Fortnight for Freedom (Solemnity of St's. Peter and Paul)

Ever since Thursday, June 21, we have been involved in the Fortnight for Freedom. This is a religious campaign meant to educate, pray, and fast for religious freedom in our country. I have been asked by my Pastor to schedule a series of events during the Fortnight and this evening we held Solemn Vespers (St's. Peter and Paul) for religious freedom. My Pastor also asked me this evening to give a reflection on religious freedom. I wish to share my reflection on here as well:

Pope Benedict XVI recently referred to us, meaning all of us Catholics here on earth, as the Church Militant. The use of this phrase by the Holy Father has been controversial but he couldn't be more correct in using it...especially at this point in the history of our world. The Church Militant (Ecclesia Militans for our Latin scholars) comprises christians on earth who are living...also known as the christian militia, who struggle against sin, the devil, and, as St. Paul says "the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12) Two of the greatest leaders the Church Militant has ever had are being celebrated this day. Saints Peter and Paul. They were two heroic and courageous leaders of the Church Militant and they both tragically, and gloriously, lost their lives fighting to preserve the truth of Jesus Christ! Pope Pius XII said: "We belong to the church militant and she is militant because on earth the powers of darkness are ever restless to encompass her destruction." In our recent struggle for religious liberty in this country I think we are at a point now more than ever to stand together and fight for our rights! That is the whole purpose of this Fortnight for Freedom. Our Bishops have asked us to stand together and pray as a community of faith for our religious liberty to be protected. Now more than ever we need to be united in our Church, faith, and unite around our Bishops. They are the Shepherds who guide us to Christ and it is through our Bishops that we are able to meet Christ. Some of you may be sitting in the pew wondering why uniting around our Bishops is so important? You may be asking yourself what more can we do? Yes, there are plenty of political actions we can make such as writing to our congressmen, signing petitions, rallying in the streets, and refusing to pay taxes and fines. Doing those things are a great way to make our voices heard! We should take advantage of our rights to do those things before the government takes those away from us next! But it is equally important to stand behind our Bishops because of who they represent and the power their office holds. Our Bishops represent the Apostles living on earth. Through their Apostolic succession they ARE the closest men to Christ! It is through the Bishop that we are able to receive Christ and his Sacraments! Our Bishops are our Shepherds and we are their sheep. We must follow them and obey them. Our government wants to make divisions in the Church! Our government wants us to stop listening to our Bishops! The government loves the fact that most catholics disagree with the Church teaching on contraception and homosexual marriage. The government loves when religious orders protest decisions made by the Bishops. The government wants one thing and that is for the government to be the only voice Americans will listen to and obey. The Bishops of the Church were chosen by the Holy Spirit to bring Christ's Gospel to the world and proclaim it loud for all people to hear. We must listen to that Gospel and rally around our Bishops, not against them, and help them proclaim Christ's message to the world, and especially our great nation. The Bishops know the truth and they want to share it with all of us. We must be courageous in following their example, listen to their truth, and help them proclaim and share it. We are the Church Militant and our Bishops the leaders of our militia. Pope Benedict XVI said: "We see how evil wishes to dominate the world and that it is necessary to enter into battle with evil. Evil is seen in many forms of violence masked with goodness and precisely this way destroying the moral foundations of society." Our Holy Father, THE VICOR OF CHRIST ON EARTH, said these words just weeks before the HHS mandate was made public. The Holy Spirit was preparing us for the battle yet to come. It is our duty now to stand up with our Bishops and fight against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. Is the Devil behind this mandate? I don't know. And I like it that way. But I do know this. If we don't stand as one Body of Christ behind the authority of our Bishops, and with the Communion of Saints, we don't stand a chance. We are in a spiritual warfare. Let us pray that it never becomes physical.