The blessing of God's law

My husband and I had the rare gift of being born in the seventies to parents who did not believe in using birth control. Both sets of parents were Catholic at a time when even some priests were confused about the Church’s teaching on contraception. Even though each set of parents lived in different countries to begin with, they were able to hold to the universal truth that love desires manifestation. Being open to God’s gift of fertility in their lives, my husband’s family had four boys, and my parents had four girls. It wasn’t until high school that I realized not only that my parents practiced Natural Family Planning, but that they seemed to be rare in their grasp of Catholic Church teaching.

This is why contraception and sterilization have not been issues of discussion in our marriage except in the context of rejoicing over the Church’s wisdom in condemning these acts as contrary to nature. God has given us five beautiful children who are wonderful in every way, not designed by us but given to us by a loving Father. It makes me think that we are too narrow in our intentions when we pray. We pray for this thing or that thing that we think we can absolutely not live without. God is smiling all the while, knowing that He has greater joy planned for us than we could ever imagine.

Contraception and sterilization close us off from receiving God’s abundant graces, spiritually and physically. Without God’s grace we are sad, hollow shells who wander about aimlessly. When we allow ourselves to be open to what God wants, we are whole human beings, living according to the purpose of our existence. It is only in this wholeness that we ever truly can be happy.

The reason that I bring up this topic on this day is because of an article I read about how the European population is in danger of being overtaken by Muslims not by force but by births (not news, really). Europe has ceased to live according to its Christian heritage, and now they are reaping the bitter fruits of impending submission to an anti-Christian force. All of us are in danger of the same fate if we do not allow God to fill us with His love.

“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods which you have not known” Num. 11:26-28.