RBWords

     Although at this point in my life it is much easier for God to count the hairs on my head, I am consoled by the thought that divine providence extends to each one of them.  I am also consoled that the same divine providence that takes care of sparrows takes care of me!  This consolation in the Gospel of Luke was originally written to encourage the members of the community in the face of persecution.  Luke reminds the community that Jesus warned believers that their faith would result in persecution and that steadfastness in time of trial would be rewarded by God.  

    In America persecution can take many forms, both individual and collective.  The latter can be found in some of the current pressures on Catholic health care institutions to provide particular forms of health care that violate Catholic beliefs about human dignity.  The threat comes in the form of possible withholding of financial assistance by government in order to compel Catholic hospitals to perform abortions or other morally abhorrent procedures - all in the name of a misperceived constitutional "right" to those procedures!   On an individual level, persecution can occur when an individual health care professional refuses to participate in such a procedure and is dismissed for this reason!   Health care is only one example of "persecution."   On an international level, we should be aware of the direct persecution of Christians in the Middle East to the point of bombing churches!  

    The contrast between the direct physical attacks abroad and the legislative attacks here at home is considerable but both require great faith and perseverance.  The God who counts our hairs and holds us more dear than all sparrows will be with us.  Jesus' constant refrain is, "Do not be afraid!"  AMEN