Simple Gifts
1999

As our van rounded the corner, I caught sight of a church with rows of white crosses in the front yard. I was confused until I saw the sign in front of the crosses: “4,200 lives are taken by abortion” read the first two lines. “Four thousand two hundred,” I thought. “That must be the number of abortions in one month or something.” Then I read the last line of the sign. “Each day.”

I can still remember how shocked I was when I read that sign. Four thousand two hundred lives taken in one day. That's twenty-nine thousand four hundred in a week, one hundred thirty thousand two hundred in a month. One life ended by abortion every twenty point five seconds.

Abortion has been debated in politics for a long time. Some politicians say that a baby is not a living human until it leaves the womb, others argue that the baby is the mother's property and she has a right to an abortion if she wants one. I don't see what all the arguing is about. Abortion is murder. It's not a tough concept to grasp. From the moment of conception, a baby carries out all of the normal life processes; thus, it is a living human. Abortion ends the life of that living human; thus, abortion is murder. What makes it even worse is that the baby never did anything wrong. It can't even defend itself. Its mother doesn't want it, so it gets tossed away like a used paper bag. All the plans that God had for each precious life, gone in an instant. All the hopes and dreams that the child might have had, all the lives that its own might have touched, its chance to make a difference in the world, all gone, just because a mother made a selfish decision. It is taking God's ultimate gift of life and throwing it back in His face. “Here, God,” we say. “I don't want it. It's too much trouble, too much hassle. Take it back.”

The Catholic Church looks upon abortion as murder. Although Jesus did not directly state that abortion is wrong, we can conclude from His teachings about life and His actions toward children that He would strongly disapprove of it if He was here today. The Church has tried and is still trying to make abortion illegal through protests, letter writing, and other parish events, but it is not enough. Some politicians refuse to listen, others stick to their beliefs that abortion is okay and a mother has the right to an abortion. It seems impossible at times, but if we as the people unite against abortion, maybe we can make a difference.

Have you ever seen a birthday party with six- or seven- year old guests? Each party guest is anxious to give his gift because he is sure that his is the best, and the gift-giver is just as excited to give as the gift-receiver is to receive. If the birthday child is happy with the gift, then the giver is happy, too. God is just as happy to give His gift of life to us. Think how He must feel when we reject it.