Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, our Mass today is dedicated to praying for the legal protection of unborn children. The Scripture readings remind us of the profound dignity bestowed upon every human life and calls us to reflect deeply on our responsibility to protect this gift.
In the Book of Hebrews, we are introduced to Melchizedek, the priest-king who personifies peace and righteousness. He blesses Abraham and serves as a prefiguring of Christ, our eternal high-priest. It is fitting that we recall this figure today, because like Jesus, Melchizedek’s true origins were mysteriously unknown. In other words, he could have been considered motherless, as no mother was assigned to him by name, that we know of. Children who are terminated in the womb, in a sense, are deprived not only of life, but a mother who alone can provide the love we need to grow into healthy individuals within society. Of course, we apply this to fathers as well, and all those men who are complicit in abortion are indirectly forfeiting their dignity as fathers, depriving a human being of paternal solicitude and love. Melchizedek, the “motherless and fatherless” in a sad way, represents a type of patron saint for the aborted.
The principal parent and owner of our bodies is God. We are born through human portals, but we are nevertheless his, for he is the origin of all things. Psalm 139 beautifully affirms this truth: "You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you, because I am wonderfully made." Yet, despite the sacredness of life, we live in a world that often fails to recognize this divine truth. A life aborted, is a life snatched out of the hands of God – stolen as it were from the divine plan it was meant to be a part of.
Forty to fifty million abortions occur globally each year—about 125,000 every day. In the United States, prior to the Dobbs v. Jackson ruling, abortions took the lives of over one million babies annually, a staggering twenty-two percent of all pregnancies. These numbers are sharp reminders of the urgency that lies before us and this is just considering the United States. The sin that cries out to heaven is a global catastrophe.
Many voices defend the right to abortion, often emphasizing a woman’s autonomy over her body. Yet we must affirm, as our faith teaches, that a baby in the womb is not merely a part of the mother; it is a distinct life, deserving of dignity and protection. We must ask ourselves if our mothers had not chosen life, who would have come to our aid? If the government is meant to protect us, why not the most vulnerable still in the womb? As Saint John Paul II stated in Evangelium Vitae, “Such attacks strike human life at the time of its greatest frailty, when it lacks any means of self-defense.”
As we reflect on the Gospel of Mark, we see Jesus confronted with a similar challenge. In the synagogue, the man with the withered hand stands as a symbol of vulnerability. Jesus asks a question that echoes through the ages: "Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?" The healing of that man not only restores his physical health but also serves as a powerful reminder of God’s profound love for each person. Jesus, in one poignant question, speaks about the moral imperative to save life, rather than destroy it.
Today, we must remember that the weakest among us often need our advocacy the most. The womb, as many statistics indicate, is currently the most dangerous place for an unborn child. One day, we will realize what a delusion from the devil the pro-choice stance represents. Perhaps only in heaven we will see that Catholic teaching, that all life is sacred and must be protected, has been right all along. We will see that even IFV (in-vitro fertilization) which to produce one child sacrifices thousands as collateral damage, has been an abomination in God’s sight. We must unite our voices, pray fervently, and act decisively in defense of life – all life, from conception to natural death. Our bishops have wisely called for today to be one of prayer and penance, acknowledging both the need for legal protection of every unborn child and the deep sorrow for the lives lost, but this is also a day where Church leadership must be held accountable. Prophets which remain silent before the evils of the world, will have blood on their hands and conscience when the great and terrible day of God’s judgement arrives. But even apart from the punitive aspect, we must do the right thing out of love. It’s like imperfect and perfect contrition – we can be sorry for sins because they hurt us, or we can be sorry for sins because they hurt God. Maybe it’s a mixture of both at times, but the point is, we need to live in love and by love, so that the Lord can truly guide all our choices.
This is not to say that it is a simple matter and complexities don’t arise. Brothers and sisters, we are called to intercede for every mother facing an unplanned pregnancy. We pray that they may choose life and that every legal framework around the world would reflect the sanctity of that life. Let us not underestimate the power of our collective prayers and acts of penance. It sends a clear message to society about the value of every life.
How can we respond? We can commit ourselves to prayer for those who support abortion and ask for the grace of conversion for their hearts. We can also offer our sacrifices and penances in atonement for past violations of human dignity which may have come through our own conduct and sinfulness. The journey ahead may be difficult, but we take heart from today’s message. Let us be advocates of life, just as Jesus is our advocate when we sin. He pleads on our behalf, so let us plead on behalf of others – mercy!
May the intercession of our Blessed Mother guide and inspire us as we continue this important mission as Catholics, trusting in Jesus, who is our hope and our salvation and asking him to give us the courage to never compromise our faith, to speak out in favour of the vulnerable, and to remind the world that we do have a Father in heaven who will not be robbed of his precious children, for each child, each life is known to him by name, and a day of reckoning will come for all of us, notwithstanding political affiliation or race, gender or creed. All men must stand before the tribunal of Christ to receive what their actions have merited. These are Saint Paul’s words, who we merely echoing the urgent and loving warning of the Saviour himself, who said that he would judge the living and the dead, and who alone is the Lord of life. To him be glory, praise and honour forever and ever. Amen.
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