Changing the human heart requires more than changing laws. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that overturning Roe v. Wade has not silenced its opponents.
We’ve been created in the image and likeness of God, but the tendency to create God according to our own image is nothing new. Ridding our country of the unwanted or of those considered undesirable has a lengthy history, which began with the advent of eugenics in the United States.
The Eugenics Society argued that those who had physical or mental disabilities, the poor and criminals should be separated, alienated, institutionalized, sterilized or eliminated. The group actually served as an example for Adolph Hitler who looked to them for a model.
Perhaps even more shocking is the fact that when Hitler’s draconian philosophy began to take hold, the Eugenics Society in the United States not only praised his success, but they lamented the fact that he was more successful than they were.
Some might find it unthinkable to compare Hitler with those who advocate for abortion, but one might ask: Is there really a distinction to be made between the undesirable and the unwanted if the result is to eliminate them?
Lamenting the travesty of abortion, Mother Teresa of Calcutta decried the practice, noting that if a mother can kill her own child, anyone can be killed. We see this over and over with the rising tide of violence in our streets and even in our schools.
Pro-choice groups insist that it’s a woman’s right to have control over her own body, but it’s not just her body that is impacted when abortion takes place. As with the poor and disabled, the voice of the one whose life is at stake is dismissed or permanently silenced.
Jesus told us that the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbor as our self. Could there be any neighbor closer than the one that lives inside a mother’s womb? Carrying an infant to full term may alter the plans of the mother, but when weighed against eliminating the life of another human being, there is no moral equivalent that can justify taking the life of another. This is the reason why the Church considers capital punishment morally unjustifiable, but our soul searching cannot stop there.
Videos documenting the death and destruction in Ukraine raise questions about the endless appropriation of funds for weaponry. When is enough too much? When we consider the ongoing destruction of life and property, the words of Pope St. John Paul II: “There are no winners in war” ring true. His words are more than naïve and wishful thinking; they are prophetic and should be regarded as such.
Jesus’ message to turn the other cheek and to pray for our enemies remains unheeded. For many it seems that Jesus’ teachings have little to do with the world in which we live, but nothing could be further from the truth.
More than an ideology that is impossible to live, Jesus offered us real and viable solutions that transcend time and culture. However, until we accept Jesus’ teachings at face value and are willing to live the Gospel without compromise, peace and reconciliation will continue to elude us.
We can point to saints like Francis of Assisi, Ignatius Loyola and Martin of Tours who gave up military careers after their conversion, but there are also saints like Joan of Arc, George and Sebastian who became saints despite their military service.
There is also Father Emil Kapaun, the Army chaplain whose cause for sainthood began in 1993. This should remind us that only God knows what takes place in the deepest center of a person’s soul. It’s not for us to judge individuals, but we are all called to take a stand against systems and ideologies that promote evil.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The fifth commandment forbids the intentional destruction of human life. Because of the evils and injustices that accompany all war, the Church insistently urges everyone to prayer and action so that the divine Goodness may free us from the ancient bondage of war. All citizens and all governments are obliged to work for the avoidance of war” (CCC 2307-2308). This is especially true when nuclear weapons are an ongoing threat.
God gave us free will, and he will not rescind it. It is an awesome responsibility entrusted to us for the common good. Therefore, let us not take it upon ourselves to shorten the life of another, for we never know when prayer and God’s grace will change someone’s heart and ultimately change the world.