Opinion: American Catholics Failing to Put First Things First?

May God awaken and revive the Catholic Church in America with courage, conviction, faith, and love. May God bless the U.S.A.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (Catholic Online) - For months now I have been grief-stricken and even angry about something that is not easy to voice. Indeed, it is painful and awkward and a little unnerving for fear of retribution. Surely this is why I have heard virtually no one say it out loud as I've wished to hear. It's like the ELEPHANT in the room that no one acknowledges. In this case, most folks would say it's impolite, or "no one else's business" or not anyone's right to judge.

Well, hold onto your hats, folks, 'cause here goes nothin'!

American Catholics have failed to put first things first.

The majority of Catholics in the U.S. voted for Barack Obama. That fact is incomprehensible to me.

Yes, he is articulate, educated, and intelligent. Yes, he is young and new on the scene, and this gives the illusion that his ideas are fresh and innovative. They are not. His opinions on the most crucial moral issues of our time were plainly revealed, even when his response was an evasive, "That question is above my pay grade." Obama made his position on abortion crystal clear from the beginning, and his voting record on matters of life plainly demonstrates his commitment to death. There's no other way to say it.

He passionately stated that his first mission once being sworn in was to pass and sign into law the ironically-named Freedom of Choice Act, which will nullify EVERY federal, state, and local law now in existence that attempts to limit abortion and protect the doctors and nurses who object to performing abortions. The barbaric partial-birth abortion procedure, which was finally banned in 2003 thanks to Congress and President Bush, will once again be legal. Catholic doctors and hospitals would be required by law to abort babies or lose their licenses and close their doors. Our tax dollars will be required to fund abortions. The thought that my family's hard-earned money will be used to murder babies makes me want to vomit. This should incense all of us. There aren't words to say how wrong this is.

Why is it that none of this bothered Catholics in America enough to influence their vote? I cannot figure it out. Yes, I know - there were other important issues. The economy is terrible, there are immigration concerns, our country is divided, and our education system stinks, and so on. All of these are truly important matters and they need to be given our most capable attentions. No question.

But I submit to you that they are all second things. And third things. LIFE is the first thing. It must be. If your grandchildren are not allowed to be born, will the stock market matter?

If we - the community of people who profess that life is sacred, given by God, and should be protected - if we will not exercise our power in the civic sphere to protect unborn life, then someone please tell me, who will?

I suspect right about now that Pro-Choice politicians and Americans feel they have little to fear from Catholics, and why should they? We have shown that we will not put our vote where our mouth is. We have shown that we will not actually defend the unborn when the going gets tough. This election demonstrated to them that we will easily gravitate toward a charismatic candidate, even if that candidate is extremely pro-abortion and promises to enact laws that will ensure the destruction of countless babies.

We did not put first things first.

I am compelled to go back to Luke's gospel in chapter 12. Jesus said, "For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.

"Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life's span? If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters?

"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!

"And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying.For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.

"But seek first His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Where is our treasure? Is not our treasure in our faith, our children and grandchildren, and in eternity? If so, then why do we give our support in the here and now to those who contradict and even destroy everything we claim to believe in?

He promised us that if we seek Him first, then all these things will be added to us. All our other concerns will be met, if we seek Him first. Surely, part of seeking "His kingdom" is proclaiming the sanctity of human life and then defending life when it comes under attack. If we, the faithful, do not use all our resources, including our civic power, to defend innocent, helpless human life, NO ONE ELSE WILL.

We are the only voice LIFE has, and if we do not put first things first, we will succeed in silencing our own voice. We will aid in our own destruction. Barack Obama may very soon make good on his promises to remove all restrictions on abortion in the U.S., and the tragic truth is that a majority of Catholics were instrumental in enabling him to do so. And we will have to answer our children and our grandchildren when they ask us, "Why did you want him to be President when you knew what he would do?" How will we answer our Heavenly Father when He asks why we willingly gave power to a man whose anti-life plans were made clear to us from the very beginning?

I beg you, my Catholic brothers and sisters, to rise up now and be tireless in opposition to the Freedom of Choice Act. Do everything within your power to tell your representatives that you do not want this legislation passed. Inform your friends and neighbors and ask them to voice their opposition. Speak up for LIFE! And above all, PRAY. Pray that God will have mercy on the U.S. and that His Spirit will change the hearts of those who choose to kill the unborn, including Barack Obama.

From this day forward, let us put first things first. Let us trust God that His promise to provide for all our needs is true when we seek His kingdom first. Let us be amazed at the power and faithfulness of our awesome God. May God awaken and revive the Catholic Church in America with courage, conviction, faith, and love. May God bless the U.S.A.

****
Jennifer Hartline is a Catholic Army wife and stay-at-home mother of three precious kids who writes frequently on topics of Catholic faith and daily living. She is a contributing writer for Catholic Online.

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'

Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online