Ideas Have Consequences

The expression “Ideas have consequences” means that a person’s beliefs and philosophy of life can have profound effects for good or evil.  How many people have suffered, and suffer today, due to the pernicious ideas of Karl Marx?  How many elderly people have been comforted and cared for due to the charitable ideas of Sr. Jeanne Jugan, foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor?

A corollary to “Ideas have consequences” is the expression “Sin has consequences.”  Sin is an offense against God.  The personal consequences of sin can include: guilt, shame, and depression; the social consequences might include: damaged relations with friends, family, spouse and children; the societal consequences might include violence and injustice.  The eternal consequence of unrepented mortal sin is Hell.  

The case of serial murderer Ted Bundy comes to mind: Someone created pornography. Ted Bundy stated that he viewed pornography and acted on it. As a result, dozens of young women were abducted, sexually assaulted, and murdered, leaving their relatives and friends horrified and grief-stricken.

In the last fifty years, sinful behaviors--- such as abortion, assisted suicide and homosexual acts--- that were legally proscribed have now become legally protected, and we are experiencing the consequences. As Mother Teresa said regarding abortion: “Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love but to use violence to get what they want.”

How do we respond to this erosion of our moral standards? The political philosopher Russell Kirk recommended a return to them.  He wrote, in The Roots of American Order (p. 27-28):  “…the Ten Commandments… are not a set of harsh prohibitions imposed by an arbitrary tribal deity. Instead, they are liberating rules that enable people to diminish the tyranny of sin; that teach a people how to live with one another and in relation to God, how to restrain violence and fraud, how to know justice and to raise themselves above the level of predatory animals…  The Law is revealed to save man from self-destruction; to redeem man from sin and its consequences… to enable man to resemble the God in whose image he was created.”

Years ago, Fr. Tilmann Pesch, S.J., wrote: “Man attains both his immediate and ultimate end, i.e., his happiness and divine glory, by freely conforming his will to the will of his Maker.”  (The Catholic’s Manual, p. 67)   The foremost models for us in this effort to conform one’s will, are Jesus, and His Mother, Mary.

Jesus is a sinless divine Person with a divine nature and human nature.  Mary, who was free from Original Sin and actual sin, is a human person with a human nature.  Jesus did “the will of the Father” (Mat 26:39, John 5:30) when He died on the cross.   Mary did the “will of the Father” when she said “Be it done unto me according to Thy word.”  Jesus showed us how to live through His life, death and resurrection.  Mary showed us how to live when she said to the wine steward “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5) and when she allowed the sufferings of her Son to pierce her heart.  She can help us because she is the Mother of God, and our Mother.

In June (27th & 28th), there are two feasts that call us to emulate Jesus and Mary: the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Fr. John Hardon says “… devotion to the Sacred Heart began on Calvary.  When the heart of Jesus was pierced on the cross, it opened the door to realizing how deeply Jesus loves us.  In return, He wants nothing more than for us to love Him with all our hearts…  Devotion stands for our grateful return of love for love… The price of reaching Heaven is the practice of selfless love here on earth.

“Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary means invoking her and imitating her. Invoking is praying through her to God, beseeching her; while imitating her means striving to become like her, doing what she would do.  We ask her to help us love as she loves, sharing in her love for God and all mankind… In our devotion to Mary, there is no more effective prayer than the Rosary.”

These devotions can help us lead more virtuous and holy lives with wonderful consequences, here and hereafter. This Daily Prayer includes these devotions: “O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the salvation of souls, the reparation of sins, the reunion of all Christians, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father this month. Amen.”

We, the volunteers at St. Michael Broadcasting, hope that this station helps you bring Christ to others in your words and deeds. Please help with this effort by telling others, by praying for its success, and if possible, a financial contribution.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam