29 September 2002
By
Fr. Michael Dolan
This week’s rationalization: “In this election there are other issues worthy of consideration besides abortion!”
The voiced comment I will address today is: “In this election there are other issues worthy of consideration besides abortion!” My answer is that indeed there are other issues worthy of consideration, but abortion is “worth-ier” than all the rest. Let me quote from the U.S. Catholic Bishops polemic, “Living the Gospel of Life,” published in 1998 addressing this very topic:
“But being right in such (“worthy”) matters can never excuse a wrong
choice regarding direct attacks on innocent human life. Indeed, the failure to
protect and defend life in its most vulnerable stages renders suspect any
claims to the “rightness” of positions in other matters affecting the poorest
and least powerful of the human community.” (p. 16)
There was a time when such a statement from the national hierarchy would be considered the last word, but alas it is not the case now. Despite scriptural directives to “obey your leaders and submit to them” (Heb. 12:17), there is nowadays a strong tendency to ignore them, or worse, consider them irrelevant. As a matter of fact, there is in certain so-called Catholic quarters such antagonism to hierarchical statements on proper moral conduct that it inspires in them a knee-jerk response to do the opposite. While Catholics nominally comprise 26 percent of the population, we are a house divided. No wonder Catholics fall under the “who cares” umbrella when legislation is being considered and/or being decided.
Do we ever take scripture to heart? Do we not appreciate that Christ taught that obedience is essential to love? Did Christ not testify to that when, the night before He died, He prayed, “Not my will, but your will be done!” (Luke 22:42) Why do we fragment ourselves on such a vital issue? In the letter of James (4:1), it is pointedly asked, “Where do the conflicts and disputes among you originate? Is it not your inner cravings that make war within your members?” Do such statements, as the Word of God, mean anything to us?
In matters such as this we must be very careful as to whether we are exercising intellectual power, which Christ never condemned; or exhibiting intellectual pridefulness, which Christ always condemned. Would you be comfortable standing before Christ and saying, “I stood up to your bishops and did it my way!” Which is the true statement: “I know Jesus as He wants me to know Him, or I know Jesus as I want to know Him?” There is a big difference, you know.
As always, may God bless you, who are His beloved.
Father Mike
Next Week: “Yes, but I don’t want to be considered a one issue voter!”