Feb. 28, 2021: 2nd Sunday Lent B - Safe Haven Sunday
Feb. 28, 2021: 2nd Sunday Lent B - Safe Haven Sunday
When I go to prayer, I like to pray with Psalm 139. The psalmist wrote, “[God] You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are your works! My very self you know. My bones are not hidden from you.” (Psalm 139: 13-15) I’m touched by this psalm because it speaks of our body as a great mystery. St. John Paul II said that our body is “an icon of the divine mystery.” God created each of us as a union of body and soul, as male and female. We only have to look in the mirror to see the purpose of our existence; our body reveals that we were created for relationships and that we were made to love. God created us to be in relationships with others--friendships, kinship, intimacy between spouses, but preeminently in relationship with God. When our relationship is based on sacrificial love, faithfulness, and respect, then truth, beauty, and goodness shine.
On the Mount of Transfiguration, the disciples witnessed the brilliance of truth, beauty, and goodness shine through the body of Jesus. The glory cloud came above Jesus, and the Father spoke, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Jesus was enveloped in the love of the Father; and Jesus loved His Father totally and faithfully. Heavenly Father’s plan is for us to reflect His Truth, Beauty, and Goodness through our purity and chastity in the way we live our lives.
St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.” (1 Cor 6:19) Because we believe that we are temples of the Holy Spirit, we must treat ourselves and each person as sacred and with utmost respect. Each person is never simply an object to be used, but a gift from God with naturally endowed dignity. We should never use another person for one’s own selfish desires. To use another person for selfish desires would degrade the truth, beauty, and goodness of the persons involved; such disrespectful action would only lead to crude and evil distortion of the beauty of God’s gift of our bodies.
Surprisingly, such evil distortions of the beauty of God’s gift are easily accessible on our smartphones, meaning pornography. Because of the serious impact that pornography can have both emotionally and spiritually on individuals and families, our Diocese has designated this Sunday as “Safe Haven Sunday” to empower parents to make their homes a “safe haven” from the effects of pornography. With the grace of God, parents can form the first line of defense against it. Studies have shown that children as young as 9 years old are exposed to pornography for the first time. Exposure to pornography has a negative effect on children, leading to a sense of shame and agitation. Their shame leads them to disconnect from parents and from a sense of a loving God. This disconnection and its relationship to pornography is often undiscovered and may even continue into adulthood.
As disheartening as it is to find out that your children have been exposed to pornography, parents often feel ill‐equipped to address these issues. In my 13 years of priesthood, I have counseled parents who were sad, angry, and confused as to what to do with the discovery of their child’s addiction to pornography. Through the years, more resources have become available to help parents. Today, through the generosity of our parish and our Diocese we are able to provide parents with a very practical booklet entitled, “Confident: Helping Parents Navigate Online Exposure.” This booklet is intended to guide parents who have discovered that a child has been exposed to pornography. It offers some guidelines on how to prepare to talk to your child without shaming them. It also has suggestions for do’s and don'ts in the actual conversation as well as some practical preventive measures parents can take. The link to the electronic version of this booklet is available through our website.
Our Lord said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” The grace God provides us is greater than any darkness that our modern culture casts. As a Diocese, we pray for all our parents that they may rely on the strength of Christ to address the issue of pornography with their children and make their home a “Safe Haven.”
As we continue to journey through Lent, let us entrust to St. Joseph those who struggle with pornography in our families. May we emulate St. Joseph who is the model of purity and sanctity.
