I have saved, in my files, a story from a few years ago about a teenager in Ohio named Grant Kessler. Grant had just become an uncle. His sister had a baby girl. Grant was so excited to meet his new niece, Carter Ray, that before he went to the hospital to visit her, he put on his best suit and tie.

Grant said he got dressed up because “first impressions matter” and he “wanted to show his respect.” Grant wanted to show his newborn niece that she was loved and valued from the beginning. He commented, “When Carter is older, I wanted her to look back and look at those pictures of the day she was born and see the like, respect and attention she was getting that day... I think me wearing the suit was a small part of that.”

It was a little gesture, but it communicated something very significant and beautiful about the dignity of life and the joyful reverence that we should show to each individual life.

Sometimes it seems, with all the current debates and battles, that there is an epic world-wide and cosmic war taking place – regarding issues of life and other issues. Maybe so, but this is a war that will be won in little ways. A little shift of attitude, a simple act of love, one moment taken in wonder and awe – all can make the difference of a lifetime.

Show your loving respect for God’s miracles of life. It will go a long way.

Fr. Dennis Zehren
Pastor

CCW will be awarding two college scholarships to youth parishioners for the 2022-23 school year. Applications and more information can be found here. Deadline to apply is 3 PM on February 15.