January 29, 2023
The ethic of life
A couple of weeks back I mentioned how on Monday night football Buffalo Bills free safety Damar Hanlin, after a routine tackle, collapsed on the field with heart failure. Watching on TV millions around the country sat on the edge of their seats as first responders work feverishly to save Hamlin’s life. Before their eyes all who watched were given a new appreciation for just how precious human life is.
It made me think. Just as first responders did to save the life of Damar Hamlin, what if now realizing just how precious human life is, if everyone in this country were to respond with the same reverence for all human life including the unborn.
As many of you know, this last week after fierce debate in the Minnesota Senate, sadly the PRO-Act bill passed. As Archbishop Hebda stated, essentially it’s a bill that works to enshrine an abortion mentality that disregards prenatal life.
The bill has passed, but not all is lost. There’s still much we can do. I mention three things we as a people of faith can do to remain true to an ethic of life in a culture that disregards prenatal life.
One, as citizens of a free land, we can write or call our elected officials to respectfully share why we believe as we do, and then to ask them to consider other alternatives to abortion. Keep in mind that legislators will do what legislators are going to do. Yet, it’s still important to let our voices be heard.
Two, as we encounter those who see the abortion issue differently than we do, rather than try to prove we’re right, the best witness we can give is to take time to first respectfully listen to learn how they came to believe as they do. It’s then that we can share what we believe and why it is so important to us. Rather than win a debate, conversations like these build bridges of respect and understanding, which in the end are the only thing that will heal the divide our country now finds itself in.
Thirdly and most importantly, rather than simply rail against abortion, we can rally around those who have had an abortion, or are thinking of having one. Rather than stand in judgment, we can be the compassion of Jesus. We can surround those in need with our love and support them in any way that is helpful.
The Gospel calls us to a preferential option for the poor. What does that mean? In the Beatitudes Jesus tells us “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” The poor in spirit are the vulnerable, the powerless, and the innocent. They are the unborn and already born whom our culture tends to overlook, disregard or cast aside.
Yes, current legislation is disregarding prenatal life. It’s contrary to what we believe is essential if the sanctity of life is to be respected. Yet, we do not stand powerless. We can act and act now. It’s what we must do if we are to remain true to an ethic of life in a culture that disregards human life.
Three weeks ago on Monday night football as we watched first responders saved a football player’s life we were reminded just how precious human life is. By God’s grace we pray that we can live with that same respect for all human life — both the already born and yet to be born.
Thought for the day: Live in the past you’ll be sad. Live in the future and you’ll be anxious. Live in the present and you’ll be happy.