September 15, 2010
Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way. 1 Corinthians 12:31
"Behold, your mother." John 19:27b
Piety
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp; on the ten-stringed lyre offer praise. Sing to God a new song; skillfully play with joyful chant. For the LORD'S word is true; all his works are trustworthy. The LORD loves justice and right and fills the earth with goodness. Psalm 33:2-5
Study
Today is the feast day for our home parish: St. Mary of Sorrows, Fairfax, VA. The parish has been a fixture in this wealthy and growing and diverse region for more than 150 years.
As we enter the Worship Center, we have numerous chances to behold our mother walking past the statue of her which graces the walls there and another which stands beside the altar and another with Joseph and Jesus stands sentinel as we come and go to the parking lot. A reproduction of the Pieta also rests inside the sanctuary. At the Historic Church, a grotto like that in Lourdes, stands in front of the church building.
Beholding our Mother means more than just meditating on the various statues throughout the parish grounds. Mary showed us the more excellent way of obedience and action. First, she agreed to participate in God’s plan for salvation. Before the Lord could send His son into the world, Jesus needed to find the love of a mother to nurture him and help him grow into the man who would become our savior.
Today’s Psalm echoes one of the central passages from Mark’s Gospel. Psalm 33 teaches us that “Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.” God has chosen Mary to be his own and our Mother of Sorrows and we see why in this passage:
But he said to them in reply, "Who are my mother and (my) brothers?" And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. (For) whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." Mark 3:33-35
The key lies in doing the will of God. Mary accepted that will and acted upon it. If we are to behold the more excellent way that she leads us toward, then we must follow her example and do the will of God.
Action
This week, the state of Virginia has plans to continue the long tradition of state-sponsored murder with the execution of Teresa Lewis. Lewis is accused of planning the murder-for-hire of her husband and son in order to collect insurance money and run away with another man. We have the choice to follow the more excellent way of love and mercy.
According to an article in The Washington Post: “If neither the U.S. Supreme Court nor Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) intervenes, Lewis will become the first woman executed in Virginia in nearly 100 years and the 12th nationwide since capital punishment was reinstated in 1976. Both of her co-conspirators, the men who fired the deadly shots, received life terms. Lewis's execution is scheduled for Sept. 23.” She did not pull the trigger yet she is the one person on death row.
Church teaching is unequivocal about this. If a reliable alternative to the death penalty (like life in prison with parole) exists, then as Catholics, we should ask our leaders to halt this execution.
Please consider contacting the Governor to ask him to change her sentence. You may contact Governor McDonnell directly (1) by phone at 804-786-2211, (2) by mail at Office of the Governor, Patrick Henry Building, 3rd Floor 1111 East Broad Street Richmond, Virginia 23219, or (3) through the governor's web page, at http://www.governor.virginia.gov/Contact.cfm.
Or consider signing this petition http://www.saveteresalewis.org/petition.html which seeks to have her sentence commuted to life in prison.
