Sacred Hearts

I've put off blogging a bit because I really wanted to document my thoughts about June 24th and well, that's a sticky wicket. That's the beauty and bane of it being my blog, I guess. So I'll get that out of the way now.

I know it's a contentious subject and I have many friends and family that don't agree, but I'm still in awe that I lived to see the day that Roe v Wade was overturned. For those of us who believe in the humanity of the unborn, there is NO justification for their willful termination. I'm not discounting the true burden or the difficulties of child bearing and rearing. I'm pretty educated on the issue. Yet, I can't condone the idea that some humans can decide other humans are better off dead, no matter the burden. I can think of many other times in our history where that has been practiced and now it is roundly condemned. We have learned that to be on the right side of history means we can not be personally opposed for me and not thee when it comes to the taking of innocent life, or enslavement, or rape, or really anything that causes harm to another being. 

Regardless of the humanity/personhood arguments, has abortion really been good for women? Is it a practice that must be enshrined into our constitution? How has the pitting of a woman against her own progeny to the tune of 63 million benefitted anyone besides those who profit from the procedure, and the fathers who can walk away? Abortion is oppressive, violent, lucrative, racist, and abusive. It is not a pregnancy reversal. It continues the lie that women must deny their inherent femininity in order to be equal. It perpetuates the lack of support for woman who choose life because they had an "easier" option. 

A renewed respect for human sexuality and strengthening families wouldn't hurt matters. We've forgotten sex is procreative. Our lives begin at conception. We are not commodities whose value is found only in our utility or ability. Our dignity and worth is not found in an individual or a government's willingness to love or care for us. Yes, this means poor, abused, "unwanted" people will continue to make up this world. Willing death is not the answer. Ask the poor, the hungry, the abused, the sick, and those conceived in rape if their lives are worth living before voting for a right to end them. While asking, listen to their stories.  

The issue is far from settled, of course. There is a lot of scrambling on this altered field. The whoppers are certainly flying. A fetus no matter how young sometimes has to be delivered early to save the life of the mother. That is an early delivery, not an abortion. Even if the baby has no chance to survive, like in the sad event of an ectopic pregnancy. Intent matters. Care after a miscarriage to evacuate the uterus is not an abortion even though it is medically coded as a Spontaneous Abortion. The spontaneous part matters. These medical interventions are still legal in all 50 states and are not seriously contested. I could go on. 

Our society has a long way to go in recovering from decades of national legislative approval that discounted the humanity of the unborn. Their lives still hang in the balance in half the states. Millions upon millions have lost their children and grandchildren to this practice. That's a lot of pain and suffering, whole generations of needing it to be ok. Our brokenness runs so deep. May this be a first step toward a more just world. 

My hope is that people who have ignored the topic will be awakened to investigate the truth of the abortion procedure and industry. I pray that those who are hurting from abortion will seek healing. I pray efforts both public and private will be redoubled to care for struggling families and single moms and that the pressure to "get rid of the problem" can be reduced. I must repeat that intentional killing is not a moral response to lack of resources.

Anti-abortion sentiment has often been dismissed as a religious argument. Yes, my conviction is supported by my faith, that every human life is endowed with dignity at the moment of conception by the Creator. But many who claim no religion come to the same conclusion by science or ethics or personal experience or logic alone. Still, we Catholics were touched when the reversal occurred on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which is all about God's infinite love for mankind. Despite our deep divide on some topics, no matter the circumstances, we're all created with dignity. Have mercy on me for all the times I've confused someone's beliefs or behaviors with their worth. Lord, open our eyes to your passion for us and may we extend it to all the others. 

Back to regular stuff.