Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans.
Two years ago, on the feast of Saint Stephen, as the United States pondered what to do about an incumbent president who refused to concede defeat in his bid for reelection, I speculated about the possibility of violence in this blog. Eleven days later, rioters stormed the Capitol in Washington, DC. The insurrection has not gone away since then, nor has the threat of further violence.
Robert Taylor, in his book, A Secular Age, describes our culture today,
The shift to secularity consists of a move from a society where belief in God is unchallenged and unproblematic, to one in which it is understood to be one option among others, and frequently not the easiest to embrace.
The feast of Saint Stephen, following hard upon Christmas Day, reminds us that the option to be Catholic in America is "not the easiest to embrace." A Church that honors a man as the Savior of the World and a woman as the Mother of God, that regards sexuality as both unitive and procreative, cannot countenance divorce, abortion, homosexual marriage, or transgenderism. Nor will it encourage capital punishment, euthanasia, and eugenics. A society that today remembers religion, angels, and the Baby Jesus with fond nostalgia and little faith might turn hostile tomorrow as the Church fails to adapt to its enlightened ways.
Saint Stephen saw the Risen Lord as the mob closed in on him, and he was delighted by what he saw. We too must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the Crucified and the Risen. We must turn continually to his Mother for reassurance and encouragement. We hope we are worthy to share the faith of the martyrs, and pray that we do not share their fate.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.