This past Friday, thousands of people descended upon Washington for the 50th Annual March for Life. Some might wonder, since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that abortion is not a constitutional right, why march?
Advocating for the sanctity of life remains an ongoing concern at the national level as members of the legislative branch, with support from those serving in the executive branch, continue to align abortion with health care and, even more preposterously, human rights. Thus, our work on behalf of the unborn is far from finished.
Because legislatively the right to life is now in the purview of the states, our advocacy efforts must be attentive to and focus on what is being done at the state Capitol. Thus, our diocese, the Diocese of Arlington and the Virginia Catholic Conference are participating in Defending Life Day on Wednesday, Feb. 1.
Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington will give remarks and I will say a prayer at the gathering, which includes the Virginia March for Life. (More information is available at vacatholic.org).
As Catholics and Christians, we have a civic responsibility to be advocates for the sanctity of human life, especially the unborn. We need to be vigilant in monitoring the work of our elected officials and use the avenues available to us — including the voting booth — to express our views about the dignity of human life.
Because of the agnostic, secular culture in which we live, we know that there are many who do not share our views about the sacredness of human life. Thus, we do not always get the legislative outcomes for which we continue to work. That’s a reality with which we must deal, and which should be a matter on which we reflect.
If we are concerned about the outcomes of our advocacy, we may have to do some self-examination as well as confront our opponents. How is it that we fall short in convincing our neighbor and others within the culture about the dignity of the human person? How can we remedy that?
The remedy is most likely found in witness- ing to the charity, mercy and love God has for us, and to express that in our words and actions toward others. It also requires us to listen with the “ear of the heart,” as Pope Francis said in his message for World Day of Social Communications last year.
When impatient advocates become bitter idealogues, they lose their ability to convince others. As Pope Francis notes, our “refusal to listen often ends up turning into aggression toward the other.” No one is going to be won over by force and fear. To convince those who do not embrace the sanctity of human life, they should see that we respect them, even when we abhor the wrong they are doing and the harm they are causing.
Some might disagree. They might insist that we get more confrontational in our approach. However, our faith is a faith where we seek to convince people of the truth through our example of charity and mercy.
If we use rhetoric that condemns or if we are too compacted in our approach, it is unlikely that we will make headway because that method requires defeating the other rather than winning them over. Our faith calls us to bring people to the Gospel and not simply dismiss them and their concerns. Our faith inspires us to use the truth, goodness and beauty of the Gospel and to express them with our words and actions.
As we prepare for Defending Life Day, we can and should examine how we proclaim the persuasive truth of the Gospel to change hearts.