A Homily - Pro-Life Sunday, 2002
October 6,
2002 (27th Sunday in ordinary time - year A)
(Life-chain Sunday - Pro-Life)
Deacon Michael Kiley
St. Julie Billiart
Isaiah 5: 1-7 Philippians
4: 6-9 Matthew 21:
33-43
“The kingdom of god will be taken away
from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.” Powerful words. Frightening words.
Fact: (taken from
www.abortionfacts.com) Figures
from 1973 to 1998, published by the Alan Guttmacher institute, the statistical
arm of the International Family Planning Organization, which is not a pro-life
organization, categorically states that in the United States there have been
38,010,378 abortions. World wide they place the statistics at 53 million
abortions. In most cases experts
agree that in reality the count is much higher due to abortions not recorded.
“The kingdom of god will be taken away
from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”
Fact: Euthanasia and physician assisted
suicide is gaining wide spread adherents to the belief that a terminally ill
patient has the legal right to request death and be given an injection of
choice to die.
“The kingdom of god will be taken away
from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”
Fact: Stem cell research is becoming
world wide. The actor,
Christopher Reeves of superman fame, has recently called for a bill in
congress to expand government funding of stem cell research. Mr. Reeves suffered spinal injuries in
a fall and can no longer walk. There
is a good indication that spinal cells harvested from human fetal tissue could
be used to help him walk again if transplanted to his spine. I believe we can
all sympathize with his situation but at the heart of stem cell research is
the fact that the best source for these cells is human fetal tissue. Harvesting the stem cells destroys the
embryo. In short, we are producing test tube babies in order to kill
them for their parts.
“The kingdom of god will be taken away
from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”
This has been one of the most difficult
homilies I have ever prayed and thought about.
I believe you all know me well enough to know that I like nothing
better then a good laugh and a smile but this weekend we are called to look at
something that has no laughter, that has no smile - Killing. The killing of the children of the
world, the killing of the unborn, the killing of the ill and the elderly.
I know that many consider the abortion
issue to be a personal matter. It
is difficult and painful. We want
to be compassionate and understanding and we need to be compassionate and
understanding. But the church repeatedly calls us to defend the right to life
from the very beginning of conception to the moment of the individual’s
final breath. All life is
sacred!!! But like the tenants of the vineyard, we live in a world, where
legally we have seized the very sacredness of life and have decided to be the
god of its death. God has given
us so much. God is the author of all and the creator of all but we in our free
will are telling that author of life, that we know better how such a gift is
to be used. We are returning death for life. What a produce we are returning
to god.
Recently I read: (quoted
from www.priestsforlife.com) “Abortion is the exact opposite of
love. Love says, ‘I sacrifice
myself for the good of the other person.’
abortion says, ‘I sacrifice the other person for the good of myself.’ In the Eucharist we see the meaning of
love and receive the power to live it. The very same words that the lord uses
to teach us the meaning of love are also used by those who promote abortion:
‘This is my body!’ these four
little words are spoken from opposite ends of the universe, with totally
opposite results. Christ gives
his body away so that others might live; abortion supporters cling to their
own bodies so others might die. Christ
says, ‘This is my body given up for you; this is my blood shed for you.’ these are words of sacrifice; these
are words of love.”
Indeed, the Eucharist gives us the
strength of love that we need to carry out into that world, his love and
courage, to stand up and face the evil one who is the master of all lies and
deceit. But if we do not have
this cornerstone, this foundation of love in our hearts, then nothing will
stop the killing. As the song of
song 8:6 says: “love is stronger than death, more powerful even than hell.”
Today, there will be a life chain formed
at 144th place and LaGrange road from 2:30 - 3:30 pm. Again that address is 144th place and
LaGrange road, right in front of the dairy queen.
We are inviting all to come out for a show of support against abortion. For those unable to be there may I
ask you a favor? Would you make a mental note to remember to say just one prayer
sometime during that particular hour? In
that prayer you could remember all of the aborted children of our world. Or a prayer for the mothers who felt
compelled to take this step. A
prayer for legislators and lawmakers that love may be the cornerstone of all
their decision-making and not expediency. A
prayer for those who are suffering and are near death, that they will have the
courage, the strength, and the love to leave their fate in the hands of god. A prayer for doctors that they will truly and fully live up
to their Hippocratic oath which in part actually reads: “I will give no deadly
medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel, and in like manner I
will not give to a woman a device (pessary) to produce an abortion.” Or maybe
a prayer for scientists and biologists that they may seek to find cures and
remedies for the diseases that destroy human life but not at the cost of taking
human life.
And may we all say a prayer for
ourselves, that what St. Paul writes in his letter to the Philippians in our
second reading today, may become a living reality in our hearts: “Brothers and
sisters, in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your
requests known to god. Then the peace of god that surpasses all understanding
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus...then the god of peace will be
with you.”
Normally this page contains my thoughts in my words. But Mike's homily says it better than I could. Also see "A Human Life". Those words are mine.
My Beliefs
These are presented in no particular order but are listed as they come to mind. They are mine and I do not intend to impose them on anyone else. If you come to accept them, I am happy to share them. These beliefs have been accumulated during my entire life but mostly during the most recent years. They come out of personal experience, and the teaching and influence of others. |
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