Along with millions of Americans, I have just finished watching President Obama deliver his first State of the Union speech to members of Congress and other government representatives. I must admit I thoroughly enjoy the pomp and ceremony of the occasion. Seeing this annual spectacle reminds me of the greatness of the experiment that began so long ago with the formation of what we now know as the United States of America. Our nation bears this name, but are we actually united?
I find it somewhat amusing that portions of the speech are leaked out to the media in order to begin to tease the public concerning what will be said. Then, for me, the comedy begins. I used to refer to the entity that transmits information as the news. It seems this is no longer the correct term. What was once considered the news media seems rather to be slanted presentations of the news. One particular cable network, liberal in nature, spends most of its time attacking the other networks, yet fails to understand that it commits the same sin that it accuses its competitors of. The comedy continues as political pundits begin to tell us what the president said, in case we are not intelligent enough to digest his speech. Although the same theatrics and traditions occurred in the past and will continue in the future, we live in the present.
So where do we stand today as Americans? I can’t really answer that; only you can. I know we are involved in two wars and often many forget to remember those in harm’s way. I know that many of the traditional aspects of life are being questioned, as in the cases of the definition of marriage and the sanctity of life itself. I know that even the Super Bowl and its often enjoyable ads are now tainted by those who question the appropriateness of a certain ad in which a mother expresses her gratitude that she did not abort the precious life of her son, now a much-admired quarterback on his way to the National Football League.
I could go on and on, but as a Christian, I know that a most precious gift our dear Father has given us is the gift of hope. That gift was magnificently demonstrated to me recently on two different but outstanding occasions.
Just two weeks ago I traveled to Washington, D.C., to join with tens of thousands of people showing our support for life: Life that begins at conception and is sacred, holy, and so very precious. Life that is not trumped by the right of “privacy,” as Roe v. Wade argued. As in my past experiences, I was again edified to see the thousands of young people who traveled from throughout our nation to again stand for life.
I was so pleased to know that more than 300 members of our diocesan family traveled to Washington to pray and stand for life. I hope and pray that one day the March for Life will no longer be necessary as once again our nation will stand up and demand that the most vulnerable be protected from those who merely consider the right to life subject to their own “right to choose.” I know that those who choose abortion do so seriously and probably with a great deal of thought, but this does not negate the fact that it is an immoral and evil act. And for those who profit from this evil, such as Planned Parenthood, I can only pray for God’s mercy.
However, it was one smiling face, the face of a young Haitian boy pulled from a collapsed building after many days captive in its ruins that reminded me of the gift of hope. There is no way I could fathom what this young boy endured during those days after the earthquake, but he surely taught the world about hope. With a smile on his face and his arms outstretched, he truly affirmed the gift of hope and the precious nature of life itself. I wish I knew his name. I pray that his life will be protected. I also pray for the people of this third-world nation, that the world will not forget they are our brothers and sisters once the media deem their story is no longer newsworthy.
When I get to the point that I miss true political discussions and become disillusioned with the national media, when I become confused about how a person could take the life of the unborn or a Christian permit or accept the many “isms” that separate us or ponder why a person who believes in the mercy of Jesus would accept capital punishment, I will remember that young boy. He teaches me the importance of reaching out with open arms to the world and to the Lord with a smile on my face and a greater understanding of the gift of hope.
