January 18, 2015
2nd Sunday Ordinary Time
“What are you looking for?†The question Jesus poses to two curious disciples of John the Baptist is one that we must answer. What are we looking for by being here together at Mass -- comfort, strength, support, healing, forgiveness, a sense of belonging? Whatever we may desire, Jesus invites us to “Come and you will see!†It is only “by staying with†Jesus that we come to appreciate what it means to be a disciple and live the Gospel in the world today. By staying with Jesus (e.g. reading the Gospels) we notice two key qualities in him: his empathy for persons often excluded from society and his respect for women and children. We must examine our own lives to discern if we have a similar empathy and respect. There are two civil events taking place this week of significance for us as followers or disciples of Jesus Christ: Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday and the March for Life in Washington, D.C. On Monday we recall a man (preacher and pastor) who raised our consciousness about prejudice, inequality, struggle for civil rights and poverty in America. On Thursday people will assemble on the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision Roe vs. Wade legalizing abortion. There is an intrinsic connection between these two events – the dignity of the human person. Historically, they are also related. In 1842 Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton travelled to England to fight for the abolition of slavery. They were barred from speaking at the World Anti-Slavery Convention because they were women. Emboldened, these women returned to the United States to hold a convention advancing the rights of women. The convention took place in 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York. These early feminists, including Susan B. Anthony, opposed abortion because it ends human life in the womb and because abortion degrades women. From the beginning the feminist movement was opposed to violence. Today, at Mass, being disciples of Jesus, we can stand together for fundamental civil rights for all human beings, for dignity of every person and sanctity of human life. In this solidarity we are emulating our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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3rd Sunday Ordinary Time
