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In my opinion, the solutions to these problems are very simple and obvious, but in a society so insistent on the culture of death, many resist the solutions. So, it is time for us to “get back to the basics.”
When we Catholics enter into public discourse about the sanctity of life, we can only do so as Catholics. Obviously, with the pervasive practice in our country of abortion, euthanasia, infanticide, and immoral stem cell research, and with the almost universal acceptance of contraception, we have our work cut out for us. Obviously, we Catholics need to review our effectiveness in proclaiming the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death. What “basics” can we Catholics get back to in order to make the sanctity of life more valued in society?
We Catholics cannot escape the obligation to foster respect for human life. Jesus not only created human life, but He redeemed it as well. As one of our priests has often said: “We are not simply creatures of God. We are children of God.” If we are indifferent to God’s love for our brothers and sisters, we cannot expect the reward of heaven. Furthermore, Jesus never told us that life as a Catholic would be easy. He asked us, throughout the four gospels, to be light, salt, and leaven for the world. As Jesus ascended the Cross to redeem us, He did not expect us to be less willing than He is to die to self in order that others may know God’s love. Many of our Catholic neighbors have experienced loss of worldly reputation and even their freedom in the effort to uphold the sanctity of life in these challenging times. We need to praise them, encourage them, and above all imitate them. They are truly light, salt, and leaven for the world!
What about the “basics” I mentioned above? In imitation of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, I like to look at the life of the Church as it is described in the Acts of the Apostles, the book of the New Testament which comes after the Gospel of John. In the Acts of the Apostles, we see that Jesus’ earliest disciples under the power of the Holy Spirit have finally understood Jesus’ life and message. This is the identical Holy Spirit whom we receive in Baptism, Confirmation, and in all the other sacraments! The early followers of Christ were characterized by an “awe” about Jesus’ message and a “boldness” in proclaiming it.
During this Respect Life Month of October, we need to examine our consciences. Do we have authentic “awe” for the sanctity of redeemed human life? Are we willing to promote the sanctity of life with “boldness,” or do we prefer to stand by and watch God’s plan for us succumb to the promoters of death in our midst? We have a wonderful opportunity to be filled with this “awe” and “boldness” as we practice good citizenship through keeping our representatives in government aware of their obligation at all times to vote for and promote the protection of human life from conception to natural death.
Sticking with the basics, let us keep in mind that abortion takes an innocent human life whether it occurs surgically or medicinally, even sometimes by the practice of emergency contraception.
Public officials who refuse to oppose direct abortion in any form whatsoever should not be given our support because they are promoting a culture of death.
If office holders are ambivalent about abortion and state they compensate for this ambivalence by, for example, their advocacy of health care for seniors, do not trust them. Those who are careless about the sanctity of life at one end of the spectrum will soon compromise on the sanctity of human life at other stages.
We Catholics are indeed a minority in the country, but a very large minority. The decline in our society regarding “awe” about the sanctity of life and “boldness” in proclaiming it in the last 40 years cannot have occurred unless we Catholics permitted this decline by our indifference. However, it is never too late to change. Please let this October be the moment in time when our “awe” becomes truly elevated and our “boldness” reaches the level which will please Jesus.
I thank you for all that you do to promote the sanctity of human life. Let us pray together that the people of the Diocese of Scranton will be second to none in their faithfulness to Jesus’ command to be light, salt, and leaven for the world.
Sincerely in Our Lord,
Most Reverend Joseph F. Martino, D.D., Hist. E.D.
Bishop of Scranton
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