The Funeral controversary of Senator Ted Kennedy

Watching, perusing and listening to the headlines and commentaries in the national Catholic newspaper media and through audio on Catholic radio, struck me into thinking, ‘the commentators should have all gotten together before the senator passed away and told him what they were going to be saying about him." He is dead now. Why such a unified voice, now, regarding his disservice to the pro-life effort? Just think, with such a strong a unified voice as has been heard on Catholic radio the last few weeks regarding Senator Kennedy’s sins against the protection of the unborn, if it had been that way a few weeks before he died. If, the faithful united through Catholic media told the Senator, “this is what we are going to be saying about your legacy…”, “this is how we feel about what you have not done to protect the unborn…”, “we proclaim as your brothers and sisters in Christ, that you must repent of your choice to make it a woman’s right to kill her baby…”

I think that the commentator's unified voice to the Senator for his conversion and repentance would have made a difference, because a senator is supposed to listen to the voice of the people in his nation. How much more should he have listened to his spiritual brothers and sisters that make up the community of saints? It is the same community of saints that we will all be a part of for eternity, should that be each of our rewards. Alas, it is a imagery that did not take place, and cannot take place now in the temporal realm, in this earthly kingdom.

It is a matter to consider since we are a people of God striving to live a life centered on the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the source and center of our communion with one another within the Body of Christ. We must witness that to one another. Since, Senator’s Kennedy’s views on abortion were anti-life, unjust and sinful, he was not fully centered on the Eucharist and so the faith, hope and charity that flow from it, would not be sanctify his soul as much as God wanted to give him because his soul was not fully disposed to receive all the graces God had in-store for him.

The soul and its capacity for love and sanctification is a lesson that for those of us who understand the theology of the spiritual life, must teach to others. We are all called to evangelize, and I believe that to teach others about their soul, its faculties and its capacity to be built up in faith, hope and love, is of primary importance for our own sanctification. We have to share what we have been given.

Those who correct Senator Kennedy, now, after his passing, know about the soul, that is why they voice their concern of whether the funeral was a proper witness to his life and the unity of the Church. Let’s just try and reach those not living a Eucharist centered life about their soul while they are still alive, and the Holy Spirit with do the rest.