Lifeissues is mainly concerned with publishing thoughtful articles directly related to issues raised in Evangelium Vitae. However, from the very beginning, we have also published a few related homilies, notably by Fr. Al Cariño, O.M.I., Fr. Tony Pueyo, and others.
Please use the pulldowns below to select a homily by Liturgical Calendar date.
Bartimaeus was telling his grandchildren about that miracle by the road and how he became a disciple. It made such a joyful difference in his life. On the other hand, the rich young man who was a good man has become a respected elder in his community, with loving children and grandchildren. But every time he tells the story about meeting Jesus on the road, he shakes his head and says, " I could have joined the band of disciples."
If we want to be true followers of Jesus, our faith must be like Bartimaeus'. When we ask the Lord for guidance and help, we must be prepared to accept whatever the answer will be even if it is not the answer we expected,
We do not need calamities and catastrophes to motivate us to put our sense of values in order. We can ask ourselves now about what really matters in our life. Like Bartimaeus, we can pray for that which we really need and is really important.
Every one of us lives in circumstances that give us the opportunity to love others with supernatural charity, to smile at others and rejoice in them for God's sake, and in doing so channel that divine love to them. That's what it means to proclaim the good news.
The outcome of our national elections does not decide our salvation. Our opposition to intrinsic evil does, particularly upholding traditional marriage, the dignity of human conception and the protection of the life of the unborn child. Evil of such magnitude trumps and far outweighs any and all other considerations. We can not be so blind to the truth and not "cry out and say . . . with courage" as did Bartimaeus: Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me . . . I want to see.
In this exchange with an earnest and well-meaning scribe, Jesus teaches the scribe, and us, not only what is the greatest commandment, but what is the one overarching purpose of every commandment.