Fascinating Stranger – A Moral Tale

Another gem I found in my inbox today.  Let’s see if you can figure out who the visitor is before the end of the story…

A few years after I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on.
As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind, he had a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors: Mom taught me good from evil, and Dad taught me to obey. But the stranger… he was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies.
If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future! He took my family to the first major league ball game. He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn’t seem to mind.
Sometimes, Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to the kitchen for peace and quiet. (I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.)
Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the stranger never felt obligated to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home – not from us, our friends or any visitors. Our long time visitor, however, got away with four-letter words that burned my ears and made my dad squirm and my mother blush. My Dad didn’t permit the liberal use of alcohol but the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular basis. He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly, and pipes distinguished. He talked freely (much too freely) about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing.
I now know that my early concepts about relationships were influenced strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked… And NEVER asked to leave.
More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family. He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first. Still, if you could walk into my parents’ den today, you would still find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures.
His name?….
We just call him ‘TV.’

What place does the stranger have in your house?  How much say does he have?  How much attention is paid to the stranger?

Memorial Day

There are so many things in life for which we should be grateful, and so many gifts God showers on us in His goodness, that often, we have a great deal of confusion in choosing which of these gifts are of greatest value. 

One gift I often speak about is the gift of life – the gift that God gave us and our parents collaborated with to allow us to be  here.  So many take this gift for granted; so many abuse this gift, yet to us, it is freely given.  Perhaps this is why I feel so strongly about the pro-life cause.  Life is sacred.  It is given to us freely; I feel responsible to be grateful for my life and to speak out to protect the lives of those who are most vulnerable.

Another of the great gifts we have here in the US is freedom.  A precious commodity, since so many want to squash freedom in the name of living a life that is in conformity with God – but the very fact that we are free to love and serve God is a blessing, and one that has been given us at an incredible cost.

priceoffreedomIn August, one of the young women who will be entering as an Aspirant with us, God-willing, is a woman who has served in our armed forces for a number of years.  When she originally wrote asking about entering, my first words to her were words of thanks.  So today, as we honor our troops, and remember the great sacrifice that so many have made for us, let’s pray for them.  Let’s pray for the safety of our troops overseas.  Remember, although they didn’t know us personally, or know whether or not we are worthy of such a gift, they were still ready to offer this gift for our freedom – the gift of their own life.

My New Hero: Ben Stein

I barely know Ben Stein.  In fact, I’ve seen him only a few times, and always on film (well, actually, probably digitally recorded).  He seems, however to be a man of great common sense.  Ben Stein has become my new hero…

The other night, I watched a film (thank you, Sussex County Public Library), called Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.  I was happy to see Ben Stein suggest Intelligent Design as a possible means to explain creation.  Beyond promoting Intelligent Design, Mr. Stein focuses on the need for freedom of thought.  Of course, I am in favor of both.  Incredibly, many scientists would much rather agree to the theory of cells forming ON chrystals, or worse, that aliens planted us here!  If this is what the “intelligencia” of America believes, we are in trouble!

If you have not seen the movie, it might be worth your while to see the trailer.  You can see it below:

Now that you have seen the preview, I would urge you to see the complete film.  Stein’s documentation of the defamation of scientists open to the Intelligent Design Theory is enlightening.  His common-sense approach to science and its conceivable relationship to religion are incredible.  His ability to draw Darwinism to its logical conclusion – the creation of a perfect race, not unlike what Hitler did in Nazi Germany, is shocking. 

Seeing that America has just elected a president who is more pro-abortion than even Bill Clinton was, I am preoccupied about where we are heading.  Does the average American think it is better to kill off the unborn who are not “fit” for survival? In our search to be pragmatic, to make sense and have things work, we have forgotten this:  Life comes from God.  It is a gift.  More than being priced or valued, life is to be cherished.

As Mother Theresa of Calcutta said,
It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.

Catholic News and the Pro-life Vote

You will never BELIEVE what I found on the web today!  It’s a site that offers a news summary from a Catholic point of view.  The site is here.  It’s amazing to see such a powerful, straightforward presentation of our faith.  My prayers and my respect go to the people who have put this service together.

As for my favorite sections in Real Catholic TV, I cannot help but love the piece on Today’s News.  If you click that button, you will be amazed by the complete and simple coverage you will find of the issues going on in our country.  The news is brief.  It is hosted by Vic Faust, and seems to be about five minutes daily of video.  Michael Voris hosts Today’s Vortex, an editorial piece.  I watched a few.  Very clever, entertaining and insightful. 

                             

A brave man who stood up to stop the murder of innocent children.

 Bishop Arthur Serratelli

In particular, after watching today’s news, I feel proud to belong to the Paterson Diocese, enjoying the care of our holy Bishop Arthur Serratelli.  Bishop, I’m honored and happy to belong to your diocese.  I’m proud that you have the courage to stand up for life and for all that is right and good, and I assure you of my filial and prayerful support.  According to the news story today on Real Catholic TV, eighty bishops now say that life is the main issue of our times and are brave enough to stand up and tell Catholics that a pro-choice vote is not an option for a Catholic.  My own Bishop Arthur Serratelli was one of the first of these men to stand up and courageously say what we all know is right.

 

“Therefore, Choose Life!”

~ Deuteronomy 30:19

Yes, God even said He wants us to choose life.  I ask you, regardless of your position on who would be the best president, to look at the following video with an open mind.  Ask yourself if you really think it is a good idea to put a man who clearly states that he believes that a child is a punishment, and he does not make enough money to  decide about when life begins  as the president of our country. 

Obama clearly recognizes that this election is pivotal in the Roe v. Wade decision, knowing that the future president will make choices about which Justices will be appointed to the Supreme Court!  Believe him…this election is pivotal for reclaiming the sanctity of the life “from the womb to the tomb.”

I’m not ready, as a human, a woman, a Christian, a Catholic, and much less a Salesian, to allow him to kill our future.  He is willing to allow our future to die before they even have a chance to make a contribution.  So, with the Lord, in Deuteronomy 30:19, I tell you, “Choose life so that you and your descendants will live!”

If I thought he had any chance at winning the election, I would vote for Alan Keyes.  He is a great man, and I hope one day he will lead our country, but for now, given that the election is running between two strong leaders, and in order to have a voice I feel I need to vote for one of the two, I’m NOT handing this election to Obama.

Thanks to Fr. Steve, who sent me this link from his blog.  God bless him, God bless the Salesians, and God bless and protect the children who today are called to life.  May they be born in peace so they can be brought up in love.

more about “Americas Choice Now – Video“, posted with vodpod

Decisions, decisions…

I saw this video online  – and as I await my absentee ballot, I can’t help but really wonder what’s going on on the other side of “the big pond.” 

Once before, I was in Italy for elections, but never for a presidential election.  There is a certain feel that you get from the media, from being able to follow all the debates, etc.  In a certain way, I almost wonder what it would be like if each candidate had the possibility to present their platform once to every American, and then without hoopla, (is that an English word?) media, adverstisements, mudslinging or any of the other “hearsay” that is propogated as absolute truth, each American was able to vote.  It would be interesting.  I wonder – how much is the average American affected by continually hearing either, “Obama is great – vote for him!” or “McCain is great – vote for him!”.

Either way, without saying much more, I like the thought of Randall Terry, a brave man, who stands for life, and who gives voice to the millions of Americans who have been killed in the wombs of their own mothers.  He said something like, “America is not reacting to abortion as if it were murder.  Some pro-life elements try too hard not to offend, but when a murder is taking place, all ‘pleasantries and politeness’ is tossed to the wind.” (This, again, is a paraphrase of a talk I heard him give at Franciscan University of Steubenville – so let me know if you think it does not reflect his thought.)  I hope that America will stand up, stand together, and be the voice of those who are murdered.  I really have a hard time thinking about or taking a stand on any other issues for as long as murder is legal in America.

 

more about “CatholicVote.com“, posted with vodpod