Today, Sunday, November 25th, is the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year, the feast day of Christ the King!
“You cannot serve God and mammon.” Jesus told His disciples. (“No one can have two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.”) Mt 6:24 This is not spiritual rocket science. We make a simple choice.
When Jesus first started preaching His Gospel it was that “the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mk 1:14). Later He explained that people should “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” (Mt 6:33). And with what spiritual disposition do we do this? “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (Mt 10:15) So early on Jesus set before us the “childlike attitude” as being exemplary.
St. Augustine wrote his famous book the City of God (426 A.D.) to place before Christians the choice: the City of God or the city of the world.
In our own time, John Paul II has written his prophetic encyclical The Gospel of Life and placed, once again, the choice before us: a Culture of Life or a culture of death.
The right choice is clear: God, the Kingdom of God, the City of God, the Culture of Life!
Filed under: Evangelium Vitae
There are many proofs for the existence of God. One way to discover God is in the mystery and beauty of the human person. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church it states in section II. Ways of Coming to Know God:
“The human person: with his openness to truth and beauty, his sense of moral goodness, his freedom and the voice of his conscience, with his longings for the infinite and for happiness, man questions himself about God’s existence. In all this he discerns signs of his spiritual soul. The soul, the ‘seed of eternity we bear in ourselves, irreducible to the merely material’ can have its origin only in God.” 33
By proclaiming the Gospel of Life – standing up for the dignity of every human life – we also bring others closer to God. Here are some beautiful quotes from section #84 in Evangelium vitae .
“Indeed, ‘despite its hardships, its hidden mysteries, its suffering and its inevitable frailty, this mortal life is a most beautiful thing, a marvel ever new and moving, an event worthy of being exalted in joy and glory‘.”
“Moreover, man and his life appear to us not only as one of the greatest marvels of creation: for God has granted to man a dignity which is near to divine (Ps 8:5-6).”
“In every child which is born and in every person who lives or dies we see the image of God’s glory. We celebrate this glory in every human being, a sign of the living God, an icon of Jesus Christ.”
Filed under: Evangelium Vitae
You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works! (Psalm 139)
Yesterday, November 12, the Psalm read at Mass was Psalm 139. John Paul II meditates on this Psalm in his encyclical The Gospel of Life.
- Like the Psalmist, we too, in our daily prayer as individuals and as a community, praise and bless God our Father, who knitted us together in our mother’s womb, and saw and loved us while we were still without form (cf. Ps 139:13, 15-16). We exclaim with overwhelming joy: “I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works. You know me through and through” (Ps 139:14). Indeed, “despite its hardships, its hidden mysteries, its suffering and its inevitable frailty, this mortal life is a most beautiful thing, a marvel ever new and moving, an event worthy of being exalted in joy and glory”. #84
- Human life is sacred and inviolable at every moment of existence, including the initial phase which precedes birth. All human beings, from their mothers’ womb, belong to God who searches them and knows them, who forms them and knits them together with his own hands, who gazes on them when they are tiny shapeless embryos and already sees in them the adults of tomorrow whose days are numbered and whose vocation is even now written in the “book of life” (cf. Ps 139: 1, 13-16). There too, when they are still in their mothers’ womb – as many passages of the Bible bear witness – they are the personal objects of God’s loving and fatherly providence. #61
- Because we have been sent into the world as a “people for life”, our proclamation must also become a genuine celebration of the Gospel of life. This celebration, with the evocative power of its gestures, symbols and rites, should become a precious and significant setting in which the beauty and grandeur of this Gospel is handed on. For this to happen, we need first of all to foster, in ourselves and in others, a contemplative outlook. Such an outlook arises from faith in the God of life, who has created every individual as a “wonder” (cf. Ps 139:14). #83
Christ is the light and center point of the Culture of Life. He embodies in Himself the good news of this Culture of Life; He is the Gospel of Life!
To the culture of death, which surrounds us, He is the counterpoint:
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined…
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called ‘Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.'”
The people of the culture of death are afraid of children and afraid of this Light.
The people of the Culture of Life are emboldened by this Light.
When Gabriel appeared to Zechariah to announce the conception and birth of John, he said: “Do not be afraid Zechariah…” Lk 1:13
When Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce the conception and birth of Jesus, he said:“Do not be afraid Mary…” Lk 1:30
When the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph to announce the conception and birth of Jesus, he said: “…do not fear…” Mt 1:20
When the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds in Bethlehem to announce the birth of Jesus, he said: “Be not afraid…” Lk 2:10
As Christ was coming into the world as a baby, a star appeared in the East to lead gentiles to Christ, ‘the Light of the World’ (Mt 2:1-12, Jn 8:12). Christ is our Light and Life today as well. In Christ we find a resounding call to courage, hope and confidence, which strengthens us to proclaim His Gospel of Life and to welcome children into our world.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Jn 1:5
Filed under: Evangelium Vitae
Here is a beautiful quote from John Paul II’s encyclical, The Gospel of Life:
“In every child which is born and in every person who lives or dies we see the image of God’s glory. We celebrate this glory in every human being, a sign of the living God, an icon of Jesus Christ.” #84
One of my favorite quotes from St. Francis de Sales
(1567-1622) elaborates:
“…if someone intends to build a house or a palace he must first consider whether it is to be a lodging for a vine dresser or a peasant or if it is for a lord, since obviously he would use entirely different plans depending on the rank of the person who is to live there. Now the Eternal Father did just that when he built this world. He intended to create it for the Incarnation of His Son, the Eternal Word. The end or goal of His work was thus its beginning, for Divine Wisdom had foreseen from all eternity that His Word would assume our nature in coming to earth.” The Sermons of St. Francis de Sales for Advent and Christmas
Filed under: Evangelium Vitae
Here is a quote from John Paul II’s encyclical Evangelium Vitae:
“I look with renewed confidence to every household and I pray that at every level a general commitment to support the family will reappear and be strengthened, so that today too – even amid so many difficulties and serious threats – the family will always remain, in accordance with God’s plan, the “sanctuary of life”.
To all the members of the Church, the people of life and for life, I make this most urgent appeal, that together we may offer this world of ours new signs of hope, and work to ensure that justice and solidarity will increase and that a new culture of human life will be affirmed, for the building of an authentic civilization of truth and love.” Point #6
Here are links put together by Michael Roderick at Kanawha County Right to Life to some of the groups working to offer new signs of hope.
Filed under: Evangelium Vitae
Fr. Frank Pavone calls The Gospel of Life – written by John Paul II – the Magna Carta of the Pro – Life Movement. I think he’s right. The text is broken down into 105 sections. As he winds down towards the end of the document, John Paul II has some very inspirational words of challenge for all of us. Following are some examples and comments.
“In this mobilization for a new culture of life no one must feel excluded; everyone has an important role to play.” # 98
Thankfully, many people have stepped forward to become actively involved in promoting respect for human life and offering services to pregnant women with various needs. The numerous ministries and organizations formed throughout the world are a constant cause for encouragement and hope.
But John Paul is also speaking here to those people who are less mobile or caught up in exceptional constraints of time and scheduling, people who don’t have easy means of transportation or are limited in their activities. They too need to mobilize “for a new culture of life”, for as he says, “no one must feel excluded”!
This is where prayer comes in. An individual can mobilize his or her prayer life to support those pro – life activities that are underway in his/her own community and country.
“…a great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer.” # 100
One person can mobilize him or herself to a prayer commitment for the unborn and others whose right to life is at risk or whose human dignity is being questioned. John Paul’s perspective is on a grand scale, beginning within “the heart of every believer”, a swelling tsunami of peaceful prayer “which will rise up throughout the world”.
See Catholic Fire for:
Pope John Paul II’s Prayer for Life
In his prophetic encyclical letter THE GOSPEL OF LIFE, John Paul II makes it simple and clear in the following comment:
“The Gospel of Life is something concrete and personal, for it consists in the proclamation of the very person of Jesus…Through the words, the actions and the very person of Jesus, man is given the possibility of ‘knowing’ the complete truth concerning the value of human life.” # 29.
UNBORN WORD ALLIANCE is committed to reflecting upon “the words (Heb 10:5-7), the actions and the very person of (Unborn) Jesus” through its diverse activities: the book Unborn Jesus Our Hope, the Litany of the Unborn Christ Child prayer card (English & Spanish), our website UnbornWordAlliance.com, our blog UNBORNWORD of the day and speaking engagements. To see prayer cards click on the box.
October is Respect Life month in the U.S. Catholic Church.
The worldwide Pro – Life Movement is an organic grassroots rising-up of people appalled that others would advocate the killing of unborn children. The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children – founded in England in 1966 was the first pro-life group in the world. This of course also points to the sad distinction that England was leading the way in the killing of unborn babies in the free world (communist countries already had legalized abortion).
In the U.S., the Right to Life League of Southern California, founded in 1969 due to the liberalization of abortion laws there, was the first pro-life group in the U.S.
It wasn’t too long afterwards that the Catholic Church in the U.S. began to develop its “Respect for Life” programs.
We see in each of these names a message and commitment to human life. There is no doubt that in the abortion debate the Pro-Life Movement has taken the (inspired) high moral ground. Our opponents in this life-death struggle have placed themselves on the side of killing and death although they try to characterize their terms of engagement otherwise. Our terms of engagement are: Pro human life, desiring to protect innocent human life*, emphasizing the right-to-life – which in the U.S. was called a “self-evident” truth and an unalienable right (Declaration of Independence) – and promoting respect for human life which points to the dignity of each human being (a concept that is integral to any positive and progressive view of human beings).
Of course God said it first and most emphatically: “I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life…” (Deut 30:19, and “Thou shall not kill.”)
In the 1990’s Pope John Paul II began pointing to yet another crucial distinction in our terms of engagement: a Culture of Life (as opposed to ‘culture of death’). This term, and the necessity of its realization, addresses the big picture and the long term view for humanity. He offers a cogent and prophetic explanation of the pro-life position in his ground-breaking, life-supporting document THE GOSPEL OF LIFE.
* Whereas the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth, (1959 United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child).
Pope John Paul II’s Funeral
When I was Director of Education for the Right to Life League of Southern California (1984-87) I worked with an older gentleman by the name of Frank Forve who had been a lawyer in his earlier days. He once told me that way back in 1959 the California Bar Assoc. passed a resolution calling for the liberalization of the abortion laws and consequently he withdrew his membership from that association. He took his first pro-life stand, the first of many, in 1959. But why did he do this? The Church had formed him, had helped him form his conscience and he knew both intuitively and intellectually what Vatican II would proclaim about six years later, in 1965: “Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.” (Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern world, #51)
Of course the Church has always taught that abortion is gravely, terribly wrong. The Church has consistently taught her children to cherish the gift of human life as a gift from Almighty God. There are thousands upon thousands of examples of how the Church is a good Mother to her children, and particularly by giving them good teaching and direction (in season and out of season) through these past two thousand years.
Which brings us to JPII. I could argue twenty different reasons for distinguishing him as one of the Church’s greatest popes, but here I will mention only one: his Gospel of Life encyclical letter issued in 1995. It is a prophetic teaching for our modern age and is rich in its content. He faces the abortion plague head on, he analyzes society’s contributing problems and weaknesses and presents a resounding call to promoting a Culture of Life. It is a manifesto of sorts for all Christians who are pro-life (which should be all Christians). In the years ahead more and more Christians will come to appreciate it. G.P.
Filed under: Evangelium Vitae
Father Frank Pavone says that the Gospel of Life has been called “the Magna Carta of the pro-life movement”.
On the Fifth Anniversary of the issuance of the document Pope John Paul II made the following reflections on his encyclical letter The Gospel of Life.
“I greet all of you, participating in this reflection on a document that I consider central to the whole of the Magisterium of my pontificate and in perfect continuity with the Encyclical “Humanae Vitae” of Pope Paul VI of venerable memory.” #1
” Every person of good will must feel called to mobilize for this great cause, and must be sustained by the conviction that every step taken in defense of the right to life and in the concrete promotion of it is a step toward peace and civility.” #6
“In a particular way I turn to youth, who are sensitive to the need to respect the values of the human body and, above all, the value of conceived life itself: may they be the first architects and beneficiaries of the work that will be carried out in the context of the pastoral of life.” #6
Filed under: Evangelium Vitae
Cain and Abel by Pietro Novelli
At another level, the roots of the contradiction between the solemn affirmation of human rights and their tragic denial in practice lies in a notion of freedom which exalts the isolated individual in an absolute way, and gives no place to solidarity, to openness to others and service of them. While it is true that the taking of life not yet born or in its final stages is sometimes marked by a mistaken sense of altruism and human compassion, it cannot be denied that such a culture of death, taken as a whole, betrays a completely individualistic concept of freedom, which ends up by becoming the freedom of “the strong” against the weak who have no choice but to submit.
It is precisely in this sense that Cain’s answer to the Lord’s question: “Where is Abel your brother?” can be interpreted: “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen 4:9).
Yes, every man is his “brother’s keeper”, because God entrusts us to one another. And it is also in view of this entrusting that God gives everyone freedom, a freedom which possesses an inherently relational dimension. This is a great gift of the Creator, placed as it is at the service of the person and of his fulfillment through the gift of self and openness to others; but when freedom is made absolute in an individualistic way, it is emptied of its original content, and its very meaning and dignity are contradicted. John Paul II, The Gospel of Life #19
On this 4th of July let us all pray that our country returns to the path of true freedom.
Filed under: Evangelium Vitae
“We have been sent. For us, being at the service of life is not a boast but rather a duty…We have been sent as a people. Everyone has an obligation to be at the service of life. This is a properly “ecclesial” responsibility, which requires concerted and generous action by all the members and by all sectors of the Christian community….Together we all sense our duty to preach the Gospel of life…” Pope John Paul II, The Gospel of Life, #79.
Filed under: Evangelium Vitae
In Evangelum Vitae (The Gospel of Life) John Paul II is not afraid to use the term pro-life – in fact he calls us to be unconditionally, actively and unreservedly pro-life:
“This situation, with its lights and shadows, ought to make us all fully aware that we are facing an enormous and dramatic clash between good and evil, death and life, the “culture of death” and the “culture of life”. We find ourselves not only “faced with” but necessarily “in the midst of” this conflict: we are all involved and we all share in it, with the inescapable responsibility of choosing to be unconditionally pro-life.” (#29)
“The Gospel of life is for the whole of human society. To be actively pro-life is to contribute to the renewal of society through the promotion of the common good. It is impossible to further the common good without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all the other inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop. A society lacks solid foundations when, on the one hand, it asserts values such as the dignity of the person, justice and peace, but then, on the other hand, radically acts to the contrary by allowing or tolerating a variety of ways in which human life is devalued and violated, especially where it is weak or marginalized. Only respect for life can be the foundation and guarantee of the most precious and essential goods of society, such as democracy and peace.” (#101)
“Nor can it be denied that the mass media are often implicated in this conspiracy, by lending credit to that culture which presents recourse to contraception, sterilization, abortion and even euthanasia as a mark of progress and a victory of freedom, while depicting as enemies of freedom and progress those positions which are unreservedly pro-life.” (#17)
Since the 1970’s many have conscientiously tried to depict people who are pro-life as radical right-wing zealots who are insensitive and out of touch with mainstream society. The media has catered to this and promoted this concept. It is a false and degrading caricature. As a consequence, many people with pro-life beliefs are reluctant to call themselves “pro-life”. But in his landmark encyclical, The Gospel of Life, John Paul II was not afraid to use the term pro-life, rather he embraced it and identified the term pro-life with the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Filed under: Evangelium Vitae
John Paul II Says in the encyclical Evangelium Vitae:
“The Gospel of life is something concrete and personal, for it consists in the proclamation of the very person of Jesus…Through the words, the actions and the very person of Jesus man is given the possibility of ‘knowing’ the complete truth concerning the value of human life…In Christ, the Gospel of life is definitively proclaimed and fully given” (#29).
In addition to the numerous marvels in the adult life of Jesus – the profundity of teaching, the healing touches, supernatural acts completing and anointing natural ones, His Passion journey through sorrowing redeeming death unto Resurrection – we must add those actions (yes, and even words – see Heb 10:5-7) of the Unborn Christ Child, through which we are “given the possibility of ‘knowing’ the complete truth concerning the value of human life”. Even the Unborn months of Christ’s life are a revelation to all Christians.
Specifically, we “discover” Christ in His unborn state and through these discoveries we learn about the spiritual personhood of all unborn babies. For He was like all unborn babies in countless respects. Perhaps the most profound lessons are discovered in the solidarity which the Unborn Christ has with all unborn children. Not a “natural” solidarity only, not a solidarity that is merely “symbolic”, but a supernatural solidarity. For Christianity is not a man-made religion. Christianity goes through the symbol to the mystical. The symbol is static, the mystical is living and active like the Word of God.
There are a number of key events in the life of the unborn Christ Child where we witness His solidarity with the unborn. One example was posted on this site on May 31st, the Feast of the Visitation. In the future we will be devoting lots of attention to these events.
GAP
Filed under: Evangelium Vitae
In the Gospel of Life, John Paul II presents a powerful and prophetic teaching in defense of human life. Nowhere is this more evident than in Section 57 of the encyclical. Could the following be anything but an infallible and definitive teaching?
“Therefore, by the authority which Christ conferred upon Peter and his Successors, and in communion with the Bishops of the Catholic Church, I confirm that the direct and voluntary killing of an innocent human being is always gravely immoral. This doctrine, based upon that unwritten law which man, in the light of reason, finds in his own heart (cf. Rom 2:14-15), is reaffirmed by Sacred Scripture, transmitted by the Tradition of the Church and taught by the ordinary and universal Magisterium. ” (Footnote 51: LG 25) Evangelium Vitae, 57
The footnote references the Vatican II document, Lumen Gentium, point 25. Point 25 talks about Papal Infallibility.
See also Section 58 of The Gospel of Life below which elaborates on this strong teaching in Section 57.
“The deliberate decision to deprive an innocent human being of his life is always morally evil and can never be licit either as an end in itself or as a means to a good end. It is in fact a grave act of disobedience to the moral law, and indeed to God himself, the author and guarantor of that law; it contradicts the fundamental virtues of justice and charity. “Nothing and no one can in any way permit the killing of an innocent human being, whether a fetus or an embryo, an infant or an adult, an old person, or one suffering from an incurable disease, or a person who is dying. Furthermore, no one is permitted to ask for this act of killing, either for himself or herself or for another person entrusted to his or her care, nor can he or she consent to it, either explicitly or implicitly. Nor can any authority legitimately recommend or permit such an action“. Evangelium Vitae, 58
Filed under: Evangelium Vitae
“…In this great endeavour to create a new culture of life we are inspired and sustained by the confidence that comes from knowing that the Gospel of life, like the Kingdom of God itself, is growing and producing abundant fruit (cf. Mk 4:26-29). There is certainly an enormous disparity between the powerful resources available to the forces promoting the “culture of death” and the means at the disposal of those working for a “culture of life and love”. But we know that we can rely on the help of God, for whom nothing is impossible (cf. Mt 19:26)”
“…a great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer.” Evangelium Vitae, 100
Please note our page entitled Please Pray. This page is for prayer intentions.
Here are some websites with pro-life prayers:
Litany of the Unborn Christ Child
UNBORN WORD of the day 
