Life is Preeminent!

by Deacon Jeff Strom  |  02/02/2023  |  Images of Faith

Life is preeminent because, “It is impossible to further the common good without defending the Right to Life, upon which all other inalienable rights are founded,” as Pope St. John Paul (the Great) teaches in his Gospel of Life. Pope Francis and the U.S. Bishops echo this teaching as well. The word “preeminent” has a Latin origin and means outstanding, to stand out, or above all else. Basic logic dictates that not all issues are equal. According to (future Doctor of the Church) Pope Benedict XVI, it’s simply the three non-negotiables of (1) life above all, then (2) natural marriage, and (3) religious freedom, followed by all other negotiable common goods of society. God is preeminent above all, the family is preeminent in society, and life is preeminent every day!

Tragically, God, the natural family, natural marriage, and innocent unborn babies are still under intense attack in many states. Until last year, we had been walking in the dark shadow cast by Roe v. Wade since Jan. 22, 1973—50 years ago—resulting in over 60 million innocent babies being murdered in the U.S. There have been over one billion babies killed worldwide. While the total number of deaths from the virus, the shots, and the lockdown mental health crisis is over one million in the U.S., abortion has taken over two million unborn lives in the same few years. The prophetic teachings of the Church called it an “unspeakable crime” against life, and, further, that contraception, euthanasia, and physician-assisted suicide are fruits of the same intrinsically evil tree. This culture of death can feel overwhelming and discouraging, with euthanasia now legal in 10 states, including our neighbor New Mexico. The brilliant “Catholics in the Public Square” publication by holy Bishop Thomas Olmsted is very helpful. Please pray for the way-toomany Catholics who don’t support pro-life candidates above all and are involved in remote mediate material cooperation in evil. The amazing EWTN foundress Mother Angelica summed it up well, saying, “I don’t vote for candidates. I vote for life.” Principles and stated policies are always above personalities and preferences. So, life is preeminent above all, and of course, all lives matter. All UNBORN lives matter!

With God’s infinite mercy, it is now our duty, our honor, to stand up and promote the Gospel of Life, and restore the right to life of the most vulnerable among us. Praise God for a strong Pro-Life movement, which includes: our Blessed Sacrament Respect Life Apostolate, First Way Pregnancy Center and their baby bottle drive, the Knights of Columbus who donate ultrasound machines, 40 Days for Life, Priests for Life, Rachel’s Vineyard healing ministry founded by Fr. Frank Pavone, and prayer warriors who close abortion centers. Arizona ranked as a top pro-life state with a 2-seat pro-life majority in both the state house and senate, though tragically with a pro-choice, pro-abortion governor. Also, remember the Arizona March for Life and rally at the state capitol on Thursday, Feb. 23. See you there!

Finally, Pope St. John Paul spoke of God’s infinite Divine Mercy, when he said, “The Church is aware of the many factors which may have influenced your decision and does not doubt that in many cases, it was a painful and even shattering decision. The wound in your heart may not yet have healed. The Father of Mercies is ready to give you His forgiveness and His peace in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.” He also made a bold proclamation over 40 years ago at a Mass on the Mall in Washington, D.C., soon after the Roe v. Wade decision, which obviously lacked any legal, moral, or scientific basis. I pray that we can always live up to what he told America that the Church would do in response to legalized abortion in our country. “We will stand up every time that human life is threatened. When the sacredness of life before birth is attacked, we will stand up and proclaim that no one ever has the authority to destroy unborn life. When a child is described as a burden, we will stand up. We will insist that every child is a unique and unrepeatable gift of God, with the right to a loving and united family. When the institution of marriage is abandoned, We Will Stand Up!”