Easter Technically Ended Yesterday, Y'know...

I'm the beneficiary of a whopping technicality.

In my last post (before Lent began), I mentioned that I might post at--or right after--Easter; well... since Easter is 50 days long, and it ends at Pentecost, I'm not very late, at least! :)

Anyway... I wish it were a more uplifting time to start writing again. Dr. George Tiller, a notorious abortionist, was shot and killed by a severely misguided person who thought that a series of bullets would win this particular battle which Satan is waging against our innocent children. Many sincere, devout Christians find themselves torn: between rejoicing at the idea that Dr. Tiller won't kill anymore children, and cringing at the evil means by which that end was achieved.

Here's my take on what we should remember, and what we should do at this time:

1) Pray for the soul of Dr. George Tiller, that he may escape eternal damnation.

One note, on that point: don't listen to what your "heart" says--our hearts are deceitful and confused (see Jeremiah 17:9), and they're not likely to lead us to God's righteousness, in this instance. Love is a choice--an act of the will--and this is one of the occasions where your will needs to grab the reins of your heart and hold them so tightly that your heart can't run wild like it wants to do! Choose to pray. Don't worry about not "feeling" like it; don't even worry about feeling like you'd rather die than pray for him; do it anyway, and let your "foolish heart" whimper itself into docility.

2) Our justifiable anger at the murderous deaths of hundreds of children at Dr. Tiller's hands is all too likely to cloud our minds and poison our hearts into thinking that George Tiller is the real enemy "who deserved everything he got." With all my being, I urge you: THAT IS NOT SO. I deserved far worse than Dr. Tiller received, today. So do you. So did he. Praise be to God, we're not dealing with a God Who gives us what we deserve; we're able to come to the Divine Mercy and beg, like the paupers we are, for mercy and salvation that we don't deserve, and that we could never earn. Pray for Dr. Tiller. Prove that you're a child of your Father (cf. Matthew 5:45). Praying for an enemy--even so wretched a man as Dr. Tiller--will be a jewel in your eternal crown that, if your soul is saved at the end, no one can ever take away. When you see the look of joy in Jesus' face as He says, "Well done. I know how hard it was to pray for him. You have made Me so happy, by that!", do you honestly think that the anger you feel now will be even a ghost of a memory? For the joy that's before us, can we push past the shame, and past our own selfish feelings?

3) The best thing you can do for the cause of Christ is to purify yourself. Put your own house in order, so that you don't start fighting on behalf of the Adversary, despite your best intentions. No one can defeat the devil by using the devil's own weapons; they always turn on their wielders, in the end.

4) Step up your prayers, fasting (within reason, without harming yourself or your ability to do what God calls you to do), and sacrifices. Seriously: what excuse can you possible offer for refusing to sacrifice that TV show, or that candy bar, or that reluctance to be friendly to the grumpy person in the cubicle next to you? This is a war which will not ultimately be won with earthly weapons (no, not even laws and political struggles--necessary though those might sometimes be); it will be won by Grace. Remember Who's in control, always. It isn't you, and it isn't me, and it isn't any member deceived into embracing the culture of death. It's God, and God alone; our only job is to be faithful, and to do whatever tasks He gives us--no matter how unimpressive, non-glorious or insignificant those tasks might seem. God doesn't call you to be impressive; He calls you to be faithful.

5) Take a lesson from driving lessons: if you keep your eyes on something, you'll tend to steer toward it. The same is true for the spiritual life: if you keep your eyes fixated on the culture of death, you'll start to steer yourself into it, and into its darkness. Keep your eyes on the Father, on the Son, and on the Holy Spirit. Keep your eyes on the light; God will show you what you need to know about everything else, if only you heed His voice and obey. Don't let all of your time be consumed with debating the ins-and-outs of this-or-that horror; once the facts are reasonably known, stop researching, drop to your knees, and pray. A good warrior knows when to watch the battleground, and when to act.

God protect you in your efforts.