Prayers for The Religion Forum (Ecumenical)

Various and self | some time back | various

[SumProVita]

Honestly....THIS is awesome....and I’d like to use part of it if that’s OK with you? I am thinking of sharing it with someone who says she does not PERSONALLY like abortion but would not IMPOSE her beliefs on others.

[Judith Anne]

So we construct "the imagination of our hearts," a less-upsetting alternate reality. On this we base far, far too much. And because, being false, it is essentially rickety, we prop it up with little vanities.

Every so often I read something that expands my perception, that brings my knowledge of our human life closer to the Truth. Your statement had an impact, thanks.

[Mad Dawg]

The remarks of both of you warm my heart.

Of course what I write may be used. Attribution would be nice, but the mission is the main thing.

8”x10” glossy photos with genuine forged signature available cheap!

[rbmillerjr]

In the Ecumenical cause of 40 Days for Life, here is an article I came upon, that is a rich historical documentation of the Early Christian Apologists and Fathers on abortion.

http://www.incommunion.org/2004/11/28/abortion-and-the-early-church/

[TASMANIANRED]

No Monday ping?

I prayed anyway.

Neener, neener.

[Mad Dawg]

Hey! I’m just getting to it! Busy day!

Nyah!

[Salvation]

St. Vincent, patron of all charitable associations and father of those who are in misery, come to our assistance. Obtain from Our Lord help for the poor, relief for the infirm, consolation for the afflicted, protection for the abandoned, a spirit of generosity for the rich, grace of conversion for sinners, zeal for priests, peace for the Church, tranquility and order for all nations, and salvation for them all. May we be united in the life to come, by your intercession, and experience joy, gladness, and everlasting happiness. Amen.

[Mad Dawg]

This is good. Hard, but good.

I was asked early last week to make a BRIEF presentation yesterday on the 40 Days for Life. There was some confusion over the 'prepared' text, and I was given permission to wing it -- about 10 minutes before the service began.

God seems to have given me the gift of, B ..... I was going to say Blarney, I promise. No fertilize need apply.

So I said, "My name is Mad Dawg and I am here not only on behalf of the 40 Days for Life but on behalf of the 4,100 babies who will be killed tomorrow and the 16 hundred, no, wait, 16 thousand who will be killed the rest of the coming week."

Then I said that normally childbirth makes us happy. I recounted an incident when a bunch of us were gathered around a table and we got a call from the hospital that the mother of the family had had a child. And every one was smiling and happy.

Then I asked people to wonder if we had been unwelcoming to babies. I said that Fr. Francis (the preacher that day) had preached an wonderful sermon (he had), but that every Sunday in the bird calls of the children during worship, we heard another wonderful sermon.

I recalled that when the 12 could not drive out the epileptic demon, Jesus said, "That kind can only be driven out by prayer and fasting." And I asked what demon it was that makes our society embrace death and misery rather than life and joy.

I closed by inviting my hearers to join the 40 Days for Life by fasting and prayer and suggested that maybe when it ends, on Hallowe'en, we might have a 'treat' we never dared hope for.

Of the speakers at the 5 Masses this weekend, I was the only one who got applause. Somebody even called me up to say how good the address was. I got high-fived by a choir member and hugged by many people.

I am not bragging. I am reporting.

Today, after the evening Mass, my friend, the pastor, said there were angry parishioners who thought that my address interfered with their own control over when and how their little ones learn about abortion.

So I am downcast. I was given a mission and I thought I executed it well. I was so happy to be back in the pulpit and giving stirring exhortations.

This, I thought, is my gift. Since I first thought I wanted to be a priest, back in 1958 when I was 10 years old, I have ALWAYS thought that preaching, even lay preaching, was incredibly important. You could almost say that ALL my study was to make me able to proclaim the Love of God in Christ Jesus. (I will cop to a certain pleasure in theology for its own sake.)

But now I find that I have made trouble for my very dear and excellent pastor and also, perhaps, made enemies for myself.

Maybe this is why we pray
From the fear of suffering rebukes,    Deliver me, Jesus.

Let us make the unlikely assumption that I did nothing very wrong. Then should I not view this as a gift from my Loving Lord who is teaching me, carefully and lovingly, to walk in His way and through His trials?

And if I did wrong, then let me be punished. it is God's flock in contention here. If I did truly abuse them, then I welcome my punishment. I want nothing more than to bring many to Life in Christ Jesus.

(Well, that and a winning lottery ticket.)

[Judith Anne]

You did God's will and spoke the right words from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Let those who are angry be angry. Pray for them.

Today, after the evening Mass, my friend, the pastor, said there were angry parishioners who thought that my address interfered with their own control over when and how their little ones learn about abortion.

The parents' complaint doesn't quite ring true. I'm not sure what the deal is, but somehow, it doesn't ring true.

[Judith Anne]

And, PS, your pastor is a big boy. He can handle a little conflict. It’s an opportunity for HIM to get closer to some parishioners.

[Mad Dawg]

I heard tonight that when Vincent de Paul was in a very easy position (as a priest) his faith suffered. But when he volunteered for a very poor post and started to serve the poor his faith blossomed.

I would love to know what our non-Catholic bubbas and sissies report. I am confident that it is good, because all my trust is in God’s generosity. Still I would love to hear the blessings He has given to all of us when we responded to His Son’s call to serve the poor.

I’ll bet a dime that xzins has some miracles to report. God moves in the most unlikely ways, among the most unlikely people.

It may be an acquired taste, but I have come to love it when God says, “You are SUCH a DOPE, Mad Dawg! My ways are SO not your ways. Hold my beer and watch this!”

May I please die with His praise on my lips!

[nina0113]

When I was at the Fairfax clinic Saturday, they called the police repeatedly (we had four cars total, but never more than two at a time), saying that the graphic abortion poster was frightening children (like THEY care). I’m not much on those photos in other places, but right in front of the abortion clinic is exactly the appropriate place to show them. And I thought, kids see worse than this on TV all the time. They’ve got no idea that these are real pictures UNLESS MOM TELLS THEM.

The youngest deathscort, a twenty-something male, seemed disappointed not to have the chance to nobly and bravely protect a frightened woman from hordes of screaming anti-choice zealots. The clinic worker who drove past me and my t-shirt (Don’t Make the Mistake I Made) and sign (I Regret My Abortion) was cat-like in her ability to ignore me.

I’ve been posting the daily reflections, if you want to be on the ping list.

[Mad Dawg]

Thank you!

My pastor is da bomb! He has had an awful year. A congenital defect of a heart valve signalled itself with dreadful pain.

So this June he had a valve job.

Then, as he was recovering, his gall bladder decided to make its presence felt. So that had to be dealt with. And he’s not yet 40 years old!

Then he comes back and clambers back into the saddle — only to get angry calls from parishioners about a certain rabid canine ...

He’ll do fine.

[Mad Dawg]

I’ve been posting the daily reflections, if you want to be on the ping list.

Sign me up!

[Tax-chick]

... somehow, it doesn't ring true.

It didn't sound (read) like Mad Dawg talked about abortion in detail, but rather about an attitude that is anti-life. Just looking at statistics, I'd say that most of the people sitting in any church have made the decision not to welcome more than one or two children into their lives. Many haven't had abortions ... but a lot have, too. It's simple math.

[Judith Anne]

I agree. Sadly.

[wagglebee]

Outstanding post!

[maryz]

But now I find that I have made trouble for my very dear and excellent pastor and also, perhaps, made enemies for myself.

Did your pastor seem displeased? Or was he just reminding you that that's part and parcel of preaching? Just a vague memory, but it seems to me I've heard of priests who wonder if a sermon was clear enough if nobody complains.

AFAIK, pastors -- and parish priests in general -- are quite used to complaints, often conflicting.

P.S. If your pastor's anything like the nuns we had in school, he may have been button-popping proud of you but wouldn't mention that lest he encourage the sin of pride. That may be an old-fashioned attitude, though, and I'm dating myself beyond repair! ;-)

[maryz]

I’ve been posting the daily reflections, if you want to be on the ping list.

Add me, too, please! :)

[maryz]

I’ll bet a dime that xzins has some miracles to report. God moves in the most unlikely ways, among the most unlikely people.

This is a tad elliptical -- maybe you want to clarify that you're not implying xzins is among "the most unlikely people," on account of he's definitely not, IMO! ;-)