 Fr.
Tom's Tomes November 5, 2006
Tuesday, November 7, 2006, is the day to vote. There are many candidates and issues on which to vote this day. Since Amendment 2 has to do with life there are two special events being planned around voting day. Monday evening, November 6, 2007 there will be a Mass at 7:00 pm to pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Catholic Church believes and supports the dignity of human life. Human life is being threatened with the passage of Amendment 2. The Mass intention is to ask the Holy Spirit to guide the decisions they are making at the polls. Also on Tuesday, November 7, 2006, from after the 7:30 am Mass until 7:00 pm there will be Eucharistic Adoration. We are inviting people to come and spend an hour in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament asking God’s guidance upon the results of the election. Human life is very important. Our culture has been attacking the dignity and importance of human life. From legalization of abortion to doctor assisted suicide people are now taking into their own hands who should live and die. The dignity of human life is much more than determining if it is convenient or timely to have a child. Suffering is a result of the evil present in the world and we need to have a better understanding of redemptive suffering and joining our pain and discomfort to the suffering Jesus did on the cross for us. The Catholic Church has a deep appreciation for the life of all people. No one who lives is useless or pointless. All people have a dignity which can be found in the love of God. Instead of comparing the quality of human life to our standards we need to look and see where we are made in the image of and likeness of God. The image and likeness is not the physical beings we are but is the spiritual persons whom we are. There is more than one amendment on the ballot on Tuesday. In thinking about voting in favor of the amendments please consider not only the moral teaching of the Church but also how does the amendment affect the Constitution of the State of Missouri. There has not been a lot of discussion on how the constitution changes but it will dramatically change what we in Missouri must do. The Constitution of the State does not legislate laws. The Constitution sets about to set forth a frame work from which the people of the state live in community with one another. Amendment 3 sets a sales tax on cigarettes. Are there any other sales taxes which are spelled out in the Constitution of the State of Missouri? I am not aware of any sales tax for a particular product and amount. Same way with Amendment 2. Are we going to set a precedent about one particular type of medical research which actually changes the Constitution of the State of Missouri even more so than Amendment 3? If we change the Amendment to allow this one type of research can anyone then come to our State hoping to change the State Constitution hoping to provide a place for their research? As citizens of the State of Missouri we need not only look at the morality of Amendment 2 but also how will it affect all people in our state into the future. There are many implications beyond the morality of this Amendments. Take time to look and to say how will these affect the poor we have with us. God bless you and I invite you to pray about your voting choices. |