The Law of Human Dignity (Rom 8:15) by Fr. Jonathan

26 Oct The Law of Human Dignity (Rom 8:15) by Fr. Jonathan

“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, ‘Abba, Father!’“ ~ Rom 8:15 (full readings)
.
Fr. Jonathan’s Reflections:  In the Gospel of the day, Jesus encounters a woman who had been crippled for 18 years- what suffering she must have been in.  Jesus kept the religious law of His time and honored the Sabbath but He recognized the law’s role as helping the human person flourish.  A good law respects the basic rights and dignity of the human person.  So in this case, Jesus’ compassion for this crippled woman overcame His fear of the authorities- her human dignity was greater than enforcing a law for a law’s sake. There are laws on the books that legalize practices which diminish the dignity of the human person- abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment.  Just the fact that these laws allow a practice doesn’t make it right!  We talk about changing laws and that is all well and good but maybe we need to talk about human dignity.  When you and I and our culture can see in human persons (innocent and guilty, unborn, young, old, handicapped) the inviolable God-given right to life then we are on the way to true life.
* Fr. Jonathan St. André is a Franciscan Friar of the Third Order Regular (T.O.R.) and a Priest of God.  He currently lives in Loretto, Pennsylvania where he is blessed to work with young Men seeking God’s will as Franciscan novices..

Faith Challenge:   Take five minutes to pray for our lawmakers that they would realize that the goal of every law is the protection of the common good. 

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, LifeNews, American Family, Vatican, Project Rachel..
.
Our Prayers: Pray LIFE Runners Creed to End Abortion.  Add Prayers. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, unceasingly. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.
.
Feast Day:  St. Evaristus– Succeeded St. Clement as Pope and governed the Church about eight years (fourth successor of St. Peter).
.
Faith Quote:  “It seems to me that an unjust law is no law at all.” ~ St. Augustine

Through Christ our Lord,
Fr. Jonathan, T.O.R.
John 10:10