Being at war, something no one wants to hear. But the Catholic Church on earth, its Bishops, members, organizations are all part of the Church Militant. By our baptism we are baptized into the Army of God. The Church is always under attack for one belief or another and it has always stood firm in its beliefs. People keep saying that the Church should get with it, modernize, can’t they see the signs of the times. Well the Catholic Church most certainly does and what we see is our liberties slowly being violated one at a time. The encroachment on our religious liberty, right to unreasonable search and seizure (airport patdowns), and the right to bear arms has been under assault for decades. In this battle we are seeking to not only uphold morality but save the souls in our charge.
Most concerning in our culture, is the simple moral degradation of our society because of the erosion of values due to the legalization of abortion, contraception and the widespread plague of pornography. The loss of the family, of fatherhood, of motherhood, of our ability to educate our children the way we want. Who warned of this, why Pope Paul VI in Humane Vitae:
1) General lowering of moral standards
2) A rise in infidelity, and illegitimacy
3) The reduction of women to objects used to satisfy men.
4) Government coercion in reproductive matters.
Does that sound familiar?
Because it sure sounds like what's been happening for the past 40 years..."
http://www.businessinsider.com/time-to-admit-it-the-church-has-always-been-right-on-birth-control-2012-2
Why does the church fight so hard to preserve life, because it is human dignity, the dignity of every human life that is one of the bedrock foundations of morality. One just has to look back at the superbowl ads this past week and you can see the simple erosion of morality in this country. People will say, “Sex sells.” Those two words illustrate how cheap our culture has become, how cheaply we sell ourselves. Sex only sells because people are willing to buy it!! Wake up America and see what you have become, rise up and fight for yourselves, your dignity, for your eternal salvation.
While you may say these two issues, human dignity and religious freedom, are completely unrelated they are however two battles in the same war that we fight everyday in our world against the moral downslide that we are on and for the salvation of souls. One has only to look to the excesses of Rome to see where our culture is heading, and it is not a pretty image in the least.
So in this battle Obama fired the first salvo and battle lines have been drawn. The Church stands strong on over 2000 years of history, tradition. But what is the battle ultimately over, is it over rules and mandates, yes and no. It is a battle for saving souls. For bringing the Good News to those who have not heard it and for reenergizing those who have heard but need a booster shot.
So when we go forth debating, talking, and conversing with people over this mandate, not only should be opposing it but also seeking to use that moment as an evangelistic one, inviting them back to church or to a prayer service. Letting our witness shine forth, the love of God in our hearts received from the Jesus in the Eucharist, burst out of us. Our joy should be so great it is uncontainable.
Remembering always that we are at war, we are foot soldiers in the arm of the Lord. It is a battle for holiness, a battle for our very souls. The fight goes on and our weapons stand at the ready. Our battlefield commanders the saints stand ready. We need to don our amour.
“Therefore take the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace; besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:13-17)
Take a stand against the culture, fight for beauty, and fight for the Lord. “The Lord Jesus is the beauty of holiness and only from His Heart does holy beauty shine upon the earth.”
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