Español / Engish: My Short Reflection on the Immaculate Conception (English y Español)

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“The angel Gabriel said to Mary, ‘Hail, favored one!  The Lord is with you. . . . Do not be afraid for you have found favor with God’ . . .  And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word’.”  (Luke 1:28, 30 and 38)    “love”  ‘Love’

My Sisters and Brothers:

Today we celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  On this day, we affirm our belief that Mary was spared by God from any stain of sin from the first moment of her conception.  We believe that she was free from the effects of original sin during every moment of her life.  We believe that she was never without the fullness of grace.  We believe that in every moment of her life she enjoyed a perfect and living relationship of friendship with our God. 

This privilege was not given to Mary by God because of any merit of her own, but rather because she was chosen to be the Mother of Our Lord Jesus.  We must not forget that the purpose and significance of the Immaculate Conception of Mary is that it gives honor and respect to Jesus.  Jesus is the reason for the Immaculate Conception.  

God the Father reverenced his Son by providing him with a mother who was uncorrupted by the effects of original sin.  Mary, for her part, responded to this grace with fidelity and joy.  Mary responded to the call of God with enthusiasm as she embraced her duty as the mother of Jesus.  

We are called to have the same fervor in our response to the call of God in our lives.  Mary is our model.  We are called to follow her example.  

In response to the angel of the Lord, Mary said I am the servant of the Lord.  Let it be done to me as you say.  Let us desire to serve the Lord as Mary has done.  Let us accept the call of God in our lives as she did.  In our response to the call of God, may our lives, like Mary's, give honor and respect to Jesus!

Praise God!  Friar Timothy

Mi breve reflexión sobre la Inmaculada Concepción de Santa María en español:

Hoy celebramos la fiesta de la Inmaculada Concepción de la Bendita Virgen María.  En este día afirmamos nuestra creencia de que María fué perdonada por Dios de cualquier mancha de pecado desde el primer momento de su concepción.  Creemos que ella fué libre de los efectos del pecado original durante cada momento de su vida.  Creemos que ella siempre estuvo llena de gracia. Creemos que en cada momento de su vida ella disfrutó de una relación de amistad perfecta y viviente con nuestro Dios.

Este privilegio no le fué dado a María por cualquier mérito propio, al contrario ella fué escogida para ser la Madre de Nuestro Señor Jesús.  No debemos olvidar que el propósito y significancia de la Inmaculada Concepción de María es para darle honor y respeto a Jesús.  Jesús es la razón por la Inmaculada Concepción.  

Dios el Padre,  reverenció su Hijo al proveerle con una madre pura.  María, por su parte, respondió a ésta gracia con fidelidad y alegría.  María  respondió a la llamada de Dios con entusiasmo cuando aceptó su deber como la madre de Jesús.  

Nosotros somos llamados a tener el mismo fervor en nuestra respuesta a la llamada de Dios en nuestras vidas.  María es nuestra modelo.  Nosotros somos llamados a seguir su ejemplo.  

En respuesta al ángel del Señor, María dijo “Yo soy la esclava del Señor.  Hágase en mí que según su palabra.”  Que siempre deseemos de servir al Señor como María ha hecho. Que aceptemos la llamada de Dios en nuestras vidas como ella lo hizo.  En nuestras respuestas a la llamada de Dios, hagamos con nuestras vidas, como María ha hecho para dar honor y respeto a Jesús nuestro Señor!.

Paz y Bien, Fray Teo

To Vote for “Pro-Life” Candidates?

My friends: 

I am 100% “Pro-Life!” 

* As such, I believe I must support political candidates who share my values “most consistently,” and “across the board!”  I believe they must hold the greatest possible “seamless” convictions with regard to all “Pro-Life” issues (and I would argue and agree that such an approach to political support of any candidate involves “very high standards,” but I do live in hope!).

* Even so, I have come to realize that most candidates on the political spectrum (to the right and to left) unfortunately do not share each-and-every one of my convictions.

* As I see it, therefore it seems we can only achieve our long-term “Pro-Life” goals by having great patience in the struggle and by accepting the best electoral outcomes possible, and that are actually available to us today (and in the here and now).   

* The fact is, my “Pro-Life” values include my enthusiastic commitment to the protection, support, and promotion of the dignity of every human life, including the lives of those already living and walking among us who are marginalized, disenfranchised, discriminated against, despised, struggling with illnesses and addictions, incarcerated, and/or who are enslaved by the evils of poverty and despair.  And I wholeheartedly believe every human life matters, from “the womb to the tomb.”

* For me, it’s as simple as that! 

Furthermore . . .

There is no doubt in my mind that my Christian faith guides my understandings of the sacredness and dignity of every human life.  However, I believe these values are also simply in line with “basic human principles” and what might otherwise be called “the natural law.”  I am absolutely sure that even if I were an atheist, I would still have exactly the same “Pro-Life” values and beliefs I have, and have always had!  

I believe we unfortunately live at a time in the U.S.A. when there are virtually no politicians, and for that matter, very few citizens (Democrat, Republican or Independent) who completely share our true “Pro-Life” values of respect for, and the desire to protect the dignity all human lives, from conception to natural death. 

I believe there are times in history when people must first focus their attention and struggles (albeit and perhaps painfully—and maybe unavoidably tragically) on their long range goals and hopes for the perfect society.  This is probably one of those times.  

I believe that if in our “politics” we obsessively and aggressively focus on only one or two “Pro-Life” issues, then we run the risk of paralyzing our overall efforts to achieve the broadest range of possible “Pro-Life” victories.  In the same vein, I believe if we are inflexibly entrenched in “single issue politics,” then we expose ourselves to complete alienation from our “opponents.”  To do so would destroy any chance of working together with such people, and of promoting common interests and societal goals.  Such a negative approach to “politics” on our part would likely make us completely impotent to the possibility of effecting changes to the values and the practices in our society that threaten the dignity of every single human being, from the womb to the tomb.

I also believe those with whom we disagree must never be treated with contempt, animosity, hostility, bitterness and/or hatred (nor any other related type of disrespect).  In fact, I believe we ought to open our minds, our hearts, and our ears to the possibility that we might have something to learn about the perspectives and values our “opponents” hold dear.  Therefore, I believe we must always strive to show deference, esteem, and respect, and never any type of animus, towards our nemeses (after all “it's in giving that we receive”). 

I don't think we are required to agree completely with others (and with the values and/or political views they hold dear) in order to be able to function together and to achieve progress as members of the same civil society!  What comes to my mind here is that old adage, “we can agree to disagree” (and this DOES NOT mean to do so just in the little things, like whether or not we like cream and sugar in our coffee!).  

At this point in time, I believe we must work with and elect those politicians who at least champion the vast majority of our values, beliefs, and causes.  When we win far reaching “Pro-Life” victories today, we can then pray, work, and hope tomorrow will bring more complete and definitive changes in the hearts of minds of those who haven’t yet come to our understandings of the complete sacredness of every human life, even those in utero.  This is how I decide about how I will vote for this or that candidate when I go to my local polling place on election days.

Therefore, I believe I do so as a “Pro-Lifer” who believes in “consistent ” and “seamless” approaches to all questions regarding the value of every human life.  And as I stated above, it’s as simple as that! 

Hence:  Would I vote for a candidate who would staunchly back laws prohibiting abortion, but who at the same time would vote overwhelmingly in support of other types of legislations we clearly understand to be “anti-life?” 

Most likely, not!

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** Such “anti-life” policies and ideas might include some and/or all of the following: 

—Laws permitting state-sponsored death penalties.

—The withdrawal of public funding for health care services for the poor and the needy.

—A reduction in social security benefits for the elderly and disabled.

—The cancelation of social programs designed to help those enslaved by various types of addictions.

—Laws prohibiting the use of taxpayer money that would encourage and support “school choice” for parents.

—Opposition to fair, reasonable, and constitutionally sound “gun control” legislation.

—Increased funding for unnecessary expansion of our military and the production of weapon of mass destruction.

—Elimination of, or reduction of funding for, “welfare” programs that aid impoverished people and families with children. 

—Draconian reductions in subsidies for childcare assistance, education, energy, housing, and  utility expenses of those in great need.

—Attitudes or ways of thinking that promote hatred or prejudicial treatment against those from different ethnic backgrounds, racial communities, age groups, genders, gender identity populations, and/or from among those who have special physical, psychological, or health needs. 

—Legislation that would seek to discriminate against or even criminalize those who do not follow "traditional" understandings of marriage, consensual sexual expressions, and family structures.

—Laws that fail to protect the “religious liberties" and freedoms of expression of each citizen.

 —As well as many other policies and ideas I haven't listed here that might fail to respect and uphold the freedom, dignity, and well-being of all of our citizens . . .

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These are my thoughts about how I would vote for truly “Pro-Life” candidates, and . . . 

my friends, I assure you, I am 100% “Pro-Life!” 

Peace, Friar Timothy

An Irony about Homelessness within the Wealthiest Nations

My friends: 

These are thoughts I was inspired to contemplate and compose after my friend Josephine Siedlecka (who lives in the UK) posted a photo and comment on social media having to do with the unfortunate plight of homeless people living, ‘existing,’ sleeping, and dying on our streets, and the irony of the reality of this problem in the wealthiest of nations.   

I know your angst Josephine.  😞

Over half the inhabitants of our planet are starving, all over the globe the poor and the marginalized are oppressed and/or politically disenfranchised, many people throughout the world are enslaved by untreated illnesses and/or addictions, and while senseless wars rage-on and kill innocent people, the wealthiest of countries constantly continue to spend billions every year strengthening their militaries all the while producing unnecessary armaments and weapons of mass destruction. 

But even so, there are some who live among us who could care less about the plights of their fellow human beings. Many of these such scoundrels have stored-up obscene quantities of “things” as treasures.  They own various amounts and types of nonessential possessions they don’t need or even ever use.  The most pressing concerns of such people seem to be their preoccupation with the gains they’ve made, or the losses they’ve sustained, in their latest investment schemes.  And these wealth-mongers may lose sleep and get headaches when they can't make timely decisions about which luxury home, and/or exotic destination, they would want to visit and use for their next far-flung vacation (and when they take their holidays in such places, they will isolate themselves from the “undesirable locals” by hiding-out on nearby restricted islands, or behind walls and gates that preserve their “privacy,” and protect them from the possibility of being bothered by whatever “riffraff” might otherwise disturb their “peace” and sense of decorum).  

They scorn the presence of homeless “bums” and “degenerates” who beg for pennies and sleep on on our streets, and they won't lift a finger to help them.

But . . . 

“God has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly, has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich has sent away empty.” 

There is hope!!!!  

Let's encourage each other, and the most needy among us, with this message of hope!   Amen! 

Peace, Friar Timothy