Pro Life - How Can We Defend the Defenseless

7.     WHY IS IT WRONG?   God gave to Moses and to the whole world the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. This is the moral code that we must follow to get to heaven.  The 5^th Commandment is: “Thou shalt not kill!” Jesus stated without stutter or stammer, “If you love me keep my commandments…” Once again, “Not all those who say, 'Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who do the will of my heavenly Father'." (Mt 7, part of the Sermon on the Mount).

8.     THE NUMBER OF ABORTIONS IS ASTOUNDING!  Here are some statistics since Roe vs. Wade in 1973….

a)     FIFTY TWO TO FIFTY THREE MILLION  surgical abortions have been perpetrated in 40 years.   Abortion is the most common surgery done in our country!

b)    ANNUALLY.  There are between 1.1 and 1.3 million surgical abortions every year in the USA.

c)     DAILY.  On a daily basis approximately 4000 abortions occur!

d)    LOS ANGELES (the city) about 180 every day and L.A. county double the count!

e)    EVERY MINUTE in USA there are close to 3 abortions done!

f)      EVERY TWENTY SECONDS a woman has an abortion done!

g)    25% to 33% OF BABIES ARE MURDERED IN THE WOMB.

i)       DOWN’S SYNDROME  In women who have been diagnosed as having a downs-syndrome child, the number goes up to 90% or more.

a)     TOO YOUNG to have a child…remember the Virgin Mary!

Zachariah and Elizabeth admire their son, John as a young Mary looks on.

 

c)     ECONOMIC BURDEN. It will be too expensive and I will not be able to provide for the child.  The term often used is, “I prefer quality of life!”  Remember Jesus and where He was born in the conditions of dire poverty!

 
      d)    FEAR!  Teenage girls that get pregnant are paralyzed with fear often about what their parents might say!  How many times has Jesus exhorted us not to be afraid but to trust.  JESUS I TRUST IN YOU. (Divine Mercy  image).

     e)    SELFISHNESS. Many women/men do not want to have a child because they fear the reality of sacrifice.  Jesus stated clearly the conditions of discipleship: “Whoever wants to be my follower must renounce himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”

      f)      LACK OF TRUST! The core of the problem is a lack of trust in God and in Divine Providence. If God allows life to exist then God will provide!

g)     SPEAK UP! Often we fail to speak up to defend the child.  We must be the voice of the child who cannot speak for himself; if not there will be the “Silent scream” of the baby in the womb.

Bad Advice Sends Us the Wrong Way!

h)     BAD ADVICE!  Many women unfortunately opt for the abortion--- not really because they want to kill the baby since women are called to be mothers--- but for the simple reason that those who surround the woman and speak to her give her the wrong advice!  How many babies have been saved because valiant “Pro-lifers” have lifted their voice in the defense of the unborn.

10.  MODERN FORM OF BULLYING.  The nature of a “bully” is that he takes advantage of the weakness of the other. If he is small of stature, slight in build, less bright in intellect, introverted by temperament, not inclined to defend himself--- these are all qualities that a bully (like a human vulture) descends upon like a prey!   In a parallel sense is the abortionist. The child is the most defenseless of human persons and the woman aided by the abortionist bullies to the point of killing the little one. We are all up in arms when we see bullies; should we not be even more so with respect to bullying and “killing” the little babies????

A Liar and a Murderer from the Beginning

11.  THE DEVIL! He is often behind abortions!  In the Bible the devil is given various names: Satan, Lucifer, the ancient serpent, devil, demon, Beelzebub, Prince of this world. St. Ignatius calls him the enemy of our human nature; Augustine, a chained wild dog; St Peter calls him a roaring lion on the loose seeking to devour; St Thomas calls him the Tempter.  Abortion is 1^st degree murder and often lies to convince women to abort.

12.  EUPHEMISMS!  Sugar coating brutality.  Proper use of language is key to communicate well. The primary purpose of speech is to communicate the truth with love. How often euphemisms are utilized to deceive women into having an abortion. Here are just a few!  “I am Pro-choice!” But it is not a choice; it is a child!  “I am going to terminate my pregnancy!” Sounds innocuous (innocent) when in reality it is to kill your baby.  In Spanish the titles outside the Abortion clinics read as such: “La clinica de la salud de la mujer…” Translation in English: “Woman’s health center"!  O really! Killing her baby is going to improve her health????

This is the Culture of Life!

13.   A MODERN IGNATIAN TWO STANDARDS.   In the classic Spiritual Exercise of St Ignatius given the title, “The Two Standards”, St. Ignatius presents Jesus in direct contrast to Satan. Both are trying to win followers to enlist and place themselves beneath their prospective Standard.  Blessed John Paul II in one of his most renowned encyclicals, “The Gospel of Life” presents a modern “Two Standards” with this terminology: “The Gospel of Life” in direct opposition to “The Culture of Death”. Let us sign up now and enlist in the true Standard and stand firmly and with determination under “The Gospel of Life”.

14.   A NEW LIFE MURDERED WITHIN HOURS!   The after-morning pill and oral contraceptives. Our exposition of the problem of abortion would be incomplete if we did not mention the reality of the “After-morning pill as well as hormonal contraceptive pills. Given that our starting point is that life comes from God and starts at the moment of conception it is a tragedy that many babies are conceived and killed almost instantaneously with the use of hormonal pills!  These numbers are very hard to calculate. However, this far exceeds the statistics given above!

15.  PRAYER, PENANCE, AND MERCY. We have these three powerful weapons – let’s use them!

a)     PRAYER. We must pray in reparation for the many abortions and prevention of future abortions especially three prayers: the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and the Hail Mary and the Holy Rosary.

b)    PENANCE. Jesus said that some devils are expelled only through prayer and fasting!

c)     MERCY. Upon meeting some woman who has unfortunately been guilty of abortion gently remind her of God’s infinite mercy. As St. Paul says, “Where sin abounds the mercy of God abounds all the more.” Jesus said to St. Faustina that the greatest sinners have the greatest right to God’s mercy and that the greatest sinners can become the greatest of saints! Look to the Parable of the Prodigal Son and to the merciful Father. The Father always has his arms open to receive back the wayward and prodigal son. Also, look to Jesus hanging on the cross. St. Augustine, contemplating the cross states: “Jesus has His head bent to kiss us, His arms open to embrace us and His side open to receive us.” May those who have committed the sin of abortion find forgiveness and refuge in the merciful and loving Heart of Jesus the Savior!