It is sneaking up on us this year!! I'm talking about the annual Mass and March for Life in Little Rock next Sunday, January 17. The timing of this activity is always the weekend before or after the anniversary of Roe v Wade Supreme Court ruling which permitted abortion to happen legally in our country. Each year I feel I am a "cry in the wilderness" as I encourage us to go to Little Rock to participate in the Mass (at 12:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Andrew) and/or the March (at 2:00 p.m. starting at West Capitol and Battery Streets).
I realize that no matter what I say, a relatively few of our overall parish members will choose to take the time and make the time to participate in these activities. Instead of getting frustrated by the turnout from our parishes (and honestly from all the parishes in Arkansas, even those in Little Rock), I choose firstly to rejoice in those who join me and others to march (a relatively short distance now) and stand before the state capitol to let our legislators and governor know how crucial it is for the future of our country that we protect and promote the lives of our most innocent and helpless citizens, the child in the mother's womb. Secondly, I urge those who don't go to the Mass and/or March for Life (as well as those who do), to act in this "Jubilee Year of Mercy" to support those who make the choice to bring their child into the world no matter how challenging it might be for some to care adequately for the needs of their child. That's why I thank those who brought baby items to church this weekend and to those who didn't, I implore you to do so this week, as we will leave the play pen out in the narthex for another week.
Finally, I want to thank those who have been participating in the Mass and/or March for one, a few, or many years, as we now have a state legislature and governor who have been acting lately to promote and pass laws that protect the child in the womb of the mother and encourage help for the mother in her pregnancy and after her child is born. I do urge us all to give at least a one-time or ongoing donations to Arkansas Right to Life (Post Office Box 1697, Little Rock, AR 72203) or by e-mail at artl.org. Arkansas Right to Life's primary purpose is to educate people about the precious gift of human life that develops in a mother's womb and advocate in the legislature for laws that protect the right of children in a mother's womb to live and not be aborted. I am confident that many people of faith here and elsewhere will pray and act to care for and promote the life of the unborn child in ways availale to them throughout the year as witnesses to Jesus Christ who said "I came that they might have life and have it more abundantly." (Jn 10:10)
I realize that no matter what I say, a relatively few of our overall parish members will choose to take the time and make the time to participate in these activities. Instead of getting frustrated by the turnout from our parishes (and honestly from all the parishes in Arkansas, even those in Little Rock), I choose firstly to rejoice in those who join me and others to march (a relatively short distance now) and stand before the state capitol to let our legislators and governor know how crucial it is for the future of our country that we protect and promote the lives of our most innocent and helpless citizens, the child in the mother's womb. Secondly, I urge those who don't go to the Mass and/or March for Life (as well as those who do), to act in this "Jubilee Year of Mercy" to support those who make the choice to bring their child into the world no matter how challenging it might be for some to care adequately for the needs of their child. That's why I thank those who brought baby items to church this weekend and to those who didn't, I implore you to do so this week, as we will leave the play pen out in the narthex for another week.
Finally, I want to thank those who have been participating in the Mass and/or March for one, a few, or many years, as we now have a state legislature and governor who have been acting lately to promote and pass laws that protect the child in the womb of the mother and encourage help for the mother in her pregnancy and after her child is born. I do urge us all to give at least a one-time or ongoing donations to Arkansas Right to Life (Post Office Box 1697, Little Rock, AR 72203) or by e-mail at artl.org. Arkansas Right to Life's primary purpose is to educate people about the precious gift of human life that develops in a mother's womb and advocate in the legislature for laws that protect the right of children in a mother's womb to live and not be aborted. I am confident that many people of faith here and elsewhere will pray and act to care for and promote the life of the unborn child in ways availale to them throughout the year as witnesses to Jesus Christ who said "I came that they might have life and have it more abundantly." (Jn 10:10)