MAY 2022 NEWSLETTER

Featured Article:

Life on the Road to Emmaus: by Alexandra Schreffler

There's a very famous account found in the Gospel of Luke 24:13-35. It's the story of the encounter on the road to Emmaus. I love this narrative so much, not only because it's a good story, but because it has such vast meaning. We should all be familiar with this account. If we're not, it's time to get familiar with it.‌‌ What happens in the story is this: the death and resurrection of Jesus have just occurred, all the disciples are reeling from everything that has just happened. They're at a point where they have to move forward but they're wondering what to do next.‌‌

In all this upheaval, as the disciples each take their own road, two of them leave together to the town of Emmaus, outside of Jerusalem. As they are walking down the road to that town, they're joined by another man. This man is the risen Jesus. However, they don't recognize Him. It's not that these are bad disciples, or that they don't care. It's Jesus' decision that they don't recognize Him. It's as if He wants to use this opportunity to talk to them, to teach them, and to listen to them without them recognizing Him as their Master. Why? Maybe he did this because he wanted to take away the aura that surrounded Him and just talk to his disciples as a person to a person, not a person to God. This is exactly what happens. The disciples discuss with this man, the unrecognizable Jesus, all the events of His own death and then move on to matters of incredible depth that the disciples didn't understand and which Jesus had to explain throughout the whole journey to Emmaus.‌‌

As they reached Emmaus, Jesus, still unrevealed, “gave the impression” that he was going to continue traveling but the disciples begged him to stay. Because they persuade Him to stay with them, the disciples are rewarded with seeing Jesus revealed to them again. What a great reward!‌‌

This story carries a lot of weight and is an incredible lesson. We just have to break it into parts and try to understand it. Let's just look at this through a different lens. Did you ever think about this story this way: you and I have all traveled, and are still traveling on the road to Emmaus. We're living our lives and‌‌ Jesus is with us though he does not always allow us to recognize Him right away.‌‌

On the road to Emmaus, the disciples didn't recognize Jesus. He was hidden from them. When Jesus hid His identity from the disciples on the road to Emmaus, He hid His divinity from them. Because of this, they spoke with Him like He was just another man. The same thing goes on today in our own lives. Because every person is created in the image and likeness of God, Jesus is hidden in them. He is hidden in both the old and the young, especially those who are in need and those who are hurting. He is waiting for us to recognize Him. He is there, but we don't always see Him. As a result, we don't always treat people with the love and respect that we ought to. The knowledge that Jesus is hidden in those around us calls on us to heighten the bar and to not only treat others better, but to love Jesus by loving others and seeing His face in the faces of those around us. We have a duty to treat others as we would treat Jesus.‌‌

It's a sobering fact, for sure, but it should also bring us some joy. Just as the disciples on the road to Emmaus were rewarded with seeing Jesus revealed because they asked the hidden Jesus to stay with them, so we are rewarded for recognizing Jesus in those around us. In loving others for the sake of Jesus we find the peace and joy that only He can give. When we recognize Jesus in those around us, we begin to get a glimpse of just how awesome God really is. As a result, our lives are changed. When we realize that Jesus is constantly near us and that every encounter with another person is a chance for us to show our love for Him, our actions, thoughts, and words are changed. The more we work to treat others with‌‌ love for His sake, the better we come to know Him. This is our reward in this life: The more we love those around us, the better we come to know and understand the author and essence of love itself.

Prayers:

Marian Prayer for Peace and Grace

God our Father, Creator of the world, you establish the order which governs all ages. Hear our prayer and give us peace in our time that we may rejoice in your glory and praise you without end. Mary, Queen of Peace, look upon us kindly. Through your prayers obtain for us the gift of peace which Your Son promised. We ask this through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace, Son of God, Son of Mary who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen

Source: ‌https://www.nationalshrine.org/blog/2-marian-prayers-for-peace-and-grace/#:~:text=“Immaculate Mother of Jesus%2C we,share the fullness of grace.

Pro-Life Quotes:

"I am created to do or be something for which no one else is created: I have a place in God's counsels, in God's world, which no one else has."
—St. John Henry Newman

"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future."
—J.R.R. Tolkien

"Circumstances, as in America, can prevent the seed from developing rapidly, but they cannot destroy it, and if the present generation escapes its influence, it will devour the well-being of generations to come."
—Alexis de Tocqueville

‌News:

Texas Inspired ‘Heartbeat Bill’ Introduced in Legislature

The Texas Heartbeat Law is inspiring legislators far and wide. This monumental piece of legislation in Texas outlawed abortions after a baby’s heartbeat can be detected and creates legal liability for committing abortion after a heartbeat is heard. In Guam, Senators are fighting for life with the recent introduction of the Guam Heartbeat Act of 2022.

Source: https://studentsforlife.org/2022/04/20/guam-gets-it-texas-inspired-heartbeat-bill-introduced-in-legislature/

This Connecticut Bill Protects Abortion and Endangers Children

On Tuesday, April 19^th, the Connecticut House passed House Bill 5414, entitled “An Act Concerning Protections For Persons Receiving And Providing Reproductive Health Care Services In The State.” This bill was essentially created to combatively interfere with pro-life laws in other states—an idea which has some questioning its constitutionality. This means that individuals who are legally liable for violating other states’ abortion laws can come to Connecticut courts to sue for damages. Let’s take the popular Texas Heartbeat Law as an example: if HB 5414 is enacted, a Texan woman could travel to Connecticut to have a Connecticut abortionist abort her child even if there is a detected fetal heartbeat, and the Connecticut abortionist would not be legally liable for breaking the Texas Heartbeat Law.

Source: https://studentsforlife.org/2022/04/22/backwards-this-connecticut-bill-protects-abortion-and-endangers-children/

Upcoming Events:

Saturday, May 7th at 2:00pm EST - Monthly pro-life rosary

Saturday, May 14th at 6:30pm EST - General monthly meeting.

We will be having an end of the school year party, and will learn some great ways to stay involved in the pro-life movement this Summer. We will also play some fun games together in anticipation of Summer vacation! Hope to see you there!‌‌

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