Every Sunday, Pope Francis prays the Angelus with the crowds that gather in Saint Peter’s Square. The Angelus is a traditional devotion that commemorates God’s sending of the Archangel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary with the news that she will conceive and bear the Christ Child. Each week, the Angelus is also a moment of catechesis when the Holy Father calls God’s people to pray, discern, and respond to some message based on the scriptures or the issues of the day.

Last week, Pope Francis said: “Lent is a time of spiritual training, of spiritual combat. We are called to face the evil one through prayer; and with God’s help, to overcome him in our daily lives. Unfortunately, we know that evil is at work all around us, wherever violence, rejection of our neighbors, closed mindedness, war, or injustice occur. All of these things are works of wickedness. All of these things are works of evil.” Pope Francis then said that we must find the courage to reject what leads us astray and to choose what leads our hearts and minds back to God.

So, what leads us astray? Pope Francis is pretty clear. He points to brutality, exclusion, prejudice, rigidity, and a lack of charity in our world. He points to the sad reality that we live during a time when the vices of anger, greed, and pride seem to hold increasing sway over the virtues of faith, hope, and love. Likewise, we live during a time when politicians argue like junkyard dogs; when faith leaders often fail to speak out against injustice; when too many of our brothers and sisters turn their backs on people who live, look, sound, or think differently than we do. We live during a time when a mentally ill young man can walk into a gun store, buy an assault weapon, and open fire in a crowded classroom.

So, what can we do to confront these “works of wickedness?” First, we can pray: for ourselves, our families and friends, our communities and parishes, our country, and our world. Prayer is never an empty exercise. Rather, it is a powerful force for goodness, healing, and reconciliation. Prayer changes hearts. Prayer changes minds. Prayer makes miracles. When we ask God to guide all of our thoughts, words, and actions, we can truly become instruments of love, mercy, and peace during these troubled times.

Second, we can be more discerning about whom we listen to, what we buy, what we watch, where we go online, and how we obtain news and information. Just because someone claims to be “Catholic” or “fair and balanced” does not mean that their programming or reporting brings us closer to Christ, closer to the Church, or closer to each other. When Pope Francis talks about the “works of wickedness” in our world, he refers not just to actions or policies, but also to the false rumors, fake reporting, and scurrilous slurs that sow the seeds of anger, confusion, and doubt. During an age when the noises and voices in our lives are countless, we owe it to ourselves and to our children to be more vigilant in both prayer and discernment.

Third, we can respond by logging off, tuning out, and turning away from whoever and whatever leads us astray, away from God, and away from each other. We can respond by rejecting whatever leads us to pride and anger; whatever hardens our hearts and closes our minds; and whatever feeds the fires of bigotry, hatred, and violence. We can respond by living the Gospel, sharing God’s love, and rebuilding our church, our community, and our country into places where the Golden Rule is the foundation of all that we think, say, and do. We can respond by supporting causes and candidates that protect our children, our grandparents, and our most vulnerable neighbors.

Finally, we can respond by demanding that the weapons of war be used sparingly to enforce the law and keep the peace, not to cause unspeakable suffering for families just like yours and mine. As our Lenten journey continues, may God help us to confront the “works of wickedness” with hearts filled with courage, love, and peace. Many lives may depend on it.

CCGR Weekly Newsletter (2-25-18) 
Bringing Home the Word (2-25-18)

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The Light Is On For You!
Confessions & Eucharistic Adoration
Wednesday, February 28th