A Reflection on the Prelude to John's Gospel
Ever since that day, in 1973, when the Supreme Court allowed the Roe v Wade controversy to become law, too many babies have been put to death. It’s like death camps, located everywhere and anywhere and, by the stroke of a pen, those who oppose the rights of the unborn appear to have gained notoriety for their cause; “women have a right to say my body is mine and I’ll do as I please with it.”
In the beginning God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Gen. 1: 26. “God created man in his image: in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them, Gen. 1: 27. Those who do not care about human life, especially one growing in the womb, certainly do not adhere to Sacred Scripture, Church Tradition of all denominations, and God’s creation of the human family.
Pittsburgh PostGazette, Wednesday, July 11, 2018, article by Katha Pollitt; “Roe won’t go down without a fight” again brings to the forefront a battle that looms ahead as disaster for the unborn and their fate lies in the courts and with anti-life proponents v pro-life adherents.
History shows that there will always be wars between greedy people and those who must stand their ground to defend what is right. The greed does not just cover wealth and property, but the struggle to defend the God-given right to Liberty and Justice for all. Yes, that is the current confrontation we as believers in a God who reigns as a Loving and Peaceful Sovereignty must become the means to fight for the rights for these poor defenseless children who are at the mercy of murderers with only their own agenda uppermost in their minds.
This reflection is not to condemn the women who, for whatever reason, have chosen to abort their babies, but to tell them that Rachel’s Vineyard exists for God’s Mercy and forgiveness. The condemnation does however stand firm to those who will promote and secure a death sentence upon these children, fully alive and growing within the wombs of their mothers, who can not speak for themselves and want to become part of God’s Kingdom here on earth.
I quote the above article; “that most Christians support abortion rights. According to a 2017 Pew Research Center Survey, majorities of white mainline Protestants, black Protestants, and yes, Catholics say abortion should be legal in all or most cases.” If this is so, and the numbers might be true as the article relates, we are in a sad state of affairs when so many attend church services, hold their heads high when receiving the Sacraments, then vote by their conscience on abortion rights as ok, are on their way to a showdown with almighty God.
One time, when preaching at a Pittsburgh Parish regarding some of our local religious, regarding a newspaper article, that they supported the right for people to express their opinions on being pro-choice. I was told not to never talk about that again. The pastor said he never got that many phone calls on any of his homilies. One man told me after Mass that he didn’t like my homily. When I asked him why, he said he was pro-choice. My pastor was surprised when I related that to him. What, he appeared surprised; in my parish?
There was another time, at a different parish, where I spoke out against abortion, and that pastor also informed me, “we don’t talk about that.” I guess rocking the boat is uncomfortable for even some priests. God help us if that is true.
President Trump, nominating Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court, may certainly stack the deck in favor of life for the unborn. If Kavanaugh is accepted, the States will then have the burden of decisions for life or death for the unborn. Remember, we are the voices of God to carry out His Will.
Facing God will not be too difficult, even if we have sinned. We know all sin can be forgiven and rely on God’s endless and loving mercy. However, I would not want to be one of those who promote death especially to the unborn. Those sins can be forgiven as well, but the status of their mindset could become an abhorrence and they may not see the injustice they promote. To sin is human, to exercise death because of greed in any form is to place oneself on a very slippery slope. I believe this issue will go down as the most critical array of evils that human history has lived through and fought with the Angels of God to death itself. The unborn have only one ally for life - US.