Bob Nicholas

This start of Advent marks the one year anniversary of the publication of Spi Salvi, the second of Pope Benedicts Encyclicals.

I wonder how many Catholics in this last year have actually read it?

I’m pasting some of the final section because to me it is inspiring and a call to action. Please join me this Advent in “re”reading the Encyclical (if you haven’t read it yet, I won’t tell) and pointing our lives toward the Hope we have in Christ.

You can read the entire Encyclical here

EXCERPTS FROM
ENCYCLICAL LETTER
SPE SALVI
OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF
BENEDICT XVI
TO THE BISHOPS
PRIESTS AND DEACONS
MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS
AND ALL THE LAY FAITHFUL
ON CHRISTIAN HOPE

24…
a) The right state of human affairs, the moral well-being of the world can never be guaranteed simply through structures alone, however good they are. Such structures are not only important, but necessary; yet they cannot and must not marginalize human freedom. Even the best structures function only when the community is animated by convictions capable of motivating people to assent freely to the social order. Freedom requires conviction; conviction does not exist on its own, but must always be gained anew by the community.
b) Since man always remains free and since his freedom is always fragile, the kingdom of good will never be definitively established in this world. Anyone who promises the better world that is guaranteed to last for ever is making a false promise; he is overlooking human freedom. Freedom must constantly be won over for the cause of good. Free assent to the good never exists simply by itself. If there were structures which could irrevocably guarantee a determined—good—state of the world, man’s freedom would be denied, and hence they would not be good structures at all.

26. It is not science that redeems man: man is redeemed by love. This applies even in terms of this present world. When someone has the experience of a great love in his life, this is a moment of “redemption” which gives a new meaning to his life. But soon he will also realize that the love bestowed upon him cannot by itself resolve the question of his life. It is a love that remains fragile. It can be destroyed by death. The human being needs unconditional love. He needs the certainty which makes him say: “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:38- 39). If this absolute love exists, with its absolute certainty, then—only then—is man “redeemed”, whatever should happen to him in his particular circumstances. This is what it means to say: Jesus Christ has “redeemed” us. Through him we have become certain of God, a God who is not a remote “first cause” of the world, because his only-begotten Son has become man and of him everyone can say: “I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20).

If I were aborted there would be no sun for me

If I were aborted I would not had chance to see

Because when you are aborted The choice is made for you

If I were aborted my life would be so short

If I were aborted I would bypass Jesus’ court

Because when you are aborted there is no sin to hide

The choice was made for me, my opinion set aside

If I were aborted I’d be forgotten by many

If I were aborted my mother would not forget me

Because when I child is aborted the pain is much to strong

And this pain will rest in her soul far too long

If I were aborted the world would never know my cause

If I were aborted no one would see the greatness I could bring

Because when you are aborted, your accomplishments cannot sing

And those that would applaud you never know what you can bring

If I were aborted I shutter to think the cost

If I were aborted I cry when thinking what would be lost

Because if I were aborted my wife would have no soul mate

And the love that I now show her would never be replaced

If I were aborted I’d have no chance to be a husband

If I were aborted I’d have no chance to be a father

My children would not know this world and that is much too sad

For on the days when I see them smile I am so joy filled and glad

If I were aborted I would pray for you each day

If I were aborted I could have no other say

Because when you are aborted you come to know the Truth

That only God can fill the void in any woman’s heart

So today while you are praying please remember not who wrote this poem

But rather those that sing your prayers before the Father’s throne

For while we know not what they could have done on Earth

We know that what they are doing now is tugging on God’s heart.