From Your Mother's Womb, I Have Loved You

In St. Jerome's translation of the Sacred Scriptures, in Chapter 49, Verse 1 of the Book of Isaiah, the Prophet tells us, "Dominus ab utero vocabit me de ventre matris meae recordatus est nomini mei," which can be loosely translated as "The Lord, from my time in my mother's womb, has spoken to me, and called me by name".

My friend, dear reader, whatever religion you practice, even if none at all, I want to assure you that Jesus Christ loves you with a love that it is beyond any man or woman's ability to understand! The joy that filled God's Heart when he created Isaiah in the womb, and watched over the baby until he was delivered and came out into the wider world, is the same joy that God felt during the time when you and I were tiny fetuses. God created us out of nothing: at one point we were not, but then, through the power of God, we were! From the moment that a tiny egg deep inside our mothers' bodies was fertilized by an even tinier sperm from our fathers, a new life came into the world, with a soul and a personhood that had never existed before, and will never exist again! It is simply impossible for God to not love anything he has created; for he marvels even at the insignificant grains of sand that he has made by the millions of millions for the world's beaches. So who can even speak of the sheer delight that filled God's Heart at the moment you were created, and the moment I was created?

My friends, it is so easy in these times of such rampant rudeness and discourtesy for gay men and lesbians to doubt in themselves. Sadly, powerful voices in our governments, our cultures, our societies and even in our faith communities tell us that to be gay is evil, or wrong, or sick, or deficient. No matter how hard we seek to accept ourselves, we can be assured that there will always be people around us, possibly even quite close to us, who will not accept us, let alone love us. At times like this, how vital it is that we turn to God! How important it is for us, for our very survival, to believe that God loves us, and to know that we are precious in his sight!

My wish today, my dear ones, is that you will feel in a special way the love that God has for you. Think of all the love that has ever existed over the ages: the love of parents for their children, the passion of two people who are in love, the affection of a child for a beloved dog or cat, the strong bond of loyalty and mutual support between long-time friends... and yet if one were to add up all of this love and tenderness, it would not even begin to equal one-tenth of the love that God bears toward you!

The love of God, especially as that love is manifested through Jesus Christ, is the most powerful force in the universe! Nothing can resist God's love; in the end, all that opposes it will pass away. So few things are certain in this life, my friends: our time on earth rushes by in a series of changes that can be dizzying in their effect. But one thing, above all, is certain: each and every one of us is precious in God's eyes, and has been so from the moment we came into being in our mothers' wombs. Those in our society who would deny God's love for gay men and lesbians do not know the Living God: the cruel and vindictive deity they worship is an idol of their own making. The hatred and venom that they direct against gay people will in the long run leave us unaffected, but they will instead pollute their own wells and make themselves sick.

So today, friends, let us give thanks for the miraculous blessing of life itself! Each one of us is a precious creation of God that will never occur again. The universe was just fine without us, but for some reason, God decided to create us! May the same Loving Maker who gave us life give us the grace to truly love him as he deserves to be loved, the grace to love ourselves, and the grace to love all of our fellow humans, and indeed, all of this wonderful Creation!

Look in the mirror at some point today, dear friend, and realize that you are seeing a Child of God! You are looking at a person whom God adores, and in whom God takes delight! Give thanks to God, and reject all those lying voices that would deny you your rightful place as God's Beloved! Join with me, if you would, in praying, "Oh, my God, how much I love you! Oh my Jesus, be near me always! All you Blessed Angels and Saints, defend me this day, and every day!"

The Power of Love

A couple of years ago, a calico cat that lived with a family down the street had four kittens. One of the kittens was black, and after a few months time, seemed to become somewhat alienated from the rest of the family. By the time this cat, a male, was full-grown, he had developed a hostile and aloof personality, and he had come to live by himself in a nearby alley. From time to time, this cat, whom we quite unoriginally called "Blackie," would come into our yard to drink water or eat some scraps that our cats had left behind. But when anyone in my family would come near this cat, he would hiss and bare his fangs and then run away.

When the weather turned cold, we fixed a little wooden house for this cat, in a spot in the back yard where he would be at a distance from our back door, and Blackie came to think of that place as his home. Little by little, he started to spend more time in our yard, and our own cats, who had been wary of him at first, gradually came to accept him.

But although my family members were feeding Blackie and giving him fresh water every day, he remained hostile to all of us. Then one day, after having been gone for a few weeks, Blackie appeared in the yard with terrible wounds on his face and on his ears. He had apparently been in an all-out fight with another tomcat, and had somehow recovered from that ordeal. We all went out of our way to speak gently to Blackie, and to do our best to make him feel at home, and the little cat seemed to understand, at last, that we were his friends.

As Blackie regained his strength, I talked to him every day and sat as close to him as I could, so that he would realize that I was his friend. For several months, he remained unimpressed, and he continued to just hiss and draw back from me. But as time went on, Blackie hissed less and less, and then finally one day, Blackie stopped hissing at me entirely. As a few more months went by, Blackie continued to warm toward me, and finally, he felt comfortable enough to let me pet him.

After Blackie had been with us for about a year, we somehow managed to trap him in a small cage and take him to the local veterinarian to have him neutered. A few weeks after this procedure, Blackie seemed to have finally let go of a lot of his fear and hostility, and he seemed to be at peace.

So for the past year and a half, Blackie has been my constant companion whenever I go out in the yard. He comes running to me whenever he sees me, and as I pet him and speak to him affectionately, he rubs up against my legs and lets me know that he enjoys my attention. Blackie is still hesitant to get close to my other family members, but he feels at home with us now, and he radiates a sense of contentment that is practically contagious, and quite beautiful to see.

I give thanks to God each day for the miracle that he worked in helping Blackie change from a difficult loner to a beloved member of our family. But as I reflect on this marvelous transformation, I cannot help but think of how Blackie always had a side that was gentle and loving, but that he had been afraid to express it.

Don't you believe that a lot of the people we meet who seem to be angry or moody or indifferent might be like Blackie, in that deep down, they have an affectionate side that is simply being blocked from showing itself? I now realize that Blackie wasn't so much mean or vicious as he was fearful, and his hostile demeanor and gestures were a defense through which he maintained a feeling of safety. Surely, there are many people who've been hurt by life's ups and downs who end in situations similar to Blackie's. Yet as Christians, we remain confident that somehow, the grace of God will flow into these broken lives, and love will have the last word.

My Sweet Jesus, today I want to offer my prayers for all those in this world who have fear in their hearts and who are reluctant to love or to express tenderness. Just as you led my little friend, Blackie, from a lonely existence to life in the bosom of a caring family, in your mercy and goodness, lead all souls who feel isolated or beleaguered to a sense of being loved and accepted. I would especially like, my Dear Lord, to ask for your blessings upon those people who have let their fear and hatred of gay people corrupt their souls. May all those people who wish ill against your gay and lesbian children come to feel your love in a profound way, that they may let go of their fears and hostilities, and realize that all of us, gay and straight, are brothers and sisters, with one loving and proud Father. Heal us, O Lord, and we shall be healed! Shower your love upon us, and teach us how to live with reverence and compassion in this beautiful world you have made for us. Give us the grace, we beg of you, to love as you love. Oh Jesus, I love you so much! Help me to love you more and more each day! Oh, and thank you so much for my little friend, Blackie, and for all the animals, wild or tame, who brighten so many lives the world over!

Baron von Steuben: Am American Hero

As our country celebrates Memorial Day this weekend, it seems appropriate for me to devote a post to the honor of Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, a key aide to General Washington during the Revolutionary War. A Prussian by birth, this no-nonsense German military man left Europe with his reputation under a cloud, for von Steuben had probably engaged in what we might today call "inappropriate behavior" with certain men under his command. While the Baron would probably not have identified himself as "homosexual" in the modern sense of the word, he preferred the company of men and formed deep and lasting friendships with many of the young men on his staff. Von Steuben became fervently dedicated to the cause of American Independence, and through his work as the Army's first Inspector-General, he was instrumental in building up the fighting force that eventually triumphed (along with our gallant French allies) at Yorktown.

How sad that for so many years in our own times, this great German-American would have been kept out of the Armed Forces because of his probable homosexual orientation. How sad, also, that so few gay Americans know his story and the vital role he played in giving birth to our great nation.

Yet there is reason for hope! In recent days, it would seem that a few small steps have been taken toward ending the unjust and short-sighted "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in the US Military. While the road to full acceptance for gay Americans who choose to risk their lives to defend our nation remains a long one, with many obstacles and setbacks still ahead, at least a little progress has been made. With nearly 80% of the country as a whole behind allowing gay people the freedom to serve openly and with pride, it seems but a matter of time until a pointless and mean-spirited policy of bigotry will come to an end. On that day, from his place of rest in Heaven, I am sure that Baron von Steuben and a great "cloud of witnesses" in full dress uniform will look down upon America and smile!

So on this Memorial Day weekend, I would like to express my gratitude to you, Baron von Steuben, for your sacrifice on the behalf of all Americans, gay or straight. I would also like to say "Thank You" to all the men and women serving in the Armed Forces today, whether close to home or far away. May the Lord God of Hosts and the Glorious St. Michael bless you and keep you safe! May our Nation's Heavenly Patroness, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, keep all of our enlisted men and women and their families and friends ever close to her compassionate Heart! And may the soul of Baron von Steuben, and the souls of all those brave individuals who have given their lives so that others might live in freedom, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace!

Congratulations to Lee DeWyze, the Newest American Idol!

Like twenty million other people, I watched the season finale of "American Idol" a few nights ago and really enjoyed the show. I was pleasantly surprised that my favorite from the Top Twelve, Lee, was the big winner. I thought for sure that the very talented Crystal Bowersox would probably win. Well, Crystal has a unique sound and seems like a terrific person, and she has tons of loyal fans, so I'm sure that she will have a wonderful career!

I felt so happy for Lee, because not only does he have a great voice and an appealing musical style, but he seems like a genuinely kind soul. How amazing that a young kid with a dream can go from working as a clerk in a paint store to being an entertainer with millions of fans all over the world in just a matter of months! I hope that Lee's win will strengthen his family's love, warm the hearts of his friends, and inspire countless creative people to take a risk and follow their passion!

I must also confess here that aside from rooting for Lee because of his musical gifts, I was also a big fan of his because I think he's really cute! He has such beautiful, soulful eyes, and his lopsided smile is just adorable. As a shy person myself, it's always inspiring to see a fellow shy person break out of their comfort zone and do well in an extravert-dominated world! My prayer for Lee is that he will remain grounded and never lose his sense of integrity, that through his music he will have a positive impact on many lives, and that he will always appreciate all his fans, especially those who are gay or lesbian! God bless you, Lee, and once again, congratulations!

The Rainbow Tribe

What is the rainbow if not a symbol of hope? For Christians, and for those who revere the Book of Genesis as part of Sacred Scripture, the rainbow is an enduring reminder of God's promise to Noah that he would never again destroy the earth by a flood. On a more mundane level, the appearance of a rainbow in the sky indicates that a storm is over, and that at least for a while, blue skies will prevail.

I'm not sure anyone knows just how or when the rainbow became a symbol for gay people, but it would be hard to think of a more fitting symbol for such a widely diverse group. Gay people belong to every race, nationality, and ethnic group; to every religion, political persuasion, and cultural system; and to every human society known to modern scholars. In the contemporary United States, one need not look far to see gay people who are young and old, wealthy and poor, tall and short, hard-working and laid-back, congenial and grumpy. Gay people are finding their place in our political structures, in the economy, in churches and schools and voluntary organizations, and in every part of our ever more complex society. Gay people are more visible than ever, and can rightly take pride in their advances in civil rights over the past few decades, even as they look toward brighter days ahead.

Yet for all the progress that has been made, much work remains to be done. Many doors are still closed to gay people, and obstacles to their full flourishing as free men and women persist. Gay people have many friends in the wider population, but many opponents, as well. The day when gay people will have the same rights as every other American, and be accepted in the Christian churches and other faith communities as fully equal with "straight" people, has not yet arrived. But as we look up and see the rainbow in the sky above us, we can find encouragement in the knowledge that the worst of the storm has passed, and that sunshine is on its way.

In this blog that I am starting today, I will try to do my small part to speed the arrival of that happy day when all gay men and women will be free of all that oppresses them and crushes them. I will lift my voice as a Christian, and more specifically as a Christian living out the Roman Catholic interpretation of the Gospel, to proclaim Christ's boundless and unconditional love for gay people. I will not flatter myself by believing that I might be to able to change people's minds or lead them in new directions. For those Christians and people of faith to whom homosexuality is a sickness at best and sinfulness at worst, there is little I can say. By the same token, for those gay people who are convinced that Christianity is inherently homophobic and toxic to gay people, again, I have little to offer. But to those gay Christians and their friends who recognize Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ, as the Lord of the their lives, and who see their sexual orientation as a precious gift from God, I hope to offer words of comfort, reconciliation, healing, support, and encouragement.

Deep down, so many gay Christians remain haunted by the fear that to be a devout Christian and to fully accept oneself as gay are contradictory aims. Certainly, countless loud voices on the left and the right in modern society seem to agree about that! But like so many gay men and women who have struggled to live an authentic and meaningful life, I have come to accept that my sexuality, rightly understood and accepted as a grace, does not draw me away from God, but rather helps bind me to God. After years of questioning and doubting, I am now certain that gay men and women are not mistakes of nature or spiritual abominations, but rather vital members of the human race with a story to tell and a calling to live out. Somehow, through accepting ourselves as gay and loving God through our sexual orientation, we are bringing something new and beautiful into the world. Through our lives, our dreams, and our hopes, God is saying something profound to all of Creation! And in our heart of hearts, God's voice is whispering to us, pledging his love and compassion, and encouraging us to run to him with open hearts, honest minds, and generous souls! And as we seek God's Face, as we long for his tender embrace, we see the rainbow in the sky above us, assuring us that God has led us through many storms, and that despite the storms yet to come, sunnier days lie ahead for us!