I hope and pray I am completely wrong about what I am about
to say. I fear, however, I am not.
Our nation is in a most tragic place right now. If it were given a medical prognosis I would
have to say the current illness is extremely
grave but more probably terminal.
Sure, we have pulled through some horrendous
times in our history including world wars, natural disasters, and economic collapses. America can be proud of so many noble accomplishments
of its past and present. Moreover, its many
outstanding citizens have contributed to a society that has, at one time or
another, led the world in almost every conceivable area.
So what went wrong?
Let me start with two decisions by our government that will be seen as
tragically erroneous resulting in most dire consequences.
Roe v. Wade and the legalization of abortion in
this nation will one day be seen by all before
God for what it truly is—the systematic extermination of innocent human
life. Abortion was never and will never be
a moral good. The big lie that a woman has a right to choose [to kill
innocent human life] is completely absurd and delusional. Babies killed legally are nonetheless killed most
tragically. Whether ripped apart
surgically or chemically poisoned, such abortions are never safe for the developing baby and leave
the victimized mother scarred for life. The
blood of approximately 60 million innocents cries to God for justice since 1973.
Next, the legalization of gay marriage in our nation shows
how we have abandoned and replaced the divine institution of marriage—between
one man and one woman—for what we “enlightened” humans see as an alternative to
God’s design for the human race. Under
the misguided pretext of tolerance and acceptance, we have attempted to counter-establish
same-sex relationships as a type of norm.
The complimentary between male and female with its life-giving potential
are thus disregarded. While God’s love for
us and the love we must show as Christians for one another (see John 13:34, 15:12) never permit others
to be treated uncharitably, humans can never supplant divine wisdom with human "wisdom" and redefine a divinely established institution.
Our declaring something legal and culturally acceptable does not make it
so in the sight of God. We are foolish
to think otherwise.
It is obvious that the breakdown of the traditional family has been progressively occurring. Observe the divorce / remarriage statistics in
conjunction with societal acceptance of abandoned commitments. Multitudes
of babies are born out of wedlock. The varied possibilities defining the concept
of “modern” family are as numerous as the random combinations of a slot
machine. Not insignificant to the situation is that artificial
contraception and sterilization procedures attempt to allow man to play god and
to divorce procreation from the unitive act.
Moreover, the issue of individually chosen
sexual identity taking precedence over God-given genetic sexual identity only complicates the entire scenario. If the building blocks of society are strong
families, then our structure is crumbling most rapidly.
Moral values have become relative, truth is up
for individual interpretation and debate, and society seems to think that the
only grave sin is intolerance. I am amazed how so many Catholics / Christians
have seemingly abandoned the teachings of Jesus Christ and timeless Gospel values as the norm for living, substituting instead ethereal, culturally-driven ethics. Notably, co-habitation before or in place of
marriage is the new standard. Sex
became automatically part of dating and simply a recreational, “feel-good”
activity. Any notion of delayed
gratification is considered absurd. At the same time, the number of people with a sexually transmitted disease (S.T.D.) is staggering.
In place of seeking God, a hedonistic society apparently finds its joy in varied combinations of drugs,
alcohol, sex, pornography, gambling, material possessions, travel, wealth,
power, prestige, and whatever else may feed the insatiable ego and titillate the
senses. As long as it makes me feel good, it must be the path to Nirvana and true, lasting happiness. In too many instances it appears that we have
become a society of narcissistic addicts longing for pleasure and
self-gratification. Multiple generations are now focused
on taking selfies, clinging to mobile phones and other technology at
every moment and seeking constant recognition and approval on social media. These trends speak volumes about our society’s
priorities and how they are driven.
From an economic standpoint, can a nation continue to survive
with an ever-growing $19 trillion national debt? Are the two best candidates for the 2016 U.S.
Presidency really an ever-evolving
egotistical, bullying billionaire or a pathological liar of a career politician
whose legacy appears to be scandal and corruption? Unfortunately, in either case, I think we are
going to get what we deserve as a
nation by electing either one.
Since I am Roman
Catholic, I have to state the obvious regarding our faith. The Church, in many instances, has lost moral
authority and the unquestioning loyalty of the faithful. More people fail to attend Sunday (Saturday
evening) Mass weekly than actually do.
The younger generations are consistently and noticeably absent. People do not take advantage of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation
(confession) in overwhelming numbers. Church marriages are seemingly
less-frequent with a preference for destination
or other novel wedding experiences, if at all. The
notion that the Catholic faith be imparted to the next generation of children has
taken on an attitude of indifference and possible insignificance. There is indeed deadly spiritual lethargy in
the overall church population.
With all this being said, is there any real hope for our
future? Of course there is. I am utterly
confident that Jesus Christ and God’s plan for humanity will be completely triumphant in
the end. This does not preclude the possibility of a great persecution of the Church and the heroic witness of martyrs in
future days. It also does not mean if we reject God's ever-abundant mercy, we will not experience God's perfect justice. Again, it does not mean that any great nation—even the United States of America—could not
collapse either from internal or external forces or a combination of both. I am sure that many of those who experienced
the fall of the great Roman Empire never thought it would happen or necessarily saw it
coming.
My solution is a swift, radical turning back to God. Repent
and believe in the Good News! (Mark 1:15) It is
an acceptance of biblical values as the sole rule and guide of life. It is through prayer, fasting, self-sacrifice
and penance that we might still have a chance.
It is by a fidelity to Jesus Christ and the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church that He established, where
we might still have a chance.
I truly hope I am wrong about what I see coming. I will be glad to retract every word and
offer a sincere apology.
In the meantime, may God have mercy on us all.
(An editorial, by Edward F. Namiotka)
(An editorial, by Edward F. Namiotka)
