During our trip to Colorado we went to St. Anne's Catholic Church for Sunday Mass. The building fits right in with its rustic, mountain feel with the rest of the church.
That Sunday we heard a sermon from a traveling priest, who ironically my wife alone heard two months ago in Atlanta at the Seton Homeschooling Conference. His sermon was a great call to action about the need to evangelize a culture of life from conception to death worldwide with all our hearts and minds. I will use my pictures to illustrate one point he made about the horrible confusion we suffer in our society right now on this topic. (See this website for this additional information: Humanlife International)
This week, CNS News Service showed a short video where college students signed a petition for "Fourth Trimester" abortion. Yes Fourth Trimester...there are only three Trimesters....so much for education in world class colleges...basically these men and women are convinced a woman should have the ability to kill their offspring at anytime. Horrible, chilling, and if you pardon me sickening thoughts.
Based on the demographics and polling in the last election, the same people probably support enhanced environmental protection laws. Laws which already make it illegal to touch an endangered bird species egg, shut down damns so fish can spawn in cold mountain streams, or to kill a doe out of designated season. The same groups often also sponsor animal rescue missions at fantastic costs to help injured animals heal up for return to the wild.
The evangelization the priest talked about is that we need to show people the disconnect between the two concepts. If we recognize a eagle inside the egg is the same eagle that will one day soar through the sky, how can we also not rationalize the child inside the womb is not one who could care for your dignity in old age? We must evangelize with somber reminder that some of the greatest leaders of faith, had horrible sins in their past. St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Augustine...and coming close to home I even know my own sins....all needed an awaking. Some had a lightening bolt. Some had a gentle calling. All came home to live within a culture of life, one which they bestowed on us with more tools to build up higher with our own generation. We are called to provide each of us sinners a chance to live out their conversion with good deeds inside the church of God.
So I encourage you today to recognize that the guidance I heard from the pulpit, is derived from the same holy words I heard as I sat in the cathedral of the mountain stream that afternoon. Proverbs clearly state the Wisdom of God streamed before the first ray of light, the first breath of wind and bubbling brook of water. So for those in doubt, I call you to listen to the call of life in a house of God or in grand creation itself. As our Founding Fathers knew, natural law is the one source of wisdom which can bind people of all faiths into one people to respect the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of each other from conception to natural death.
-ehw
P.S. The priest closed his homily with a reminder that following a the Lord's calling will result in suffering and rejection from those who reject the teachings and desire to force your acceptance of their own selfish cause. If you chose not to follow my postings anymore...I'm sorry. You must however understand that my photographic calling directly manifests itself from my faith. Since I respect the dignity of every person, don't post shock photos or sexed up visions of men and women. I look for beauty where others may not. I look for a capture which expresses a manifestation of wisdom in this earthly life and appreciates God's beautiful creation. I seek to unify through charitas, not divide. If you liked photos I capture, it is because of what God calls my heart to capture. In the end, each and every photo I capture must past the family room edit test where my computer rests...and so must the words and lifestyle I chose to live.
On of the benefits of "working" a show like Art in the Park is my children get to come with me. Yesterday my eldest daughter came, and today my son. I enjoy having them with me. I don't to take them to my real job, so this is where they get to see me relate with people and be a professional. It is an extra classroom for them, and a place for me to be a Dad by introducing them to the world outside of the home. It also gives a me a few moments to catch that glimpse of my children Mom gets everyday in homeschooling. The glimpse of the real child of mine. What good kids they are! They each endured several hours of slow times, but they engaged other adults with conversation. They learned a great deal, and were very courteous and respectful to all they met. They even did a good job talking to people about the prints we had for sale. We also had some time to laugh and talk to each other...all in the warm golden light of early fall.
