‘We are joyful disciples”
‘We are joyful disciples”WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Shrine of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is Our Mother’s house. Each year, God’s children return to the stunning church which serves as the home base for the annual March for Life Prayer Vigil to end the tragedy of abortion.
On Jan. 27, thousands of North Carolinians, prolife pilgrims from the Dioceses of Charlotte and Raleigh, joined Charlotte Bishop Peter Jugis for the N.C. Mass to pray for an end to the injustice of abortion.
Looking out over the sea of faces young and old, Bishop Jugis reminded the faithful that they had come as joyful disciples of the Lord to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Lord and to ask Him to bless all of their efforts to protect and save the lives of innocent unborn children.
“We are joyful disciples. Make sure that you always remain as joyful disciples of the Lord and joyful witnesses to the Gospel of life,” Bishop Jugis instructed. “It is the love of Christ ultimately which conquers the evil of abortion. We have Jesus’ promise that He is with us.”
He reminded those gathered what Jesus told His disciples before He ascended into heaven after His resurrection from the dead: ‘Know that I am with you always, even until the end of the world. I am with you always.’ The disciples returned to Jerusalem with joy.
This is the promise He makes to us, Bishop continued. “What is more, as He ascended into heaven, Jesus raised His hands and blessed the disciples as He departed from them. And that is the image Jesus leaves with us. His hands forever raised in blessing us and remaining always with us even until the end of time.
Bishop Jugis said that makes us therefore joyful disciples of the Lord. Joyful witnesses to the Gospel of life.
“The evil of abortion is great but the love of Christ is greater and more powerful,” he explained.
“You have come to the best place possible to help you in your work for the unborn and that is the Holy Mass. Do not underestimate the power of the Eucharist. Christ is alive. Christ, who promised to be with us always is here and we must keep our attention always fixed on Him because it is He whom you are serving for the sanctity of human life.”
In the readings selected for the Mass, from Genesis 1:24-27 and Mark 10:13-16, Bishop Jugis highlighted the message of God with regard to the sanctity of life and how the ‘little ones’ are important to Jesus. He is watching out for them.
“We draw our strength and our inspiration from Jesus and our strength from the Eucharist in Adoration and in holy Communion. Never underestimate the power of the Eucharist in all of your work on behalf of the unborn to bring about change. It’s Jesus’ work,” he stated.
Bishop Jugis stressed that it is essential for all of us to be visible, public witnesses to the sanctity of human life.
“We must continue to tell our society that legalized abortion is unjust, a grave injustice to the little ones,” he said.
“We must continue to ask the question, “What about the human rights of the innocent child in the womb? Why is the right to life of the child in the womb not taken seriously? When are we going to correct this grave injustice?”
Bishop Jugis believes we must constantly place this issue before the conscience of our society in every way possible, to continue to ask the question and continue to try to speak to the conscience of our society.
“May the good Lord bless all that you do, as joyful witnesses of the Lord and joyful witnesses of His Gospel of life,” he said at the end of his homily.
At the conclusion of the Mass, thousands of marchers from the Diocese of Charlotte and the Diocese of Raleigh loaded up on buses and made their way to the March for Life.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
