March for Life in Fact and in Spirit

01-17-2016Weekly ReflectionFr. Brian Jazdzewski

Each year we hear various amounts of news regarding the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. on 21 & 22 January. The concept has taken on an interesting progression as seen in Pro-Life marches which take place in local, state and regional government facilities throughout the nation. Many people, of all ages, religions, social status and the like come together on these days to stand for LIFE. The marches typically take on a very peaceful and prayerful demonstration to heighten awareness that life matters. We are talking about ALL lives matter!

By way of reminder, the March for Life began in D.C. on the anniversary which legalized abortion in our nation. The date the Supreme Court legalized abortion was 21 January 1973. Since then, people of good will have been praying, speaking, writing and working to emphasize the dignity of human life from the moment of conception through natural death. No matter the language, human life will always be human life and needs to be treated as such.

Our Church leaders and many pro-life politicians encourage us to do what we can to defend all human life. In a particular way, our bishops invite us to participate in some sacrificial activity on Friday as a sign of solidarity with those who are able to attend a March for Life. One local way is to participate in one of two holy hours on Friday: 1:30 with the students at St. Boniface Catholic School; the other is the Year of Mercy holy hour at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Pine Creek beginning at 7:00 in the evening. Other things you may consider are typical Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, abstaining from meat, or almsgiving. Part of the almsgiving might be to consider making a donation to Gerard Hall (more about that in the Spiritual Adoption section of the bulletin). Whatever you consider, know that God responds well to any and all sacrifice we make for Him and His people, especially the unborn children.

Additionally, there is a local flare to the March for Life since we often know of our relatives and friends, some of them among the youth, who are able to attend the March for Life in D.C. or another location. You might want to do some searching around to discover that you may know someone who has or intends to attend the March for Life. The important thing to remember is that the people who attend the March for Life are not from somewhere else, they are from here. People live among us who stand up for life in all of its stages.

The real truth is, no matter what laws say, human life has value in all of its stages. The message about the dignity and care for human life continues to gain attention and momentum. We are at a point in American history where young people are turned off by the thought of abortion; they see its violence and its contradictory conclusion. We are at a point in history where politicians are openly questioned and respond to their position on abortion and other human life matters. As people of faith, we do what we can to support those politicians who uphold the value of human life. The real truth is, God hears our prayers and has put people in place who will do His work to fulfill His plans. We, if we have done anything to support the pro-life cause, are those people who make a difference!