Each October the Church in the United States celebrates Respect Life Month. As Catholics, we are called to cherish, defend, and protect those who are most vulnerable, from the beginning of life to its end, and at every point in between. During the month of October, the Church asks us to reflect more deeply on the dignity of every human life.
At the root of Respect Life Month is what the Church teaches about human life. We proclaim that all human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. And what is the basis for our dignity? The guiding principle of all of the Church’s social teaching is an understanding of the human person and of his or her unique value; man is the only creature on earth which God willed for itself. God has imprinted His own image and likeness on man conferring upon him or her an incomparable dignity.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus heals the ten lepers. In other passages Jesus called the children to surround him; he fed the hungry; he cast out demons; and he accompanied the dying. These are the same actions the Church takes in her social ministry – and these actions are at the heart of our faith – just as much are prayer, the Sacraments, catechesis & evangelization.
A Consistent Ethic of Life: These actions, which express our value for the dignity of every human person at all times, are what we call a consistent ethic of life. We see the Church exercising her consistent ethic of life teaching every time she moves toward suffering through all stages and conditions of their lives – from conception to natural death. The unborn in the womb, the child with severe physical disabilities, the illegal immigrant, the Alzheimer’s patient in a nursing home, the convicted murderer on death row – all have that same innate human dignity. There is no other faith, no non-profit, no charity, no other anything that demands its members exercise such a radical love for those who are pushed to the edge of society as the Catholic Church.
The Church’s social teaching is at the heart of how we are to live our faith – bringing a consistent ethic of life into a hurting world. And not just the Catholic Church through Catholic Relief Services or Catholic Charities, which serve those in need across the globe. But also, the direct actions of our parish, Prince of Peace, as we serve our brothers & sisters who are struggling right here in our community... our neighbors.
A Consistent Ethic of Life Celebrated at Prince of Peace!
A consistent ethic of life are those actions that we take, week-in and week-out, which demonstrate our value for the dignity of every human person. Just consider what we see and hear on any given Sunday... right along with our liturgy and sacraments... our practicing the consistent ethic of life has become so much of our routine – part of our DNA – that we hardly consider it anything special.
- Our volunteers in the Catholic Charities truck each month;
- Our service to St. Mary’s Food Kitchen in Wyandotte Co.
- Our Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion bringing communion to homebound & hospital.
- Our Knights of Columbus – we all love the coffee & doughnuts, but their core mission is to support those in need.
- Taking donations for Olathe Public School children in need.
- All throughout this summer, we purchased produce from Enoch and Zing Te’, who are participating in Catholic Charities New Roots for Refugees program. Last year, it was Zar Zar – these aren’t just any farmers... these are our farmers, who fled war and violence to make a new start and supported by our parish.
If you looking for ways you can become involved and participate in the Church’s consistent ethic of life, I encourage you to visit our website under the “Get Involved” tab (https:// www.popolathe.org/get-involved). You will find a host of opportunities, most notably under the “service” block.
A Consistent Ethic of Life & the Eucharist. Let me offer one final consideration as you reflect on the way God is touching your heart during this Respect Life Month. If you are reading this bulletin, you have likely just been fed by the Eucharist. You had the indescribably experience of seeing Fr. Greg or Andrew or Francis extend his arms and hear him proclaim, “The Body of Christ”. And with the eyes of faith, we each responded “Amen” to what we proclaim as the Real Presence of Christ.
But there is another Real Presence of which the Eucharist makes us acutely aware. Each time Deacon Justin, Deacon Dan or I announce the concluding prayer at Mass, “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your lives” – it is not an ending, but a beginning. It is a movement from Church to world, from altar to people, from Christ crucified on Calvary to Christ crucified on the streets in Kansas City. The Eucharist is meant to propel us to the poor in every dimension – body, mind or spirit. The Eucharist is meant to open our eyes to see in every human the image of Christ – the Christ of Calvary. With the same eyes of faith that see the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, we are awakened to see the Real Presence of Christ in those who we are called to serve.
Peace & Grace,
Deacon Mike