LAST Wednesday, a group of parishioners and I kicked off our celebration of 40 Days for Life with a rosary procession to an abortion clinic near our church on Arden Avenue. As we were walking and praying, I realized that it takes a great deal of courage nowadays to profess and defend publicly our Catholic morals and beliefs, especially the value of human life in all its stages. It’s hard to do it in a society that puts a higher value on personal choice.
Some people would argue and fight with us as we defend the lives of unborn babies, but we must not fear and be discouraged. We must remain steadfast in what we believe is morally right.
We must “walk the talk” and “walk the walk.” In other words, we cannot remain timid or shy about our belief in the sanctity of human life. Praying in front of an abortion clinic, for example, is a concrete way to walk the talk.
Of course, we can pray during Mass or in private for the end of abortion in our society. But I discovered one’s conviction on the right to life of unborn babies grows deeper as one participates in pro-life projects and events, such as seeing the anti-abortion movie, “Unplanned,” and participating in a discussion about it.
This Sunday’s Gospel on the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus reminds us not to ignore the poor in our society. The poor are not only the homeless person that we see by a freeway exit or in city streets. The poor are the unborn children who cannot defend their lives.
I realize that not all of our friends share our belief and conviction about the evils of abortion. They insist on the right of women to choose what to do with their bodies. I pray that we can respectfully disagree and listen to one another’s moral perspectives and opinions.
I invite everyone then to come to my parish, Incarnation Church in Glendale, for a movie screening and discussion of the movie, “Unplanned,” on Friday, October 11, at 7:00 PM in the school auditorium. There, you will meet people who will answer your questions and pray with you as we all grapple with the issue of abortion.
Let’s keep peace in our hearts and relationships while we defend the right to life in all its stages! Blessings to all!
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Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.
