Onward, Despite the Blizzard!

Winter Storm Janus has launched a rather effective bombardment of the American Northeast. Planes, trains, and buses have been canceled, and everyone who can has battened down into warm and safe and comfortable spots.

I, several other Columbians, and many other friends and comrades, have been unable to make it Washington to join in the March for Life. We long to stand in solidarity with the unborn, the most marginalized and vulnerable in our society. Being forced to stay on campus feels like a tragedy.

But it’s also a chance to pause and reflect. The Spring semester is picking up steam, and there’s plenty to do. Beyond the paperwork and classes, there are innumerable opportunities to speak up for the weak. Challenging the dominant narrative of our campuses is daunting, but it’s incredible worthwhile. I can march onward right here to remind Columbia of the dignity of human sexuality, of the sanctity of human life, and of our calling as students to incorporate the common good into our vocations after graduation.

Sometimes hearts and minds seem as cold as the blizzard conditions outside today. But I find renewal through prayer, and Scripture, and friendship. And sometimes poetry of hope and courage can stiffen my resolve wonderfully. I particularly recommend Chesterton’s “Lepanto,” Kipling’s “Harp Song of the Dane Women,” and the Irish ballad, “The Rising of the Moon.”