Holy Week, Abortion, and the Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
 

The PBS Wisconsin headline on Feb. 22 got right to the point: “National debate over abortion turns to Wisconsin Supreme Court race.” It was referring to the election that will take place on Tuesday, April 4. Media coverage of the two Supreme Court candidates and their philosophies is widespread, and abortion has been the constant focal point. As we inform ourselves, and then cast our vote on April 4 – Tuesday of Holy Week – let us cherish the fact that Jesus himself took on flesh as a tiny, developing child in the womb of Mary, so that one day, on the Cross of Calvary, he might rescue us from darkness and sin. Likewise, every preborn child is in the image of the Lord who created and redeemed us.

“It is just as much a sin to deprive the body without discernment of what it really needs as it is to indulge in gluttony” (St. Francis of Assisi to his brothers).

 

This is the Francis of Assisi who embraced radical poverty, including fasting and prayer vigils that most today would consider austere. He often meditated on the sufferings of Christ, and desired to be one with Jesus on the Cross. But Francis was known above all else for his radiant joy – a heart bursting with praise and gratitude. He surrounded himself with beauty and delight, but never grasped at it. He freely gave it all back to God.

The daily invitation of Jesus was imprinted in Francis’ heart: to deny ourselves, take up our cross each day, and follow him (Luke 9:23). How, then, can we make sense of his caution about not depriving ourselves of what we really need? 

Francis understood intuitively what contemporary research proves consistently: there is a connection between unmet human needs and unwanted behavior. Whenever we human beings are chronically deprived of play, rest, connection, understanding, safety, nurture, or meaningful purpose in life, it is only a matter of time before we start acting out with entitled behaviors.

Deprivation feeds entitlement. Entitlement then seizes. Our grasping attitude may not be that far from that of Sméagol in Lord of the Rings: “We wants it, we needs it! Must have the precious! They stole it from us!” Most of us can easily resonate with the words of the apostle Paul, “The good I desire I do not do, but I do the evil I do not want” (Romans 7:19).

The immediate instinct in these cases is to assume that it is a problem of discipline or laziness – often with no small amount of self-contempt and shame. We then punish ourselves by deprivation, telling ourselves we are doing penance and following Jesus. But in many cases, these penances embraced without discernment also begin to cut us off from what we truly need – from the things our misguided hearts were looking for in the first place.

As a priest, I’ve worked with hundreds of people over the years who struggle repeatedly with the same patterns of behavior. Any time I have curiously explored, I have always found a significant deprivation of one or more authentic needs. Deprivation is not the primary reason why people get stuck in unwanted behaviors, but it is almost always there as a driving force!

I’ve learned much from contemporary Christian authors like Mark Laaser or Jay Stringer. Mark (now deceased) helped thousands to find freedom from their addiction to pornography or worse, not to mention helping to restore many marriages. Jay conducted research with 3,800 men and women struggling with unwanted sexual behaviors. His book (entitled Unwanted) explores the causes and contributing factors that need to be addressed if a struggling individual desires to live differently. Both make a convincing case for the importance of paying attention to our human needs, whatever our unwanted behaviors might be (sexual or otherwise). Mark and his wife Debbie (in Seven Desires) describe how every human needs to be heard and understood, affirmed, blessed, safe, touched in a meaningful way, chosen, and included. Jay discusses the importance of delight, rest, play, creativity, meaning, and purpose. If we have a serious lack in any of these areas, we are likely to find ourselves unfree in our decision making.

Francis of Assisi understood. Here is the fuller story from his companion and biographer, Thomas of Celano:

“One night while all were sleeping, one of his followers cried out, ‘Brothers! I’m dying! I’m dying of hunger!’ At once [Francis] got up and hurried to treat the sick lamb with the right medicine. He ordered them to set the table … Francis started eating first. Then he invited the brothers to do the same, for charity’s sake, so their brother would not be embarrassed.”

Francis concludes with the important lesson: it is just as much a sin to deprive the body without discernment of what it really needs as it is to indulge in gluttony. And then he reminds them of the supreme rule of charity (Christ-like love of God and neighbor). Our freedom in receiving and giving love is the ultimate criterion for our discernment.

 

Finally, let us not forget the example of Jesus himself. His human needs mattered. As a human being, he definitely received understanding, safety, nurture, delight, care, connection, rest, and play – certainly not all the time or from everyone, but in ways that left a lasting impact. Throughout his childhood, he received from Mary and Joseph. He spent only 10% of his life giving in public ministry – and even then he received care from friends like Lazarus or Mary or Martha. Even in Holy Week, Jesus rested in Bethany with those friends – receiving hospitality and love. In the Garden of Gethsemane, on the verge of his Passion, Jesus reached out to his other friends (Peter, James, and John), asking them for connection and care.

Sometimes we don’t get what we need. Sometimes God even asks us to sacrifice things that we truly need – but usually he doesn’t. Over time, if we are lacking in authentic human needs, our freedom tends to diminish, and with it our ability to receive and give freely in love. Our “sacrifice” becomes joyless; our resentment increases – and with it a Gollum-like grasping of entitled behaviors.

Discernment is the key. Jesus tells us to test a tree by its fruits. If self-denial is leading to growth in freedom, growth in faith, growth in hope, and growth in love, then we know it is being led by the Holy Spirit.

Yes, our greatest calling is to make a total gift of self and become the grain of wheat that dies so as to bear abundant fruit. That self-gift is only possible if (like Jesus) we humbly allow ourselves to receive, again and again, all that we need. Our humble receptivity will then open us (like the Saints) to the amazing joy of self-gift.

The St. Raymond Knights of Columbus are sponsoring a Red Cross Blood Drive on Monday, April 10th in the St. Raymond Parish Hall from 12-6pm. Your donation of life saving blood is urgently needed. You can sign up for a time, by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS or visiting RedCrossBlood.org and entering Fall Creek. Please be generous. 

Our new Director of Evangelization and Faith Formation, Daniel Gutierrez, arrives this week. We look forward to welcoming Daniel to our parishes and continue to pray for him as he steps into his new role. Daniel is pictured here during his time in seminary; he shared that the seminary life helped him to focus on key things, such as knowledge (of faith), prayer life, and human development, which have been key elements for both personal life & ministerial work. Welcome Daniel!

The St. Raymond Parish Council of Catholic Women (PCCW) is seeking a few women to be on a short term committee to plan the next women's social. The committee would decide the date and format of the social and be supported by the PCCW core members. One core member has already volunteered to coordinate child care during the social. The PCCW core group is very small and is committed to supporting a yearly women's social event, but needs other women to help make this happen. Please consider if you could help our Parishes create an event just for our women to have the opportunity to get to know other members in a relaxing social event. Contact Mary King at kingmarter@gmail.com or call 715-878-9472 if you would like to be part of this team. She does not have an answering machine, but will call you back. 

St. Mary’s Parish Library. Every Tuesday through the end of May 9-10am. Are you following the Catechism in a Year Podcast? Join us for accountability and community as we journey together through the beauty of our Church's teachings. Drop in any Tuesday that works for you. No registration necessary. Contact Maryjo Frank with 

questions: mdtimme@rocketmail.com or (715) 563-3808 

Administrative & Pastoral Coordinator (full-time, both parishes) A full-time position that provides administrative support to our parish staff and provides welcoming and pastoral care to parishioners & guests. The position will coordinate our pastoral outreach programs, helping to reach those in our community that are homebound or in care facilities.
Click here for the full job description.