the President shows for his wife and children is boundless; he would rather die than abandon his family. This is the love that Christ has for the Church, and it is the love that husbands should have for their wives.

In light of this, it is much easier to understand St. Paul’s words that wives should be submissive to their husbands. Permit me to explain. In our reading St. Paul recalls the words of Genesis which speak of the creation of Adam and Eve: “for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cling to his wife, and the two shall be made into one”. The two become one; their identity is found in each other. It is for that reason that a couple’s name changes after marriage. They are no longer two, but one. This week my parents will celebrate their 36th wedding anniversary. On that day 36 years ago they were no longer James Taphorn and Joan Schram, but Mr. and Mrs. James Taphorn. From this sign alone we can see that there should not be a clash of wills in a marriage, as if two single people were both trying to run the same household. No, a husband who loves his wife as Christ loves the Church would not demand anything inappropriate or selfish; and a wife who is submissive to her husband in the sense St. Paul describes here would be equally willing to make sacrifices for the sake of her spouse and children. What we are talking about here then is a “mutual submission, a mutual self-offering” of the two individuals for the sake of the one family. Yes, Christ and the Church are one just as husbands and wives are one. In both cases there is a love so intimate, so exclusive, and so faithful, that the identity of one is found in the other.
For married couples, the marital act is the sign of this exclusive and faithful love. Sex is not something bad or dirty; it is holy and sacred. And for this reason it is to be expressed only in the context of marital love, marital fidelity. Sex outside of marriage, outside of this total commitment and self-surrender cheapens a holy act and defiles it; it reduces sex to something less than it is.

Because the marital act is the sign of total self-surrender, it naturally bears fruit. It enhances the love couples share and is the instrument God has designed for the transmission of new life. You might say that the love a couple has for each other can be named - Mary, or Billy, or Johnny. It is for this reason that contraception is gravely wrong. It betrays the meaning of the marital act. It is no longer a total self-giving; it is saying, at the same time, “yes, but no”.

Is this kind of talk too much to endure? Is Father crazy? Can he really mean what he is saying? Yes, I do. This is not an easy teaching. I know that. I remember when 1 was a junior in high school at Creighton Prep in Omaha, I took a moral values class. In class our teacher presented the Church’s teaching on contraception. I thought it was crazy. It took me a long time to understand and accept what the Church teaches. It came about as the result of much prayer and study.

Jesus, too, knows that this is not an easy teaching. And if you find yourself struggling with this, you are not alone. But know that Jesus shares His life and His grace with us, and He is always calling us to give more and more of ourselves, so that we can receive more and more of His grace in our lives. Like many of the disciples, Peter probably did not fully understand the teaching on the Eucharist. But he knew Jesus, and was willing to trust Him. God gave him the grace to believe.

If you find this teaching hard to take, I invite you to be open to what the Church offers, to really learn what the Church teaches and why. She knows that couples may have a genuine need to plan their families and that right is to be respected. But there is a right way and a wrong way. Here in Norfolk we are blessed to have a Natural Family Planning center just a couple of blocks from here at the east campus of Faith Regional. Natural Family Planning is the right way. Please feel free to talk to me anytime about questions or struggles you might have with this teaching. No one condemns you. Rather, the words Jesus offers are spirit and life.

When we approach the altar today to receive the Eucharist, we are given an invitation and a challenge. Will we be like the disciples who broke away and left the company of Jesus and said, “This sort of talk is hard to endure! How can anyone take it seriously?” Or will we be like Peter and the other apostles, who trusted and said to Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal Life”. +

 

 

 

 

AN INFORMED CONSCIENCE: WALKING WITH GOD

 

by Rev. Joseph Hattie, OMI
 

 

 

 

Order this timely 40-page booklet on the important topic of “properly informing the conscience” written by Priests for Life Canada, Member of the Board, Rev. Joseph Hattie, OMI.

 

This booklet is excellent for engaged or newly married couples.
 

Fr. Hattie is presently Natural Family Planning & Weekly Marriage Preparation Coordinator, Office of Programming Services for the Archdiocese of Halifax. He can be reached at: Phone: 902-429-9800, x330; Fax: 902-423-5201; jhattie@catholichalifax.org

This booklet is available free with a $35 donation to Priests for Life Canada or can be purchased at the special price of $2.00 (regular price: $3.00) plus $1.25 shipping per copy. A response coupon is included with this mailing.

See the contents of the booklet at: An Informed Conscience: Walking with God

Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Video on Euthanasia 
and Assisted Suicide

The video “Turning the Tide:
Fighting for our Lives” is now complete.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition considers this to be the most important project that it has ever done. It focuses our concerns on the personal lives of people with disabilities, and other vulnerable members of our society, including the elderly and the chronically ill.

For details, contact:
Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
Box 25033, London, ON N6C 6A8
Tel: 1-877-439-3348, Email: info@epcc.ca
http://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca

Priests for Life Canada

ESSAY ON LIFE CONTEST

For students in Grades 9 through High School*

(See Rules Below)

"Win prize money for the winner and the winner's school".

THE PRIZES:

STUDENTS:

SCHOOLS:

POSTERS:

CONTEST RULES:

LAST YEAR'S WINNING ESSAYS:

For more information about the Essay on Life Contest, contact:

Priests for Life Canada

at:

toll free: 1-888-300-2007

Ottawa are: (613) 834-2226

or E-mail:

essay@priestsforlifecanada.com


 

Students:

If you are a student in grade 9 through high school,

write a Pro-life Essay of up to 1,500 words in length

on one of the following four topics:

CHASTITY

EUTHANASIA

CONTRACEPTION

STEM CELL RESEARCH
 

Winning Prizes

1st Place: $500.00 to the writer and $500 to the writer’s school*

2nd Place: $250.00 to the writer and $250 to the writer’s school*

3nd Place: $100.00 to the writer and $100 to the writer’s school*

All contestants will receive a “Precious Feet” Lapel Pin.

* Entries from home-schooled students who are at the same grade level are also accepted in which

case the winner may designate the recipient’s home-schooling association.

Contest Rules

Submit your essay by June 30, 2007 to:

Priests for Life Canada

P.O. Box 43

Cumberland, Ontario  K4C 1E5

or e-mail your essay to:

essay@priestsforlifecanada.com

SCHOOLS:

The winner's school gets a cash prize equal to the winner's prize.

Registering for the contest:  It is not necessary to register your school for the contest but we would appreciate knowing if you will be participating. Students do not need to register for the contest.

Submitting the Essay:  Students can send in their essay by June 30, 2007 via postal or Email (see Contest Rules above). The school may prefer to collect student’s essays and send them collectively.

 

POSTERS:

You can also print your own posters by clicking here (pdf files):

 

Letter size:

Colour

Black and White

 

Legal size:

Colour

Black and White

 

Or contact Priests for Life Canada to have posters post mailed to you. 

essay@priestsforlifecanada.com

For more information about the Essay on Life Contest, contact:

Priests for Life Canada

at:

toll free: 1-888-300-2007

or E-mail:

essay@priestsforlifecanada.com

FR. JIM WHALEN ADDRESSES A

“COUPLES FOR CHRIST” CONFERENCE, TORONTO

“Couples for Christ” is a work of Christ which raises up Christian couples and establishes Christian families committed to the work of evangelization and winning the world for Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. As such, CFC is a servant and lay arm of the Church in the work of renewal, fully recognized by and operating under the authority of the parish priests and the bishop.

CELEBRATING LIFE CONFERENCE
Eastern Pro-life Conference
March 17 & 18, 2007
Toronto, Ontario
www.cfc-canada.org

Couldn’t make it to the Priests for Life Canada

2006 Symposium in Ottawa, ON?

For your donation of $35.00 or more, we will send you a copy of the four talks on audiotapes, given at this year’s “Life and Family Symposium” on Revolution of Death or Revelation of Life.

[If you prefer to purchase the tapes, they are available for $5.00 each, or $15 for the set of four, as follows:]

1. Fr. Jim Whalen, National Director Priests for Life Canada: Relativism and the Gospel of Truth

2. Elsie Wayne, former Member of Parliament, Family Under Siege and the Gospel of Values

3. Fr. Louis Di Rocco, Priest of the Archdiocese of Kingston: Violence and the Gospel of Peace

4. Alex Schadenberg, Euthanasia Prevention Coaliton: Euthanasia and the Gospel of Love
   
   Please email your order to Priests for Life Canada.

Archbishop Burke of St. Louis defends life

Recently, Archbishop Raymond L. Burke of St. Louis stepped down as Chairman of the Board of the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation because the organization would not cancel its invitation to a pro-abortion speaker for a fund-raising function.

The Archbishop has stated: “When there is a significant risk that others could be led to evil, as the one responsible for the spiritual and moral well-being of the faithful entrusted to my pastoral care, I am obliged in justice to act. Only after the Board of Governors of the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation informed me it would not address the issue did it become necessary that I carry out my pastoral responsibility to clarify the matter. Life is the most basic human good and the right to life of every innocent human being must be respected. The inalienable right to life of every innocent human individual is a constitutive element of civil society and legislation. The Catholic Church consistently teaches that actions that result in the direct killing of the innocent, such as deliberate abortion and destruction of human embryos for research, are grave offenses against the right to life found in the natural law and Divine Revelation. When, for economic gain, a Catholic institution associates itself with such a high profile proponent of the destruction of innocent lives, members of the Church and other people of good will have the right to be confirmed in their commitment to the Gospel of Life”. (See: http://www.archstl.org/commoffice/2007/cgcmc.html)

The following E-mail was sent to the office of the Archbishop by Member of the Board, Michael Vande Wiel: Congratulations to the Archbishop for taking a firm stand re: fund-raiser by Cardinal Glennon Children's Foundation. We need more pro-life leaders like Archbishop Burke. Yours for Life, Michael Vande Wiel, Pembroke, Ontario, Canada   The response from the office of the Archbishop:

Dear Mr. Vande Wiel, Thank you very much for expressing your support for our Archbishop in his pro-life witness. We've received close to 1,000 e-mails in regards to this situation. The Archbishop wanted each one to receive a timely response, and that's why he's asked that I respond to you. We are indeed fortunate to have a spiritual leader who does not compromise the moral teaching of Christ and His Church. I ask for your prayers during these challenging times in our country as we work together to build a "culture of life" rather than of death. Sincerely, Msgr. Vernon Gardin, Vicar General

 

Priests for Life Canada applauds
U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding
Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act

On April 18, 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a legal challenge to the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, allowing the law to go into effect for the first time since it was signed by President George W. Bush in 2003.

To view the entire U.S. Supreme Court opinion (PDF file):http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/pba/SCopinionGonzalesvCarhart.pdf

Note from Priests for Life Canada: We must not forget that this court victory will likely not reduce the number of abortions in the U.S. as unborn babies can still be killed by other methods. There is now, however, new hope that this ban will bring some recognition of humanity to the unborn child and that other methods of abortion can also be banned. We hope as well that this small amount of “light at the end of the tunnel” will filter into Canada.