To attain everlasting life, stop straddling the fence

On his 62nd birthday, July 30, Fr. Mark Beard, a beloved Louisiana priest, delivered a homily titled “On the Fence/No Exceptions.” Through Jesus’ parables, he reminded his parishioners of the treasure hidden in a field, the pearl of great price, and the separation of the good and bad at the end of time. Fr. Beard explained, “Jesus is telling you, ‘You can’t take worldly treasure with you, and you can’t play both sides against the middle.’”

Two thousand years later, we ask, “Am I straddling the fence? Or, am I all in for Christ?” 

Father Mark asked, “Are there exceptions to abortion like rape and incest? Absolutely not. If there had been exceptions, He would have told me there were. Abortion is intrinsically evil in and of itself.” Catholics discussing political candidates would tell Fr. Mark, “Sorry. I’m just not a one-issue person. So-and-so has a good diplomatic and economic policy.” To which he would reply, “Do you believe that your economic policy is going to work after you kill His children? All things come through Christ! You can’t pick and choose. You are either in the Church or you are not.” 

Father Mark continued: “If asked whether you are Christian, will you stand up and say, ‘Absolutely! I’m Catholic.’ But many times I hear, ‘Father, we are just not ready to have children.’ Please go back and read Scripture. Learn the teachings of the Church. Either you are in or out. You can’t walk the fence. This is why our country is starting to fracture. 

“The only thing that matters to me is your soul. You are not your own. You have been purchased with a great price. There are no exceptions when you are in front of God. There’s no arbitration. There’s no mediation. For the love of God, remember this. …

“Stop apologizing for being Catholic. Learn your faith. Ask questions. Know the commandments, beatitudes, pillars of the Church. … At the end of the day, you have got to get off that fence. Someday, you and I will stand in front of Him naked and alone. On that judgment day He will either say, ‘Man, depart from me,’ or ‘Welcome to my table.’” 

Father concluded with a quote from Johnny Cash: “If there was a fence, between heaven and hell, it would be owned by the devil himself.” Get off the fence, brothers and sisters!

Some 72 hours after his homily, Fr. Mark was killed in a car crash. Certainly, he heard his Savior say, “Welcome home, my good and faithful servant.”

Funeral Pie • Prep Time: 1 Hour • Serves 8

Ingredients
2 (9-inch) prepared pie crusts
2 cups raisins
2 cups water
½ cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
½ cup finely chopped nuts
2 tsp grated lemon zest
3 tbsp lemon juice 

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Press one pie crust firmly into a 9-inch pie pan then set aside.
2. In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat raisins and water over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and allow to cook for 5 minutes. 
3. In a bowl, combine sugar and flour, mixing well. Stir flour mixture into raisin mixture and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and returns to a boil. Cook 1 more minute, stirring often. 
4. Remove from heat, then stir in nuts, lemon zest, and juice. Remove and allow mixture to cool until lukewarm. 
5. Transfer filling into unbaked pie shell. Top with second piecrust and crimp edges. Cut 2–3 slits in top of crust to vent steam. Cover edge with 3-inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning. 
6. Bake 30–40 minutes or until crust is golden brown and pie is bubbling, removing foil during the last 15 minutes of baking. Serve warm.