“You are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it” (1 Cor 12:27). Each of us is a unique, unrepeatable reflection of God’s presence in the world and, as we hear so powerfully declared in today’s second reading, each of us is Christ’s body. And, God calls each of us to live according to his plan, not our own. This past Saturday, we commemorated that dark day, forty-nine years ago, when the United States Supreme Court handed down the infamous Roe v. Wade decision, legalizing abortion for any reason. Since that fateful decision, more than 63 million innocent unborn babies – whom our Lord called to life – have legally lost their lives in a country that is founded on “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Tragically, so many women have felt driven to abort their child due to fear – fear of rejection, fear of humiliation, fear of personal loss or injury. And, they have assented to an abortion under the mistaken belief that, since it is legal, it must be permissible. Unfortunately, they have listened to the flawed reasoning of man – the creature – rather than the truth that God – the Creator – has taught us. God, who gives each of us the precious gift of life, commands “thou shall not kill,” and instead, calls us to “be fertile and multiply; fill the earth!”
There are those who claim that women have a right to their body and should not be forced to bear an unwanted child. The Church agrees that a woman has a right, indeed, a responsibility to protect her own body. But, as science has proven so clearly, once conception occurs, the fetus inside the woman’s womb is not just another part of the woman’s body but is a new, unique, irreplaceable human being, with its own DNA signature different from that of either father or mother.
There are those who assert that making abortion illegal again would force women to illegal and dangerous abortions. The Church responds with homes for pregnant women and calls society to protect both – the women and their children – and provide adequate means for their support during these challenging times.
Fortunately, the tide is changing. While the right to have an abortion is a federal law, access to abortion services is regulated by each state. And, more and more states are requiring waiting periods, counseling and notification of parents in the case of minors. Consequently, the number of independent abortion clinics nationwide has shrunk from a high of 2,908 in 1982 to 337 today.
But, the number of abortions is still staggering and most of us cannot fathom how many lives have been lost through abortion here in our country alone. According to the CDC, there were almost 630,000 abortions in 2019, the last year for which accurate reports are available; that equals 1,726 abortions every day in the United States. For every 1,000 live births, there are 195 abortions. Fortunately, these numbers are declining from a high of 1.36 million in 1996, but our battle to protect all human life is far from over.
As we mark the 49th anniversary of this fateful Supreme Court decision, let us join with the rest of the Church across the country in observing on Thursday a Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. Let us pray for our lawmakers, that they may recognize the tragic flaws in Roe v. Wade and overturn the laws that have condemned millions of fellow Americans to death. Let us pray for women who have suffered with the agony of having had an abortion, that they may experience God’s mercy and forgiveness. And, let us pray for women who are now struggling with the decision to have an abortion, that they may feel the support of others and have the courage to choose life! Let us also continue our efforts to save innocent human life and return legal protection for all unborn children. I ask everyone to pray for an end to abortion in our country!