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email clients. */
/* Beware: It can remove the padding / margin and add a background
color to the compose a reply window. */
html,
body {
Margin: 0 !important;
padding: 0 !important;
height: 100% !important;
width: 100% !important;
text-align: center;
}
/* What it does: Stops email clients resizing small text. */
* {
-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;
-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;
}
/* What is does: Centers email on Android 4.4 */
div[style*="margin: 16px 0"] {
margin:0 !important;
}
/* What it does: Stops Outlook from adding extra spacing to tables.
*/
table,
td {
mso-table-lspace: 0pt !important;
mso-table-rspace: 0pt !important;
}
/* What it does: Fixes webkit padding issue. Fix for Yahoo mail table
alignment bug. Applies table-layout to the first 2 tables then removes
for anything nested deeper. */
table {
border-spacing: 0 !important;
border-collapse: collapse !important;
table-layout: fixed !important;
Margin: 0 auto !important;
}
table table table {
table-layout: auto;
}
/* What it does: Uses a better rendering method when resizing images
in IE. */
img {
-ms-interpolation-mode:bicubic;
}
/* What it does: Overrides styles added when Yahoo's auto-senses a
link. */
.yshortcuts a {
border-bottom: none !important;
}
/* What it does: A work-around for iOS meddling in triggered links.
*/
.mobile-link footer a,
a[x-apple-data-detectors] {
color:inherit !important;
text-decoration: underline !important;
}
-->
<!--
/* What it does: Hover styles for buttons */
.button-td,
.button-a {
transition: all 100ms ease-in;
}
.button-td:hover,
.button-a:hover {
background: #555555 !important;
border-color: #555555 !important;
}
/* Media Queries */
@media screen and (max-width: 600px) {
.email-container {
width: 100% !important;
}
/* What it does: Forces elements to resize to the full width of their
container. Useful for resizing images beyond their max-width. */
.fluid,
.fluid-centered {
max-width: 100% !important;
height: auto !important;
Margin-left: auto !important;
Margin-right: auto !important;
}
/* And center justify these ones. */
.fluid-centered {
Margin-left: auto !important;
Margin-right: auto !important;
}
/* What it does: Forces table cells into full-width rows. */
.stack-column,
.stack-column-center {
display: block !important;
width: 100% !important;
max-width: 100% !important;
direction: ltr !important;
}
/* And center justify these ones. */
.stack-column-center {
text-align: center !important;
}
/* What it does: Generic utility class for centering. Useful for
images, buttons, and nested tables. */
.center-on-narrow {
text-align: center !important;
display: block !important;
Margin-left: auto !important;
Margin-right: auto !important;
float: none !important;
}
table.center-on-narrow {
display: inline-block !important;
}
}
body {
background-color: #fff;
width: 100%;
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
p{
line-height:20px;
}
h1, h2, h3, h4, h5{
color:#7A9534;
}
.signup a {font-family: Roboto Condensed, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;
color: #4F4293; padding-bottom:0px; padding-top: 15px;
font-weight:600; margin-bottom: 0px; text-decoration: none}
-->
Catholic Charities USA
Thursday after Ash Wednesday
Readings of the Day
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I suppose it's not exactly what Moses had in mind in
today's reading from Deuteronomy, but especially this year in
the midst of the pandemic, every day seems to offer an opportunity to
"choose life."
Whether it's wearing a mask, limiting trips to the supermarket,
avoiding socializing, or registering to get the vaccine, I am keenly
aware of my responsibility to participate in the safeguarding of my
own physical well-being and the safety of others. My emotional and
mental health, as well as that of my loved ones, also require my
attention during these stressful times. Additionally, while so
many others are suffering, not just illness and loss, but also hunger,
anxiety and isolation, I give and do what I can to help. Every
day, in these ways, I "choose life."
What strikes me, both about Moses's admonition and the culture
wars surrounding the pandemic restrictions, is that the underlying
concern in both situations is free will. God gave humanity free
will, which comes with risks and responsibilities. In Laudato
Si' Pope Francis says this about free will: "This is what makes
for the excitement and drama of human history, in which freedom,
growth, salvation and love can blossom..." (79). On
another occasion, speaking to a conference on Catholic Social
Teaching, the Holy Father said, "To be able to take risks in
helping others is a gift of the freedom received from God the Father
and revealed through Jesus Christ (Nov. 22, 2018).
To choose is an active verb. Choosing life is not a "once
and for all" kind of thing. Choosing must be done
constantly! Moses admonishes us to choose to love the Lord, heed
God's voice and hold fast to God not just today, but tomorrow
and throughout our lives. Making that choice then sets us up for
making more choices that put the needs of others, the common good,
before our own personal preferences. It means denying self and
taking up the cross daily to follow Jesus.
Today, take a few minutes to ask yourself: "How have I chosen
life today? This past week? Over this last strange
year? How has the exercise of free will contributed excitement
and drama to life? What is the cross that I take up in following
Jesus?"
Having recently retired from CCUSA, Jean Beil now serves as the
Regional Coordinator for Caritas North America.
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