On the first Sunday of October, Respect Life Sunday, members of the St. Benilde CYO sell Right-to-Life Calendars at all the Masses. Proceeds help to fund pro-life work in our parish as well as in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Thank you in advance for your support and generosity!
As Catholics, one of the terms that we often hear used in parish and church circles is “Respect Life.” Since October 1972, the Catholic Church in the United States has celebrated (the first Sunday in the month of October) Respect Life Sunday as a way to call Catholics across the nation to remember the sanctity of life in a world where the dignity of life is not always respected. Respect for human life is a fundamental tenet of our Christian faith laid down for us in the very beginning of the Scriptures in the book of Genesis. This basic respect for human life is further shown to us through the example of Jesus, who often fought for the rights of the downtrodden and forgotten of society. He often challenged those who were in a position of authority to help the weak and powerless, and chastised them when they did not.
When we hear the term “Respect Life” we often think immediately of the abortion controversy of pro-life vs. pro-choice. It was only three months after the first Respect Life Sunday in October 1972 that the Supreme Court overturned all state laws prohibiting abortions in its historic Roe vs. Wade decision. Occurring over forty years ago, this remains one of the most controversial Supreme Court decisions in history.
Undoubtedly, the Catholic bishops had this Supreme Court controversy in mind when they initiated the practice of Respect Life Sunday, as a way of trying to raise the consciousness of, not only Catholics, but Christians everywhere of the importance of promoting life as God’s gift and the dangers of passing legislation that would diminish what God has created.
St. Pope John Paul II often used the term “culture of death” when referring to a tendency in our modern society to glorify violence and death. This tendency manifests itself in many ways, both blatant and subtle, in our everyday lives. To see it, all we have to do is look at our movies, music, entertainment and newspapers. It is easy for us to get desensitized to the sufferings of others when we are bombarded with a steady stream of news of peoples’ sufferings from around the world. It is also difficult to think of others’ sufferings when we have our own difficulties with which to deal. By looking to the Gospels and the example of Jesus, we are not promised that our problems will all go away, but we are promised the gift of hope in times of darkness.
Beginning in 1972, the bishops have focused on many critical concerns of the day — abortion, euthanasia, marriage and family life, capital punishment, poverty, immigration issues, chastity, natural family planning, post-abortion healing and reconciliation, the culture of life, biotechnology, children, teens, persons with disabilities, the elderly, those who are dying, and more. They attempt to call us to a higher awareness of many issues that affect the dignity of human life. They attempt to remind all of us that our call as Christians to support the dignity of life is not something that we can ignore.
In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses had the job of bringing the message of God’s love to the people and to form them into a community that was faithful to the covenant they had made with God. Moses offers the people a choice. He tells the people that God has offered them blessing and life if they respect and follow His commandments. He also reminds them that if they do not embrace life then the alternative is death and despair. God has offered us the choice of choosing life or death, the blessing or the curse. He encourages us to choose life.
Moses said to the people: “Here, then, I have today set before you life and prosperity, death and doom. If you obey the commandments of the Lord, your God, which I enjoin on you today, loving him, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees, you will live and grow numerous, and the Lord will bless you. If however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen, but are led astray and adore and serve other gods, I tell you now that you will certainly perish; you will not have a long life on the land. I call heaven and earth today to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life” (Deut. 30-15-20).
During the month of October there will be a candle burning near the altar during the Sunday Masses. This candle is to remind us of our responsibility as Catholics to pray for a deeper “Respect for Life” in all its forms. It will remind us of the “Light of Christ,” which illumines our lives and gives us hope. Let us pray this month for those who struggle each day to find dignity and purpose in their lives. Let us pray for those who are in positions of authority, that they may promote the dignity of all people.
~ Fr. Robert T. Cooper