"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth ... then I heard a loud voice call from the throne, 'Look, here God lives among human beings. He will make his home among them; they will be His people, and He will be their God. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; there will be no more death, and no more mourning or sadness or pain.' The world of the past has gone" (Revelation 21:1-4).
Dear HLI Family,
There is something refreshing about the beginning of a New Year. We close chapters in our life's journey and prepare to write new experiences upon clean pages. There is a sense of hope in what could be in a future unwritten.
As we reflect upon the words of Revelation 21, they evoke feelings of anticipation and expectation. They elevate within the human heart a sense of joy and longing as we await their fulfillment. They inspire us to not lose hope as we face the uncertainties of a world filled with darkness. They lift up our spirit, keeping us focused on the eternal banquet where there will be no more tears and no more mourning.
My hope-filled prayer for this New Year is to see our world embrace the New Life purchased for us by Our Lord Jesus Christ. I want to see a world where the God-given dignity of every person is respected and protected from natural conception to natural death. I want to see all anti-life laws overturned, every abortion mill closed and every population control program eliminated. I want to see the dignity of marriage between one man and one woman defended and promoted in every culture. I want to see, according to the teaching and design of Almighty God and His Church, the encouragement and expression of authentic human sexuality. I want to see a world where humanity is the world's greatest resource.
I believe my prayer and hope-filled desires can become reality when all people choose to live as God has ordained. We must accept that the past has gone and there is something new for us. We accept that there will be opposition and even persecution. Some will use their power (social, political and financial) to silence the voices for Life. They would have us believe that the current agendas and laws will never change and that we will never see an end to lifestyles promoted by the Culture of Death. I do not agree ... because God makes all things new! I believe we can change the current movements of our world when we live the New Life God has given us. When we stand together in solidarity against these injustices, we can change the momentum of the anti-life agenda.
We can stand together both spiritually and physically at the upcoming March for Life in our nation's capital this January. HLI's staff and volunteers will be among the thousands from across the country who will come together on January 23 to unite in support of a Culture of Life. I pray that you and your families will be able to join us for this wonderful event.
Together, we can bring about a new springtime of hope. The enemy of hope is fear, and fear is what the Culture of Death promotes. We are a people of Life, and we promote genuine freedom from the slavery of sin and corruption. The Jewish people who were enslaved in Egypt thought they would never see their shackles broken, but freedom did come through the power of God. Like the great walls of Jericho the Culture of Death will fall because Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life, makes all things new.
I am resolved during this New Year to do whatever I can to assist those promoting a Culture of Life and Civilization of Love throughout the world. Your participation with me in this great and necessary work is of utmost importance. Please help me assist our Missionaries for Life by remembering them and the mission of HLI in your daily prayers and spiritual sacrifices. Please consider one of these spiritual exercises as an offering for the success of HLI's mission: a daily Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, a half hour of spiritual reading, fasting or participation in daily Mass. I would also be most grateful to you for any financial assistance you may be able to provide in helping me accomplish our life saving mission and goals of Human Life International. We are in this work together.
Let's make 2012 a year of change and renewal.
To you and yours a most blessed New Year.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Father Shenan J. Boquet
President, Human Life International
