It all begins with a Child - January 22nd

This Saturday, January 22nd, we mark the 38th anniversary of one of the most controversial decisions of the American Supreme Court. The 1973 decision which allowed abortion on demand all across this nation. Short of the abolition of slavery, Roe vs. Wade is a title that evokes a deep, visceral reaction. No one, it seems, is neutral on the issue of abortion and the Catholic Church remains front and center in its leadership.

As the Catholic Catechism states: “From the first moment of his/her existence a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person – among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life . . . Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law . . . Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense . . .” (CC 2270- 72). Our Church teaches without hesitation of any kind that abortion is a grave evil.

Since the day that abortion on demand was legalized in this country, some feel an infamous day, more than 50,000,000 unborn children have lost their lives and millions more across the world in other countries where the same procedure has been allowed. That statistic is staggering. Millions of those children, if they had been allowed the right to live, would today be productive adults, contributing to the good of society.

Instead, we will never know how many Einstein’s or Beethoven’s may have died. With them may have gone the cure for cancer, a charismatic President, a future Pope, a potential Saint, loving mothers and fathers who would have continued the cycle of life in their children, brilliant physicians, attorneys, creative artists and musicians, architects, politicians,theologians, philanthropists, humanitarians, Nobel Peace Prize winners, Olympic athletes, contributors to our social programs, etc. etc. Such thought is not fantasy because with every human life, there is potential. We will never know who has died. Fifty million lives, and counting, lost forever.

What are we to do? We must continue the good work that has begun. The decision to have an abortion is excruciating. It isn’t like taking an aspirin for a headache, rubbing ointment on a wound, or having your teeth cleaned by a dentist. We must not condemn but reach out for healing, mercy, reconciliation to those women who have undergone this terrible procedure. Love is always more powerful than hate; peace more powerful than violence.

Some may wonder why God doesn’t just wreak justice on America for tolerating this great evil. To me, I always remember the story of Abraham and God as they stood before the city of Sodom. That ancient city is linked forever with great hedonistic evils.

In Genesis 18: 16 – 33, Abraham pleads, bargains actually, with God. In verse 23 and following, Abraham asks God: “Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty?” And then begins his bargain: “What if there are 50 innocent people . . .five less than fifty . . .what if there are only forty found there . . . what if only thirty. . .no more than twenty . . .at least ten there? . . .” As Abraham continues, he boldly but with great humility and respect, appeals to the mercy and infinite love of God who states that although the evil that comes from Sodom is so great, he will spare it for the sake of the innocent. It’s a powerful meditation but I think may pose a reflection for us here.

There are many innocent people among us. Many who have found a change of heart and mind. Many who work tirelessly for what is right and good. I pray that in some way my own postings here have been for your good, dear reader. Our task is to do all we can to remove the reasons why anyone would kill the innocent child.

Why do abortions happen?  Every reason from convenience to desperation.  Those are mighty social problems that deserve our attention but if we allow them to continue they eat away at the fabric of our lives. In the end we may be judged not on how many problems we solved but on how hard we tried to address them. Why does there appear to be so much anger in today's world? I personally believe the rage of the unborn, whose lives were taken from us, cries out for justice.

Sometimes we may feel like a voice in the wilderness or that the fight is just going nowhere.  But we need many voices in the wilderness who name this great injustice and moral evil. Without those voices, there is only silence.

Let us pray:

God of life and mercy,

we come before you with wonder and respect

for the fragile and sacred gift of human life.

Cleanse our minds from distortion and lies

Help us to see the truth clearly.

Give us the courage to reach out in love and compassion

to the scared, confused, and the hopeless.

Bless our children as they journey through life.

Be with their parents that they will have the wisdom to know what is right.

We pray grant an end to this rampant minimizing of

human life that we may all see the day when each child is

given the freedom to be born and the respect to grow to a life

which brings you honor and praise.

Let us never forget, it all begins with a child.

Amen