Respect Life Month

As we wind down this year’s Respect Life month, I would be completely remiss if I did not highlight the ultimate example of radical solidarity, which is Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection. The foundation of our faith is that Jesus willingly suffered and died for the salvation of all humanity. His unconditional love for each and every person, without exception, stems from the fact that every person is made in God’s image and likeness, known as the imago Dei. This week, I would invite you to read and pray with John 19: 17-30. (If you have more time, consider reading the entire Passion narrative found in chapters 18-20 of the Gospel of John). Place yourself in the midst of the pivotal event of the crucifixion. Who else is there with you? The gospel writer tells us that Jesus’ mother is at the foot of the cross along with her sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, Mary Magdalene, and John, the beloved disciple. Imagine the feeling of helplessness and agony. But even in the midst of His horrendous suffering, we see how Jesus turns His gaze and concern toward His mother. Likewise, we see the Blessed Mother gazing at her son. Radical solidarity is about unconditionally entering into the lives of the sacred other, especially those who are most vulnerable and marginalized, including the unborn, the migrant and refugee, the incarcerated, the person struggling with addiction, an estranged family member. It means fostering an unconditional love of the sacred other because Christ suffered and died for every one of us. As we conclude this year’s Respect Life Month, may we strive to live a life of radical solidarity.

– Catherine Orr, Pastoral Associate  

A personal relationship with Jesus is based on God’s gift of revealing Himself to humanity. The nature of revelation is truly incredible when we take the time to reflect on it. God, the creator of the universe and everything in it wants to be in an intimate relationship with you and me. Wow!  For this week, I invite you to dive into John 1: 14-16. This passage starts with the familiar verse, “and the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” God’s desire to be in a relationship with humanity is the purpose of Revelation. But before God reveals His plan for salvation, which culminates in Jesus’ incarnation, and ultimately, His passion, death and resurrection, He first reveals Himself. He reveals Himself in two key movements: God condescends through the Incarnation, so that each person can be elevated into the divine nature through salvation in Christ. 

This concept is something that St. Thomas Aquinas describes as exitus/reditus, meaning that everything in “creation comes forth (exitus) from God so that it can return (reditus) to Him,” (Feingold).  In radical solidarity, God draws near to each and every person because we are created in His image and likeness. But this same level of love and solidarity are what He calls each of us to emulate. During Respect Life month, we are called to be in radical solidarity with all those who are marginalized, but most especially, with vulnerable pregnant mothers.  One tangible way Lumen Christi parishioners support moms in need is through the annual Giving Tree collection, so please consider supporting that effort.

– Catherine Orr, Pastoral Associate  

As we continue with our celebration of Respect Life Month, I invite you to dive deeper into this week’s responsorial psalm, Ps 23 - ”I shall live in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life.”  Psalm 23 was my grandfather’s favorite, so much so that it was printed on his funeral card. He would say that God is always there for us, and He will never forsake us, but to live in God’s house, there is a way of life that must be followed. Jesus said to His disciples in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus models for us a different way of life, one that is grounded in love, mercy, and forgiveness. Throughout Scripture, we see countless examples of Jesus seeking out the lost, the marginalized, and the vulnerable. It is in these moments of radical solidarity where we see Jesus physically drawing near to someone in need and then extending an invitation for that person to come and follow Him. What a beautiful reminder that God’s love is always freely given, but it is our responsibility to follow Him.  We know that to be a follower of Christ is not easy. It requires sacrifice, suffering, and repentance, but Christ is always close to us in radical solidarity.

As we continue celebrating Respect Life month, please consider praying the Respect Life Novena from October 13-21. A link for the novena can be found at www.usccb.org/resources/respect-life-month-novena.

– Catherine Orr, Pastoral Associate  

Throughout the course of my studies at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, I thoroughly enjoyed growing in my knowledge and love of Sacred Scripture, particularly the prophetic books of the Old Testament. Did you know that there are 18 prophetic books in the Bible?! Admittedly, I knew the names of the “familiar” prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, etc., but I quickly realized that the depth of my prophetic knowledge was rather limited. This week, I invite you to read Jeremiah 1: 4 - 10 with the familiar verse, “before I formed you in the womb I knew you (5)”. This passage highlights the back and forth exchange between God and Jeremiah. God is calling Jeremiah to be a prophet, and Jeremiah is responding in fear saying he is too young.  Yet, God exemplifies radical solidarity in that He draws near to Jeremiah and says “do not be afraid.”  

Life is full of ups and downs, and fear can creep in when there are moments of distress. But in those moments, God draws near to us in radical solidarity because He loves us immensely and He knows each of us before we were formed in the womb.

As we continue celebrating Respect Life month, please consider praying the Respect Life Novena from October 13-21. A link for the novena can be found at www.usccb.org/resources/respect-life-month-novena.

– Catherine Orr, Pastoral Associate  

In October, the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates Respect Life Month, and the first Sunday of October is designated as Respect Life Sunday. This year’s Respect Life theme is Radical Solidarity. Solidarity is one of the four principles of Catholic social teaching outlined in papal teaching. It is intimately linked to the life and dignity of the human person, subsidiarity, and the common good. Pope Saint John Paul II describes solidarity as “not a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many people… On the contrary, it is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good…to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all,” (Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 8). While the term solidarity has rich theological depth, we can see how solidarity plays out in very practical ways throughout Scripture. 

Throughout the course of this month, I am going to invite each of you to carve out 10 minutes of time to read a familiar Scripture passage through the lens of solidarity. This week, I would encourage you to re-read the stories of the Annunciation and the Visitation found in Luke 1:26-45. Consider how Mary models a person who is in radical solidarity with her cousin, Elizabeth, and how she inspires you to reach out to someone else in need through Radical Solidarity. 

- Catherine Orr, Pastoral Associate