text: Years before he was elected Pope, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger said: “Today more than ever the Christian must be aware that he belongs to a minority and that he is in opposition to everything that appears good, obvious, and logical to the ‘spirit of the world.’...Among the most urgent tasks facing Christians is that of regaining the capacity to oppose many developments of the surrounding culture. We have lost the sense that Christians cannot live just like ‘everybody else.’
  Think of some of the cultural developments that we must face: the civil redefinition of marriage, controversies over gender, immigration policies, and the scourge of domestic violence. Consider the attacks on human life. The recent “Death with Dignity Act” is in reality “assisted suicide” under the guise of mercy and compassion.
  Did you know that our State Assembly has passed a bill which is now in the Senate and could become law very soon if signed by the Governor. The law would severely impact our religious liberty if enacted. The law would expand insurance coverage for abortion-inducing drugs and eliminate the religious employers’ exemption now in place. By removing the exemption, Catholic parishes, schools and other religious institutions would be forced to provide insurance coverage for abortion-inducing drugs. In the face of this assault on human life and religious freedom, silence is not an option for the serious disciple. Let’s do what we can to halt the slide down the slippery slope!
  I am aware that by the mere mention of a bill in the legislature, I open myself to the criticism of being “political.” Stick to giving a “spiritual homily” goes the refrain. But it is our spirituality and acceptance of the Gospel that move us to be involved in order to impact the kind of society we live in.
  Bishop O’Connell has written: “The faithful look to their Bishop for spiritual not political guidance. My proper text is the Word of God as truth; my proper text is the teaching of the Catholic Church as truth; my proper text is the Christian life as truth...When issues that confront us in contemporary culture undermine our Catholic faith, compromise or, even worse, prevent our constitutionally guaranteed “free exercise of religion,” those issues need to be challenged.”
  Our bulletin’s regular Respect Life articles help keep us aware of the vital issues that affect our way of life. Let’s stay informed and involved—popular or unpopular. It is what good citizens do, and good Catholics are good citizens.
  
  The Beatitudes are not mere poetry. Pope Benedict called the Beatitudes “the roadmap for the Church” and the “directions for discipleship.” They demand our attention. St. Matthew gives us eight Beatitudes as part of Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount. St. Luke presents them differently—as four blessings and four woes and as part of the Sermon on the Plain.
  In both cases, the Beatitudes are a paradox; from a human or worldly perspective, they don’t make sense. The standards of the world are turned upside down. We see this throughout the Gospels: we lead by serving; we come to greatness by becoming small; we are exalted when we are humble; we are strong when we are weak; we find life in dying.
  “Beatitude” means perfect blessedness or happiness. Our Lord would have us find it in circumstances we would least expect: in poverty, hunger, weeping and persecution. He would have us find sadness where we would least expect it to be: among the rich, the full, the joyful and the popular. Jeremiah helps us see what Jesus is getting at the Beatitudes: “Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh...” In other words, lasting happiness cannot be found in material things that are fleeting or even in people who are not so reliable or steadfast. Rather, he says, “Blessed is the one who trusts...whose hope is in the Lord.”