Should Churches Allow Politicians to Speak at Mass?

Yesterday, Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York, was invited to speak at St. Jude parish in Canarsie, Brooklyn.  The issue was tax credits for students attending private schools, including parochial schools.  The New York State Catholic Conference is understandably supportive of legislation providing these tax credits; but, at what expense?  At the expense of virtue and credibility in my opinion.

While politicians are always eager to garner support from the electorate, the Church should be circumspect about being willing pawns in the political game; even if the results appear to be beneficial.  Does anyone truly believe that Governor Cuomo cares a whit how education tax credits will help the Church?  He didn't seem to care about the Church's position when he was "muscling" same sex "marriage" through the legislature without permitting a popular vote on the issue.  He has tried year after year to expand abortion in New York, a State that is already known as the abortion capital of the U.S.  His pro-abortion agenda includes making any attempt at parental notification laws and informed consent laws illegal.  He wants to permit non-physicians to perform first trimester abortions and remove any sanctions for abortions after 24 weeks (see this article).  Is this the kind of person Catholics want to give a photo op on Church property?

And, the most upsetting aspect of Cuomo's use of the Church in his political strategy, was that we gave him the forum to speak AT HOLY MASS!!  Honestly, this fact is so disturbing as to be almost unbelievable.  So many courageous people in this diocese pour themselves out praying and counseling at the abortuaries that plague our area.  The decimation of the minority population of Brooklyn and Queens through the slaughter of the unborn truly cries out to heaven for justice.

So, when our local Church cooperates with the politician who is hard at work expanding the slaughter of the innocents, it is disheartening to say the least.  To paraphrase the words of St. Thomas More in the classic A Man for All Seasons,  "Why Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world...but for a tax credit?"

Photos of our visit to St. Jude’s Shrine Church to discuss Parental Choice in Education Act: https://t.co/jC48BcrA6u pic.twitter.com/XP2ZSr4w8n

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) May 17, 2015

The Joys And Fruits Of Frightening Love

From The Holy Gospel According To John  [15:9-17]
 Jesus said to his disciples:
 “As the Father loves me, so I also love you.  Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,         just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
 “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing.  I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.  It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.  This I command you: love one another.”
                                     ✠
Once upon a time, a priest received an emergency sick call to go to a hospital's Intensive Care Unit.  

An elderly woman was near death.  She wanted to talk to a priest.  When the priest got to I.C.U., he discovered that the woman was 102 years old.  Her mouth was gaping open, and she was drooling out the side of her mouth.   

The priest spoke gently to her, heard her confession, and assured her that he and the parishioners would be remembering her during Mass.  Then he asked, "Mrs. Kelly, before I leave, is there anything you would like me to do?"  She requested that he pray for her: pray right then.  The priest said, “Yes, of course,” and asked if there was something specific she would like him to pray for.   She answered, "I'd like you to pray for me to be healed, right now."  "Right now?," he asked.  "Yes, Father, right away."

Realizing the hopelessness of her situation, the priest thought to himself, "Uh Oh!"  But, reluctantly, he offered a beautiful prayer: "Loving Father, if it is Your will,  please heal Mrs. Kelly;  and if it is not Your will, then to help her and her loved ones adjust to the situation and place their hope in You. Amen."

Suddenly, 102-year-old Mrs. Kelly sat up in bed and exclaimed, "Wow!"  She threw her feet over the side of the bed, stood up, flexed her muscles, and cried, "This is unbelievable!  I feel wonderful!"    Then she walked down to the nurses station, announcing, "I think I'm well!  Hey, everyone, I think I'm well!"

The priest left the hospital, walked to the parking lot, got into his car, and offered his own words to God: "Lord...  don't You ever do that to me again!"

✠

The priest had been frightened by the intensity of love for Mrs. Kelly that GOD 
revealed through the priest.  The priest had never realized how much God loved him 
and listened to him -- until that incident.

To love as Christ loves us means, first of all,  to put aside our own hesitation, our own fears in order to relieve the fears of others.  

To love as Christ loves us means to let go of our own hopes and wants, and instead seek the hopes and wants of others.  

To love as Christ loves us means  to care for and care about others, regardless of the sacrifices demanded of us.

To love as Christ loves us means to be ready always to make the first move to forgive and to heal.

That kind of love can be so overwhelmingly demanding that we may sneak away 
from the prospect. This kind of love frightens people!

Do you and I really believe that our love toward another person can heal that person? Restore that person? Give hope and bring peace to that person?

I think that most of us know at least one incident, wherein, we were able to love someone like Our Lord Jesus loves that person.   

I think that most of us know at least one time when someone had loved us like the Lord Jesus does.

To experience Christ’s divine love is an incredible joy!   His Divine Love reaffirms our gut-feeling that we do have a purpose in our lives.  

Christ’s Divine Love penetrates our being, and we experience completeness, wholeness, from giving and receiving pure, unadulterated love, the love Our Lord Jesus Christ has for you and me.

So, we must not forget:  It was not you and I who chose Christ, but Christ who chose us -- to go forth and bear much fruit.

And our fruit must endure,  so that all we ask the Father in Christ's name He will give us.
The command the Lord Jesus gave us is that we love one another -- first ... last ... always!