I'm just frustrated.

Today the state of Iowa decided that equal protection under the law meant that they had the right to turn marriage into a relationship that does not involve the possibility of involving new human life. Marriage no longer has to do with a husband and a wife who are capable of having children and, because of the uniqueness of that relationship, it deserves some protection. Now it just has to do with two people that think they love one another right now, regardless of their sex.

The worst thing is that children will suffer for this. We already see children as accidental consequences of recreational activities. Now, since this ruling basically solidifies that marriage should not involve them, we will continue to look upon them as disposable unless they are totally, one hundred percent wanted.

And, of course, since we cannot imagine a situation in which everyone gets whatever they want whenever they want it wherever they want it, the church is going to have to figure out some sort of way to deal with lawsuits that will inevitably come from gays and lesbians denied marriage in the church. We may lose our hospitals by refusing to perform abortions. Will we soon have to forsake a sacrament by refusing to marry gays?

What were you doing four years ago?

Four years ago today, I was helping with a TEC retreat at Wahlert High School. During that year, I was very ambitious. I was associate pastor for one parish and I helped out in five others. It was a good time but very busy as well. I was asked to help with this retreat and I said yes before I really thought about the consequences. It would make more sense if the guy who was associate pastor for one parish. But I decided to do it. During one of the breaks, the priest leader (who I was helping) had us all go to the media room of Wahlert High School and he told us that Pope John Paul II was not expected to live much longer. He had put together a power point presentation on the life of JP II and led us in prayer. The Pope died shortly thereafter.

I've said this before and I think it's doubly true today. During his life, I didn't know his writing well. He was the pope for my growing up years but I had no real idea of the theology of the body or how he really carried on the reforms of the Vatican II or all the many encyclicals he wrote. But, for three years of my priesthood I prayed for John Paul, our Pope because that's who he was. A Pope for us all. A gift given by God to his church to lead through tough times. Four years ago, I was going the same thing I am doing today: joining with the chorus of voices chanting "Santo Subito!" True holiness is easily seen in the life and love of JPII.


JPII: We love you!

My annual Lenten cold arrives

Sorry about not posting my homily this weekend. To sum up, I talked about the grain of wheat that falls to the earth and dies but remains a grain of wheat. I preached in my little rural parish and told them that I'm always leery of getting too agrarian in my homilies out of fear since I'm a city slicker. I am always concerned that I'm going to sound like the guy who owns a dog lecturing at a dog catcher's conference.

In any case, I awoke last night with a scratchy, dry throat and realized that my annual Lenten cold has arrive. It tends to show up around now and stick around the third or fourth week of Easter. I attribute it to the changing seasons and the stress associated with that. The good thing is that it gives me more sympathy for the sick. I hate having a cold. I can't imagine how difficult and frustrating it would be to have to live with sickness all the time.