Lex Cordis Caritas - The law of the heart is Love

Last Monday I offered the Holy sacrifice of the Mass at Calvary Cemetery in Springfield for Memorial Day, a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. Since, in a sense, there is no recognition here on earth that is sufficient to honor our dead soldiers for their brave sacrifices, we might ask, what kind of reward awaits them in heaven? This question leads us to reflect on what awaits each one of us when we die.

In my conversations with parents, one of their most painful realities is when their grown children stop practicing the Catholic faith. This often happens despite tremendous investments of their time, energy and personal resources to make sure that their children are brought up properly in the church. In such cases, parents often feel responsible for their children’s abandonment of the faith. They sometimes even feel guilty or like failures as good Catholic parents, accusing themselves of not doing enough for their children’s religious upbringing.

This past April 2 marked the sixth anniversary of the death of our beloved Holy Father, the great Pope John Paul II. People at his funeral Mass at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican shouted in Italian, “Santo subito,” which means, may he become a saint quickly. Soon there were reports of miracles attributed to Pope John Paul II, and his beatification will take place on May 1, Divine Mercy Sunday. We pray that this will be just an interim step on the way to his canonization as a saint.

Several state legislators from Wisconsin and Indiana have been spending the last few weeks in Illinois. We hope their stay in the Land of Lincoln will revitalize them so that they can return to their home states with a renewed commitment to carrying out their civic responsibilities for which they were elected and are paid to serve.

As in past years, Pope Benedict XVI again proclaimed Feb. 11, the Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, as the World Day of the Sick. This remembrance affords us the opportunity each year to reflect on the meaning of human suffering and to pray for the sick, as well as for all health care professionals who care for the sick.