A light when all others go out

Talk about it

Around four weeks ago, we started the Faith page here at The Dickinson Press. I really hope our readers have enjoyed this new addition to our paper as much as I have putting it together.

It was truly a treat being able to work with our local pastors one-on-one for this project. I cannot thank them enough for their commitment of time, giving us their knowledge of the faith to help us grow in our own and giving us something to talk about around the water cooler.

I’m writing this because while intently working on this project and trying to get weeks filled and an overall format for the page in place, I knew in the back on my mind how busy our local pastors are. From non-stop appointments to events and celebrating Mass and trips out of town. I have to admit, I felt this project was really going to be a long shot from the start, but by God’s good grace and with Dickinson being blessed with truly great religious leaders, it all worked out in the end.

I wanted to draw attention to how I think our pastors are underappreciated in today’s society. Being raised Catholic, I am very thankful to how God has continually blessed Dickinson with great priests. Men that are truly selfless, always giving of themselves for the good of Christ’s church, willing to meet with us, educate us, give us guidance to keep our moral compasses pointed in the right direction, drop everything to hear a confession and I could go on with the compliments because there are plenty to be said.

I have to applaud any church leader, regardless of denomination, who has the courage to embrace their vocation, stand in front of a congregation and teach us about God’s magnificent world he created and how his watchful and loving eyes have been on it back then, currently and will be forever. To tell us that there is one man alone through whom we are saved, Jesus Christ.

It’s really troubling living in a society today that’s self-destructing before our eyes and what’s worse than that, it is still going full steam ahead with pushing out the one person who can deliver us from any problem we face. When the name of Jesus, the name above all names, has been reduced to the “J” word that’s forbidden to be said in any public place, except of course if you hit your thumb with a hammer or get a flat tire, in which case it seems perfectly fine to use his holy name in such a derogatory manner. That’s just plain ignorant.

When a person can’t drive down the interstate or highways near major cities without seeing billboard signs that say, “Nobody died for our sins, Jesus Christ is a myth” and “Don’t believe in God? Join the club.” Talk about ridiculous and sinful all wrapped in one package together.

However, in these difficult times it is still easy to see how the Lord’s constant presence is still among us, when a person hears these heart-warming conversion stories of a person living a life away from God, sometimes for many years, and has that one “moment of grace” that changes everything for them and brings them back to the light.

I think it’s so important now that we stick behind our priests and church leaders. Religion itself is under extreme fire and the enemy isn’t showing signs of letting up anytime soon, which brings me back to the topic of this column, thanking our pastors.

It’s a blessing knowing we have these religious men that have the courage to guide us through this ever-changing secular society, that they will hold steadfast to the Gospel in the face of extreme scrutiny and will continue to follow church teaching regardless of what the current popularity polls say.

Our religious leaders need our support, our thanks and most importantly our prayers. They are truly the beacons of light in this world that are going to lead us through this tribulation, let’s be very thankful to them for all that they do for us, they care about us and where we are headed for eternity more than we could possibly know.

Being Catholic myself, I have to steal one from Chuck Norris: “Good guys wear black.”

Tags: opinion, faith