Choose Life, Your Mother Did

Respect for life -October 4

A gentle man said: “I am a good Catholic. I follow 7 out of 10 commandments.”… 10 commandments are not 10 recommendations; they are 10 requirements to become part of God’s family. Hence, even if we follow 9 commandments and violate one, we fall short of glory.

This Sunday, October 4, is Respect for Life Sunday. We are invited to reflect on the value of life and our obligation to defend and promote life. Respect for life is the FIFTH Commandment. It says, “Thou shall not kill.” This commandment presumes three principles. They are:-
· Life belongs to God
· Right to life is a fundamental right
· We are the care takers of human life.

From this perspective the fifth commandment goes beyond its literal meaning. It is a call to Pro-life. Very often we restrict pro life to the anti-abortion movement. It is more than that. Pro-life means:
· Defend and protect the unborn child
· Create healthy atmosphere for children to grow and mature
· Reach out to the poor who are denied of basic human conditions for a dignified life
· Work for justice and equality for all
· Take care of the elders and homebound
· Avoid hatred, war and violence
· Cultivate moral and human values
· Safeguard the good name of others

Respect for life means all these. It is defending and celebrating life from womb to tomb; conception to natural death. No one can be a Christian without opting for life because Jesus came to the world to bring life in it abundance. Tagore, the great Indian Poet and Nobel Prize winner said: “Every time a new born child is born into the world, God says two things: I love humanity. I trust humanity.” When we accept and appreciate life, therefore, we are responding to God’s love and proving that we are trustworthy.

How do we promote life? There are number of ways. The first and foremost thing in this regard is upholding the sacred institution of marriage. Appropriate sex education, moral and religious formation and disciplined and purpose oriented life are other ways to enhance the appreciation for life.

Choose Life

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18, Psalm 34: 3-21, Ephesians 5:21-32, John 6:60-69)

When Jesus finished his teachings about the Bread of Life, his disciples came to him and said, “Many returned to their former way of life, saying, ‘this teaching is hard; who can accept it?” However, Jesus’ reply was simple. He said to them, “Do you also want to leave?” By making this seemingly harsh statement, Jesus was inviting them to make a radical decision in life – a decision for or against life.

Life is a series of decisions। There are only two choices:-Life or Death. The first man (Adam) was confronted with this challenge. He was asked to make a fundamental decision – a decision, either for life by denying the fruit of the tree or for death by eating it. He failed the test and paid the price. At the very outset of his public ministry, Jesus, too, was asked to make a similar decision – to eat the bread of the earth or to eat the bread of the Father. Jesus came out victorious in this test. He said, “Doing the will of my Father in heaven is my food.” God the Father approved his decision and introduced him to the world as his beloved Son. Before sending the disciples out for their mission, Jesus gave the same test to them: “To eat the flesh and to drink the blood of the Son of Man.” They, also, passed the test. Peter, representing all, said to Jesus, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Now, it is our turn…! Jesus is inviting us to make a fundamental choice. Life is a constant struggle to make the correct choices, because in every person two principles are at work – the life principle and the death principle. (S.Freud). It is easy to opt for death (the pleasure principle) as it is less demanding and immediate in terms of results. The pleasure principle is behind the fast development of the instant or consumer culture. Instant culture is tolerable as long as it does not enter into human relationship. When it becomes a style of human relationship, the result will be ‘adultery, divorce and abortion’. Option for life is difficult, though it is messianic. It is difficult as it demands sacrifices. But the result of delayed satisfaction (Sacrifice) is eternal happiness and peace.

Like Joshua addressed his people, Jesus also tells us today, “Decide today whom you will serve?” Can we answer with Peter, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the Words of life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the holy one of God.”