Heated Irons

     You’ve been thinking maybe the time has come to speak. After all, if the Planned Parenthood scandal won’t open people’s eyes, they can’t be opened, right? Right?

     Beware. Sometimes, the best thing to do when an opportunity such as this arises is nothing at all. This is such a time.

     Be yourself. No, really.

     I know, I know: plenty of sententious phonies have told us to “Be yourselves.” What they meant by it, I can’t imagine. What I mean by it is somewhat simpler: Be untroubled. You have no part in this obscenity. As a Catholic, you’ve been opposed to the root of the thing, the genesis of all that’s followed, from the very first. Your conscience, therefore, should be clear.

     If you can simply maintain your convictions and an appearance of serenity, you’ll influence far more minds than could any amount of verbal preachment. Open sadness at this development? No, not even that. This was easily predictable from the beginning of the abortion-on-demand regime. Of course if you’re asked for your opinion, you should give it, but in a humble and restrained manner. Perhaps you might say “Some people saw this coming long ago” – but no more than that. Avoid told-you-sos or anything else that would reek of an attitude of moral superiority. You, too, have sinned; we all have.

     It’s much easier on the conscience of a sinner to know that others who have avoided his particular sin will accept him anyway. Not the sin, but the sinner. Those who have supported abortion on demand, whether verbally, electorally, or by partaking of the practice, will find it easier to repent if we refrain from catechizing them.

     Say nothing. Approach no one. Let them come to you. They’ll know where to find you.