Beloved: Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it…proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.
While indeed I open my weekly message with the salutation, “Beloved Family,” obviously I did not come up with this on my own. In fact, Saint Paul is addressing these words to one he has spiritually mentored, Saint Timothy. This extended quotation is drawn from the passage of Sacred Scripture that serves as our second reading at Mass on this Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time (2 Timothy 3:14-4:2). Both this passage and the gospel of the day (Luke 18:1-8) highlight the importance of persistence. In one instance, we are instructed (by Saint Paul) to be persistent in presenting the content of Faith; in the other, Jesus (in Luke) emphasizes the importance of perseverance in prayer.
October is annually observed as Respect Life Month. For Catholics, it coincides with a highlighting of the power of the rosary. Obviously, no more than we limit the praying of the rosary to one month do we confine speaking up on behalf of vulnerable life to October. However, as human beings we tend to benefit from being reminded of that which is important, since we can drift into desensitization.
The bishops of the United States have provided an excellent prayer resource in the form of a novena; here is the link: https://www.usccb.org/sites/default/files/2024-08/respect-life-novena-080624.pdf .
Here is an excerpt:
Human life is sacred at every moment and in every circumstance. The vulnerability of new life, the frailties of old age, and the challenges we face in between never diminish our God-given dignity. The life each of us has been given is always worth living. It is a gift that we are called to cherish and protect because God has willed us to exist through His love. And the same is true for the lives of others. Understanding our own goodness and dignity helps us see the sacredness of every human person. In response, we are called to treat each person accordingly—to welcome, care for, protect, and defend the gift of every person’s life from its very beginning to its natural end.
We acknowledge that there are multiple elements to the Pro-life message. However, I believe we are called, as Catholics, to be persistent in drawing attention to the preeminence of advocating on behalf of unborn children and their mothers. In that spirit, at all Masses this weekend, we will hear a brief testimonial from a representative of Bethesda Healing Ministry, based in Cleveland. Here is their mission statement:
Knowing that a fair number of people read this column ahead of the actual weekend, I ask that you include in your preparation for Mass, earnest prayer for receptivity among your brothers and sisters in Christ to the message to be delivered by our guest witness this weekend.
Let His Peace be with you,
Fr. Stephen
