Catechesis Notes for the week: “Think first about yourself.” “It is okay to be selfish.” “What I want is more important than what you want.” That is the message many around us want us to hear. God’s Word, however, is clear. We have one, and only one, God. He created the earth and heavens and all that is contained therein. He made me and all creatures; He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my  reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them. . . for all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him. Though our culture says we have all kinds of rights, even the Declaration of Independence names only three inalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Even in that secular document, we are not guaranteed happiness itself! And when everyone’s life centers around what he wants or what is best for her, we can no longer live together in unity under God’s care. No, God calls us to look first to Him and then to our neighbor. (Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul and strength, and your neighbor as yourself.) Perhaps when we begin to do this, we recognize Godly unity with others, united by Him to live in His kingdom. As our government continues to cater to the whims of the ungodly, we will remain a fractured nation. When the church ceases to stand up for those without a voice (the unborn) or looks the other way when she sees injustice, we give power to those who persecute Christ (and us). We must be ready to stand up and endure persecution for the sake of Christ, or we may give up Christ (and salvation).

Catechesis Notes for the week: We want what we do not have. It often seems easier to complain about the way things are than to change them or accept them. Stories abound of people getting in trouble for wanting what they do not have. This is a root cause of everything from theft to adultery to murder. It does not only affect those who end up running afoul of the law. From the Garden of Eden on, sin is seen in wanting what is not ours to have. Adam and Eve wanted to be more like God. Cain wanted more approval from God. David wanted the woman bathing on the rooftop. Today, people still want power, wealth, appreciation, possessions, etc, that they have not been given by God. They try to make God out to be something other than Who He is. We think we deserve more than what we have. It is difficult to recognize that we already have far more than we deserve. And most of what we have is not what is most important, anyway! Solomon had it right when he asked God for wisdom to rule God’s people rather than wealth or victory over his enemies. If there is something we should want more of, it is God’s righteousness and the ability/desire to do His will. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matt 5:6). Though we do not get everything we want, we will never get too much of His mercy and grace. These He freely gives us.

Catechesis Notes for the week: Who does not like gossip? Gossip serves us in so many ways. It helps us to feel better about ourselves when we see the awful things other people do. It gives us the upper hand when dealing with people when we know something private about them. It gains us favor with other people who like to hear the juicy tidbits. And it damns us. Though it is so easy to do and is often encouraged by those around us, it does not truly help anyone. It hurts or prevents relationships between people; it betrays a lack of trust in God. Instead of talking about other people, God calls us to talk to other people. If there is a problem between you and another person, talk to the person with whom you have a problem, not a third party. It is amazing the problems this would prevent or solve. Though not all personal differences would be solved, many lives and problems would be less broken. In our modern age, the problem of gossip is made worse by technology. Now, we can speak anonymously or tell a huge number of people at one time. So much damage is done via the internet and via other technological means. But the problem is not with the technology. The problem is with the people who use it to gossip instead of talking to a person face-to-face. Thankfully, we have a God who comes to us face-to-face to deal with our sins . . . by forgiving them.

Catechesis Notes for the week:  Today is the anniversary of the landmark Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision which led to legalized abortion. Though God’s commands clearly prohibit murder, people manage to get around this by calling abortion something other than murder. But this problem with our society goes beyond merely the fifth commandment. As in the case of many sins, we can bring several commandments to bear. Often, abortion happens because of a sixth commandment issue. People do not lead a sexually pure and decent life. A baby may easily become a reminder of a time of indiscretion, a broken relationship, or worse. Sometimes people think it is easier to remove the baby than face the reminder. But for many, that does not erase the memory. Many women still struggle with guilt after aborting their babies. God also tells us that our bodies are a temple of His Holy Spirit. People do not honor God by what they do with their bodies. Through His Holy Gospel, God forgives even these sins. Nobody has to live with the eternal consequence of their decisions, though the immediate consequences are sometimes unchangeable. Though some say this is a religious issue and not a civil one, they are thinking only of the needs/rights of the mother. For the unborn babies, this is a life-and-death issue. It is therefore our duty as Christians to support life and oppose murder in any form.