This past Sunday, January 22nd, marked the anniversary of the very misguided Supreme Court decision, Roe v Wade, allowing the free legal choice of abortion throughout this Country. Due to perseverance, prayer, and great patience our Supreme Court of the United States overturned this unconstitutional decision which denied any conceived human being in their mother’s womb, the inherent and God-given right to live. We had no choice in our conception, who our parents would be or the family we were born in to. Be that as it may, our very existence is a reflection of the divine creator. He breathes his life into us and therefore we are created in his image, male and female as we read in the Book of Genesis. Because we are conceived helpless and dependent, not only do we have a right to live but equally we have the right to a future. No person has a greater right to deny me that future and all that it promises. The right to choose does not dominate the right to an existence and each of our fundamental promise for the life we will live.
We know how controversial and emotional an issue this has
become. How can we in America be against
free choice? Our country is founded on
freedom and freedom means to us that I can choose to go where I want, do what I
want, speak how I want, assemble where I want, live where I want, and worship
God in the manner I chose. As long as I obey the law of the land and cause no
danger to others it seems many feel that I should have the ability to choose
freely. That all is applied of course to the choice whether to bring an unborn
child into the world or not.
While the Church always supports responsible parenthood
for any married couple, to be open to the transmission of new life in marriage
is not only a good suggestion but a requirement of all marriages in order to
cooperate with one of its fundamental purposes. Of course, that might be lived out not by, as
one person crassly stated, "breeding like rabbits" but rather in
taking stock of the situation. Every
married couple should decide what is the responsible thing to do not only for
the children born of the marriage but also for any future children to
come. That is not an easy choice at
times. But God shares his creative power
with us as human beings and no sacred gift as that comes in a way that grants
unrestricted freedom. We have a like responsibility to care wisely and
prudently for the gift that is given.
To choose life is the ultimate choice. A child in the womb is absolutely defenseless
as is the infant after birth. They need
protection both of adults and the law of the land. If we as Americans speak of defending the
natural rights of all peoples, then the right to life is the greatest right we
have. It is not a choice given to anyone
to end the life of any unborn child.
This is not just about abortion but more about welcoming into the world
every child, loving and nurturing them.
The Church likewise is not uncaring about women who are conflicted about their pregnancy or women who now suffer greatly emotionally and sometimes physically due to an abortion. The story that the procedure is nearly as routine as cleaning teeth is a lie. There is nothing routine about this act of violence against women and the child within her. The Church has various ways in which women can seek healing and compassion such as Rachel’s Vineyard: https://www.rachelsvineyard.org/
Although significant progress has been made, we still must
reach out in prayer and action to protect the unborn child from destruction,
that all pregnant women will have the support needed to bring that child into
the world. We pray for all families who
may be struggling with any challenges brought to them. For all parents who have the responsibility
to bring life into the world.
There are many organizations doing concrete things to
make all this possible. If we protect the child, then we protect ourselves and
our future. For all the millions of children
who have been denied their right to a future through abortion we seek God's
mercy that he may guide us to create alternatives to this terrible choice. For the women who suffer due to an abortion
and for the power to heal their conscience, their emotions and to grant them
the endless mercy of the God of life.
God our Creator,
we give thanks to you,
who alone have the power to impart the breath of life
as you form each of us in our mother's womb;
grant, we pray,
that we whom you have made stewards of creation,
may remain faithful to this sacred trust
and constant in safeguarding the dignity
of every human life.
(Collect for Mass)
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