Good day to you. I hope you are enjoying this beautiful fall weather. It’s so nice that is has cooled down a little. It has been a long hot summer. But it is hard to believe that the leaves are starting to turn colors already, beautiful, but I’m not sure I’m ready for winter already. So I’ll enjoy the fall and the colors nature is giving us.

Well, we survived the national conventions and our elections are in full stride. Usually I get an idea of who I want to vote for and pretty much try to ignore the months leading up to the election, vote, I did my duty, and than I live with whomever we elected. Some years good, some not so good, but I really can’t do that much to affect the election anyhow. This year I’ll think more about my vote and my responsibility.

I was listening to my local Catholic radio station and they were talking about voting. How important it is to know the candidates, what they believe in and how closely they will represent our faith and what we believe in. Certain non-negotiables about our faith. I have usually ignored and separated, my faith and my voting. How can I do that? These people are going to follow, enforce and make the laws that I have to live by. How can I be so limited, so shallow?  My faith guides me, helps me make decisions, is the basis on which I lead my life. And I don’t use it to elect officials who will follow the same guidelines in their lives, as I follow? I’ve obviously been a little mixed up in my priorities.

We can’t usually elect someone who is going to mirror our exact beliefs, but we can vote for the person who supports the most important issues on which our faith is based, and the freedom of religion, or the right to life. How can you be a Catholic and not be for LIFE?  Of our unborn children, of our elderly who are nearing the end of life, even of our most violent criminals. It’s not for us to judge, that God’s decision. So how can we support those who don’t support our beliefs? We need to look where the candidates stand on the most important issues of our faith.

We say our country is going to hell. Our values are going downhill. Well, who sent it there. WE DID! With our acceptance, our apathy, our let people live as they want, don’t rock the boat. When we don’t step up and voice our thoughts, our beliefs. We allow those who do speak up to determine our path. We do have problems in our country, not the least of which is if we dare mention GOD, unless it’s under certain approved ways. God used to drive our values, our path in this country, we need to get back on that path.

I heard it said, that if all Catholics would vote our beliefs, stand up for our values, we could within a generation, change the direction of our country. So let’s stand up and vote responsibly. At every level, we need to think before we vote and vote for the candidate that most closely follows and supports our beliefs. It’s our responsibility to know where the candidates stand on issues, and let them know where we stand.

And the most important thing we can do is pray. Pray to God to lead us, to follow in his path. In the messages from Mary in Medjugorje, Mary calls us again and again to pray. Pray the rosary, pray for those in most need of our prayer. Live your life with prayer. Pray from the heart. I have been inspired so much from Mary’s messages, as she strives to lead us to her Son. We can’t change things with our one vote overnight, but if we pray, Mary tells us that with prayer we can change anything, even stop wars. Let’s pray so we can stop the downward direction of our country. If you would like a link to read more about Mary and her messages from Medjugorje, click on www.medjugorje.com and read about her apparations and messages.

God bless you and I pray you have a good day, George