Let It Be Heard

Listen to this sermon.



 "I cannot believe that you voted for this!"

Ann Barnhardt takes him to task for his ending, "Let us be Catholic!"  She is right in that his terminology implies that to "be" Catholic is a status imposed by someone else - and rightly takes issue with it.  But I do not think I would go so far as to say this makes him one of the "whipped sheep."

Not to say that Ms. Barnhardt is not right about whipped sheep, which Fr. Maletta addresses early on in his sermon, speaking to the naivete of some Catholic Bishops in embracing Obamacare as something in line with the Church's teachings on social justice.  You cannot make deals with the Devil, an the Devil will always show himself to be the Prince of Lies.  I am not saying Obama is the Devil.  But his actions bespeak the Devil's work.  What else can you say about a man whom, as a senator, opposed a law that would require an abortionist to render medical care to a baby who somehow survives an abortion and is born alive (such as may be seen with abortions done by saline injections, resulting in the live birth of a child horribly burned, as was Gianna Jessen).

I will applaud Fr. Maletta and say something like this should be heard on every issue that affects human morality.  St. Paul, as we heard last Sunday, reminds us all that we are "ambassadors of Christ" - and, by virtue of their voluntary acceptance of their vocation, priests more so as shepherds.  I know there are priests who feel as if "too much" is being placed on them in their vocation.  Yes, it is a hard job - but it will be an even harder one explaining to the Judge at life's end how you allowed administrative duties, or your day off, or your fear of offending someone, to not take time during these extraordinary times and deliver at least a sermon like Fr. Maletta's to guide your people to holiness.

Listen to this sermon.  It's a good one.  I'm sure it pissed off at least one congregant.  So what?  Sometimes we need to get pissed off to get us out of our bubble and see the truth around us.  A oft-heard phrase among Catholics is "offer it up to God" when we experience any suffering.  I think too many of us cannot do that, not because our lives are insanely happy, but because we expend more energy ignoring and avoiding the "bad" - read, "not in our comfort zone" - rather than facing it and having it to offer up.

Thank you, Fr. Maletta.