Even in Cold, a Right Cause for All Lives

Earlier this month marked the anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision that opened up legalization for unrestricted abortion throughout the United States.

Since this controversial decision, throngs have come to Washington, DC, for the annual March for Life.  It happened once again this year earlier this month, even though the Mid-Atlantic region was hours away from a major winter storm.  When I did a search on Google News, the top results of news stories pretty much all talked about how the crowds for the March were diminished on account of the impending storm.

Yet, as this Chicago Catholic Examiner column indicates, the throngs still came for the March this year.  He cites other examples of how the pro-life cause continues on toward victory despite all the hurdles it encounters and the ways that powerful forces seek to advance the pro-abortion cause.

This columnist even cites the Chicago March for Life 2016, which turned out a huge crowd, including my Dad and me, despite air temperatures in the single digits on the afternoon of Sunday, January 17.  I was glad indeed that Dad was unwavering about going, which encouraged me to keep up my spirits about attending, despite the brutal cold.

So there we were, hundreds of people in the Loop, fired up and energized by the rightness of our cause.  I can still recall how much pain my feet were in from the extreme cold as we marched around from Federal Plaza to the Thompson Center and back.  I experienced a good deal of discomfort, but I was so glad to be there to join with the hundreds gathered to make a statement that life matters.

There were many good speakers, including Archbishop Cupich, Pastor Corey Brooks, and abortion survivor Melissa Ohden (see directly below).  Their remarks all centered around the reality that all lives matter, and how we should value all life.  Indeed, there was so much energy as Pastor Brooks urged us on in yelling out that all lives matter.

It was amazing to see Melissa Ohden, who by the grace of God, stood before us that day, having survived an abortion attempt, to speak for her unborn brothers and sisters who never saw the light of day.  She spoke well when she said that the pro-life cause is totally pro-woman, owing to the immense damage an abortion does to a woman both physically and mentally.

In his remarks, Archbishop Cupich (see directly below) talked about how we should welcome children warmly into the world.  Indeed, I recognize that being pro-life starts with fighting for the right of the unborn to be born into this world.  And it continues by working to make a world that nourishes children so that they flourish, especially in helping them feel that they matter and have value.

I see those sentiments connecting with my role as a Religious Education teacher.  I seek to impart to my students that they are loved by God, and so they have value, to God who created them, to their parents who raise them, and to me as their teacher.  The reality is that if any young person grows up feeling he/she isn't valued, it will have a negative impact on the rest of their lives.  But when we make clear to young people that they have value, they will be inspired to live to the fullest, embracing their God-given gifts and talents, and working to overcome their weakness to be the best for Him who created them and loves them, even to the point of sending the Son to die for them.

Indeed, it's a sacred and undeniable truth that life is a precious gift from God, and we must strive to uphold it in word and deed.

Above and below: scenes of the crowd at the 2016 March for Life Chicago