Choose Life for Yourself and Others
OPENING PRAYER
Prayer for Life
Eternal God, creator and sustainer of life,
bless us with the courage to defend all life
from conception to natural death.
Bless us with the strength to respect all peoples
from east to west, from north to south,
so that we may truly follow the call of Jesus to be neighbor.
We ask this in the name of Jesus,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Source: "From Being Neighbor: The Catechism and Social Justice" (USCCB, April 1998)
"CHOOSE LIFE FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS"
"I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse.
Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live."
(Deuteronomy 30:19b).
Jesus said, "I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly."
(John 10:10b)
"Our parish communities are measured by how they serve "the least of these" in our parish and beyond its boundaries—the hungry, the homeless, the sick, those in prison, the stranger (cf. Mt 25:31)" (USCCB, Communities of Salt and Light: Reflections on the Social Mission of the Parish)
What path do you choose to follow that leads to the enhancement of your life and the life of others?
Last session we stated that the Church teaches that all human life is sacred and that human dignity is the foundation of a moral vision for society. In that regard, Pope Francis challenges us:
If I encounter a person sleeping outdoors on a cold night, I can view him or her as an annoyance, an idler, an obstacle in my path, a troubling sight, a problem for the politicians to sort out, or even a piece of refuse cluttering a public space. Or I can respond with faith and charity, and see in this person a human being with a dignity identical to my own, a creature infinitely loved by the Father, an image of God, a brother or sister redeemed by Jesus Christ. That is what it is to be a Christian! Can holiness somehow be understood apart from this lively recognition of the dignity of each human being? (Pope Francis Apostolic Letter Gaudete et Exsultate (“Rejoice and Be Glad”), no. 98).
We have the freedom and the responsibility to choose when and how we respond to our life circumstances and to those of others. We cannot abdicate this freedom and responsibility to another. By our thoughts, words, and actions we choose the path that leads to the enhancement of life or a path that leads to the diminishment of life “I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse, choose life” (Dt. 30:19).
Each choice we make in our life moves us toward either the saving light and life of Christ or away from it that affects both our life and the lives of others.
The Church and her teachings enlighten the path for us to journey with others in a community of faith that draws us towards the saving light and life of Christ. The Church teaches:
The parish is where the Church lives. Parishes are communities of faith, of action, and of hope. They are where the gospel is proclaimed and celebrated, where believers are formed and sent to renew the earth. Parishes are the home of the Christian community; they are the heart of our Church. Parishes are the place where God's people meet Jesus in word and sacrament and come in touch with the source of the Church's life….A parish cannot really proclaim the gospel if its message is not reflected in its own community life. The biblical call to charity, justice, and peace claims not only each believer, but also each community where believers gather for worship, formation, and pastoral care. (USCCB, “Communities of Salt and Light“)
Please read this week The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, Nos. 149–151,
VIDEOS
”Catholic Social Justice - You Raise Me Up"
"Catholic Social Justice Introduction"
"What is Catholic Social Teaching"
MUSIC
"All The Ends of the Earth"
"Here at this Table"
"Make Me a Servant"
OTHER RESOURCES
”Who is My Neighbor? - The Face of Poverty"
"Everyday Christianity: To Hunger and Thirst for Justice" (USCCB)
Other Resources on Catholic Social Teaching
"Everyday Christianity: To Hunger and Thirst for Justice" (USCCB)
Other Resources on Catholic Social Teaching