Homily

It wasn't a great week for me. In fact for several days, I was very low and depressed. My mother has had some bad days, and some of you are facing serious problems. Those things are on my mind and in my prayers. On top of that there were some other items that were weighing on me as well. I don't know if you are aware of the trial of Dr. Kermit Gosnell, the man who ran an abortion clinic in Philadelphia. His trial has been running for three weeks now. It is, as you can find on pro-life sites and some other sites on the internet, a truly horrific story involving terrible acts of savage butchery in the most unsanitary of conditions, and not only the untold number of abortion victims, but also live birth victims and the death of mothers.

Reading the details of the court testimony actually sent shivers down my spine because they were so revolting. I won't even consider bringing them up in any further descriptions here. How could such a place stay open for so long? Well the State of Pennsylvania's Department of Health decided that they would not inspect abortion clinics years ago. They would only do an inspection if someone complained. There were complaints about Gosnell's clinic, so the Department of Health called the clinic up to make an appointment for a convenient time to do their inspection.

The trial has been running for three weeks and I read the paper rather thoroughly every day. How did I miss it? Then I read, on line, the answer. None of the major newspapers in the country are covering it. The New York Times had one article some weeks ago, and that is it. CBS had one piece in January about the arrest, but since then none of the three major networks have even mentioned it in their morning or evening news programs. Now this trial and the story that surrounds it have all the sensational bloody, gory, deathly details that the media love because it gets viewers and readers' attention, and drives up circulation numbers. And you can think of other news events of murder, shock or scandal that are covered numerous times. Why is the press and television news completely ignoring the Gosnell trial? I think we can guess why. There has been a continued upsurge of complaints about this denial of coverage from internet sites, so strong that maybe soon you will see something from the main stream media, because it is getting difficult for them to continue to ignore this story. But it's clear to see that some topics are too sacred for our main stream media to handle. It's for me another striking example of how we can no longer expect any type of unbiased reporting (or lack of reporting) from the traditional news industry. It's depressing.

But what you can expect from the news industry is non-stop articles about so called "Equal Marriage Rights." Day after day just in our local paper is one piece after another of how everyone across the country is jumping on the same sex marriage band wagon. Some weeks ago there was a little news piece about a city council somewhere in some small western town declaring itself in favor of equal rights in marriage. Two articles about the Uruguay parliament and equal rights in marriage. Apparently for many, many months now that is the only newsworthy event that happened in Uruguay, because I sure can't recall any others. Tons of coverage on this issue.

So I am trying to think back: When did marriage become a matter of equal rights instead of a solemn, life-long union of a man and woman oriented to the raising up and care for children? The ancient understanding of marriage and family, but even more importantly, the Christian understanding of marriage and family, continues to erode and break down in the minds of our fellow citizens. So what kind of future faces our children and our grandchildren in a nation and a society that no longer understands or chooses to ignore what marriage is, what family means? It's depressing.

But then I'm thinking about the Myrrh-bearing women, going to Jesus' tomb to anoint His body for proper burial. Now I'm thinking, "What if they didn't go? What would have happened?" They were the first to learn of the resurrection. In the face of all that had happened, shouldn't they have been supremely discouraged, overwhelmingly disappointed and sad, and perhaps even like most of the male disciples, even afraid for their own safety? What difference now, in the face of all that had happened, whether they anointed His body or not? It might be better to start thinking about what they should be planning to get on with their lives.

But no. With courage, with love and devotion, they continue on as disciples even though it would seem as if all had been lost. They do their part. They still go to Jesus. Whatever they may be thinking or feeling, they still remain faithful, they still carry on. And in their faithful service, they end up seeing and hearing something so shocking that it leaves them speechless for a while, and then that turns to overwhelming joy because they will see Jesus risen from the dead.

I too know that Jesus is risen from the dead. I also, like the women, ought to remain faithful. Yes, there may be difficult times in my life, and difficult times in your lives. Yes, there may be scandals loss of faith, indifference to Christ, His law and His love. Those who used to follow Him may abandon Him. Those who ought to love Him may not care. No matter what they do, and no matter what may come, the women bearing oils remind me that my life should never be centered or focused on those things, those events, those people, and not even on myself—especially not on myself. I need to be faithful, and even more faithful, despite everything that may want to pull me down. It is only if I go to Christ, risen from the dead, that I will find life. That's where we need to go.