There has been a significant amount of activity over the last few days drawing a lot of media attention. Some of the reporting appears to be accurate while others may be slanted in various ways. In any case, it is evident that social media has forever changed the landscape of human interaction. If a person is looking for a reason to be angry, his/her desires can be easily achieved by scrolling through social media sites.
Trust has been lost across the board in our society. People don't trust the government; they don't trust the Church; they don't trust business in a general sense of the term; and after this weekend it is evident that many people even feel the outcome of a football game is rigged. It is a sad state of affairs when we have to look at almost everything with a bit of skepticism.
The March for Life in Washington, D.C. draws hundreds of thousands of people and gains almost no media attention. Then, one incident finally makes the news. Was it staged by activists to paint pro-lifers in a negative light and subsequently intimidate future potential participants in the march? That is the conclusion of some. One thing is for sure. Media pundits and others were quick to jump on the bandwagon condemning the young people prior to knowing all the facts. The "mob mentality" described by some media outlets was a bit misplaced. The "mob mentality" appears not to have been instigated by the young pro-lifers, but by the viral nature of social media and key outlets complicit with unsubstantiated information.
The celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr yesterday reminded us that we still have much work to do in treating one another with respect. It is my hope that people of faith will always lead the way in building bridges of trust between one another regardless of the color of one's skin. These three quotes from Dr. King can provide food for thought.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
The elitist class in Washington, D.C. has unfortunately set an example which demonstrates that character assassinations are now a regular part of the political playbook. It is difficult to imagine that many of the elected officials of our nation refuse to build up and strengthen one another in the pursuit of the common good of our nation. They refuse to be leaders. Instead, their lust for power has overtaken common sense. In the end, we the people suffer and lose.
Today marks the anniversary of the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision of Roe versus Wade which legalized abortion in our country. All diocese of the United States are required to observe a "Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children." We cannot give up our faithful witness to the cause for life. Each and every human person is sacred.
World Youth Day begins today in Panama. Please pray for the safety of all the pilgrims. May they experience God's love in a profound way as they gather together from around the world.
Finally, I simply ask you these reflection questions for today.
1. Who is guiding your life?
2. If you answered something other than "God," I would invite you to consider praying about your answer. Pray for clarity of discernment. Allow God to touch your heart with grace.
3. If you answered "God," I would ask you to really evaluate your answer in the light of prayer. Does your prayer life reflect that total dependency upon God? How frequently do your thoughts turn to God during the course of a day? Is God really guiding your life in the fullest sense possible?
Trust has been lost across the board in our society. People don't trust the government; they don't trust the Church; they don't trust business in a general sense of the term; and after this weekend it is evident that many people even feel the outcome of a football game is rigged. It is a sad state of affairs when we have to look at almost everything with a bit of skepticism.
The March for Life in Washington, D.C. draws hundreds of thousands of people and gains almost no media attention. Then, one incident finally makes the news. Was it staged by activists to paint pro-lifers in a negative light and subsequently intimidate future potential participants in the march? That is the conclusion of some. One thing is for sure. Media pundits and others were quick to jump on the bandwagon condemning the young people prior to knowing all the facts. The "mob mentality" described by some media outlets was a bit misplaced. The "mob mentality" appears not to have been instigated by the young pro-lifers, but by the viral nature of social media and key outlets complicit with unsubstantiated information.
The celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr yesterday reminded us that we still have much work to do in treating one another with respect. It is my hope that people of faith will always lead the way in building bridges of trust between one another regardless of the color of one's skin. These three quotes from Dr. King can provide food for thought.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
The elitist class in Washington, D.C. has unfortunately set an example which demonstrates that character assassinations are now a regular part of the political playbook. It is difficult to imagine that many of the elected officials of our nation refuse to build up and strengthen one another in the pursuit of the common good of our nation. They refuse to be leaders. Instead, their lust for power has overtaken common sense. In the end, we the people suffer and lose.
Today marks the anniversary of the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision of Roe versus Wade which legalized abortion in our country. All diocese of the United States are required to observe a "Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children." We cannot give up our faithful witness to the cause for life. Each and every human person is sacred.
World Youth Day begins today in Panama. Please pray for the safety of all the pilgrims. May they experience God's love in a profound way as they gather together from around the world.
Finally, I simply ask you these reflection questions for today.
1. Who is guiding your life?
2. If you answered something other than "God," I would invite you to consider praying about your answer. Pray for clarity of discernment. Allow God to touch your heart with grace.
3. If you answered "God," I would ask you to really evaluate your answer in the light of prayer. Does your prayer life reflect that total dependency upon God? How frequently do your thoughts turn to God during the course of a day? Is God really guiding your life in the fullest sense possible?
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