Greetings to all of you. I am away from St Jude this weekend, as I am on retreat with the Secular Carmelite group in Mobile, Alabama. There are several members of our parish of St Jude who are members of that group as well who will also be at that retreat. It is always wonderful to be away on retreat to experience God in silence and prayer. I am glad that Father Kevin and Father Clem will be at St Jude this weekend celebrating the Masses.
During the month of October, the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates Respect Life Month. As Pope Francis declared this to be the year of St. Joseph, this year’s celebration of Respect Life Month highlights the example of this great saint. Joseph was the faithful protector of both Jesus and Mary; thus, we find in St. Joseph a reminder of the way God calls us to welcome, safeguard, and defend precious gift of human life that we receive from God himself.
Even with the challenging circumstances surrounding Mary being with child, St. Joseph took her into his home in response to the message of the angel. Joseph guided their journey to Bethlehem, he found them shelter, and he welcomed baby Jesus into his life as his son. When Herod threatened Jesus’ life, St. Joseph left his homeland, fleeing with Jesus and Mary to safety in Egypt. Like St. Joseph, we are also called to care for those God has entrusted to us, especially those who are most vulnerable. We can follow in the footsteps of St. Joseph as protector by advocating against those things that endanger human life. Our state of Mississippi is taking steps to challenge the laws of our land that permit abortion, with the case coming before the Supreme Court later this year. We can imitate Joseph’s care and provision by helping parents and children in need. Like St Joseph, we can be supportive members of our faith community and our community in general, helping to bring a spirit of faith and life to all that we do.
At different times in our lives, we may feel unworthy of answering the Lord’s call. However, God invites us to faithfully respond to his call in the midst of our fear, trepidations, and weaknesses. As we commemorate Respect Life Month in the month of October, we are all invited to imitate St. Joseph’s faithful trust and courage as we work to uphold the dignity of every human life. May we unite our prayers with the prayers of St Joseph, defender of life.
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