Pro-Life: The Big Picture

by Jacki Popadich

Pro-Life: The Big Picture

As I tuned into this week's news, it became impossible to ignore the coverage of the 30th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. While listening to the homilies, news, quotes, quips and stories surrounding this day, I began to reflect on what it really means to be "pro-life."

Pro-Life: It's Not Just For Abortion Anymore

In fact, the pro-life ideals were never just for abortion. They actually encompass a gamut of issues, from the beginning of life until its natural end.

This means that we are not only called to protect unborn human life, but also the lives of those humans who are currently on earth with us now. Because there is no hierarchy on the value of life, all life must be protected. We cannot stop after pro-life v. pro-choice.

Step By Step

Jesus Christ came so that we might have life, and have it in abundance (John 10:10). As a result of this, we must ensure a quality of life, not just life itself. This presents issues such as poverty, and attainable, affordable health care for all.

When someone is forced to live in poverty and without adequate health care, that person is not living life in abundance. Sure, we may not have aborted a baby, but when that child is living in poverty, in sickness, in hunger or without a home, is that really life?

Therefore, as Catholic Christians, we must fight so that all people have enough to live. It is not enough for us to bring the baby into the world; we must bring it through the world as well, by ensuring just wages, adequate health care and affordable housing.

War -- Huh -- What Is It Good For? (Absolutely Nothin')

Equally important to the pro-life movement is an anti-war stance. It doesn't make much sense for us to save a child from being aborted if we are just going to send him off to fight and be killed in a war. And how many children around the world are innocent victims of war each year? (If you'd like to read what the Catholic Church has to say about war, read A "Just War" & the Fifth Commandment or Iraq and the "Just War" Theory by Brandon Jubar)

War most definitely cuts life short beyond natural means, as well as diminishes the quality of life of those living under war's conditions.

Dr. Death And Onward

Beyond the issues of war, poverty, and abortion lay euthanasia and capital punishment. These issues too require our attention as Pro-Life Catholic Christians.

For instance, instead of physician-assisted suicide, we need to look at ways to make life as comfortable as possible for the dying. Hospice is one such avenue. And the use of painkillers to make life more bearable is acceptable as well, provided that the aim is to preserve human dignity and not shorten the span of a life.

We must also make a stand against capital punishment. Horrendous crimes fire our emotions and cause us to forget that retribution is from the Old Testament. Forgiveness was Jesus' message! Obviously, there are seemingly valid arguments from within the Church that support the death penalty. After all, the government has an obligation to protect society. But given the effectiveness of today's maximum-security prisons, is capital punishment truly needed to ensure our safety?

Although murder is most certainly deplorable, the criminal is still a human being, and should be able to live his or her life to its natural end. And frankly, studies show that capital punishment does not deter crime, for most murders are crimes of passion.

Don't Minimize Abortion

I do not, by any means, want to diminish the importance of fighting abortion. Abortion is a heinous act, one against which I stand firmly. But when fighting against it, we must remember that life is a seamless garment, much like the one that Jesus wore (John 19:23), that cannot, must not, be torn.

If you'd like to get involved, you can contact your congressperson to let them know your view on abortion, just wages, war, physician assisted suicide and capital punishment.
If you want to fight the homelessness issue, check out www.habitat.org, or talk to your local Habitat for Humanity chapter.

As Pope Paul the VI said, "If you want peace, work for justice." So let's be the peacemakers. Let's fight for life, and all that it can be. Everyone deserves to have life, and to have it in abundance.

Life Applications:

What are your views on the pro-life issue?
Has the quality of your life ever been limited? How so?
Spend some time reading various church documents, such as OnCombating Abortion and Euthanasia by Pope John Paul II.

Copyright 2003-2004 by Jacki Popadich
All rights reserved.