Given recent events at the Supreme Court, namely, their overturning of the 1973 Roe decision, and given President Biden’s remarks on this matter, I want to deviate from our scheduled lesson and talk about abortion and our duty to evangelize.
President Biden recently stated that he would make every effort to ensure all women in this country have access to abortion. He specifically mentioned the use of executive orders and suspending the Senate filibuster to pass laws aimed at expanding abortion rights.
Given his position and the position of so many in our country, I want to be clear about human life in the womb. At the moment of conception, a single-cell human being with unique human DNA is generated and begins the rest of his or her life, developing from one stage of growth to the next.
This tiny human being, made in the image and likeness of God, begins its God-given life the way every human begins, in a place designed by God to protect and support him or her. This tiny human’s residence is, of course, the womb. After the baby is born, he or she merely changes residence from inside the womb to outside the womb. Nothing magical happens that changes this being from “non-human” to human. This child is a human being from conception.
Catechism paragraph 2271 states, “Since the first century, the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law.”
Also, this child is innocent. He or she has committed no crime and is guilty of absolutely no personal sin. In Matthew 18, Jesus, while holding an infant in His arms, says, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.” “So, it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”
Since the intentional killing an innocent human being by another human being is always murder, then direct abortion is always murder, and intentionally supporting this satanic behavior makes one an accessory to murder. If you support abortion, get to confession and make the firm amendment to never support it again. Abortion is against the Father’s will.
Now, after hearing arguments from some government officials who support abortion, we can have no doubt that they need to be evangelized and removed from office. We can only effect this by trusting in God.
But what does trust in God entail. It entails prayer, fasting, almsgiving, evangelizing, and voting in accordance with the moral law that God has given us and with which we are made, regardless of political affiliation.
Prayer helps us get closer to God. Fasting helps us rely more on God and less on food for sustenance. Almsgiving helps the poor and, in this case, poor women who are considering abortion. Evangelizing spreads the good news about Jesus and God’s desire for humanity. Voting in accordance with the morals and values taught by God and His Catholic Church, will ensure that the right people are elected and that we become a more virtuous society.
We cannot afford to be quite about our Christian faith any longer. We must rise to the occasion and protect millions of unborn human beings from the murderous ideals of so many in our country. We have a duty to take the Catholic faith seriously, protect human life at all stages, vote for those who will do the same, and bring a total end to this atrocity that has afflicted our nation for decades.
The Supreme Court decision is just the beginning. We now have an opportunity to effect real change at the state level. Seize this opportunity, turn to God, turn away from yourselves, destroy abortion, and bring people to Christ. In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples that He is sending them out like lambs among wolves and to announce that the kingdom is at hand. He then tells them that He has given them power to tread upon the full force of the enemy.
St. Paul echoes this in Ephesians 6:12, saying, “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, and against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Folks, abortion is the work of Satan, but battling Satan and the world rulers of this present darkness, and evangelizing our friends, coworkers, and family members are the works of God. This is our duty.