Defend the Most Vulnerable

by David Lins  |  10/16/2022  |  (Being) Catholic Matters

I recently received feedback that said a previous column was “offensive.” I treat feedback like this very seriously by going back and scouring the article in question. If I inadvertently wrote something mean-spirited because I didn’t pray and/or have my morning coffee first, I will write a correction or apology—as I have in the past. But if it is offensive because it is firmly grounded in Church teaching and the Gospel, so be it. It means I did something worthwhile.

We forget that Jesus was “offensive.” He said we need to love him more than our own families (Luke 14:26). He said we can’t love God AND money (Matthew 6:24). He said we have to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44). And oh yeah. He said he was God (Mark 14:60-64).

Ultimately, Jesus was put to death as a result of his “offensive” teachings.

Today, His Church is equally “offensive.” It is not swayed by celebrity opinion or cultural shifts. A perfect example is this teaching from the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “Since the first century, the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion.” p. 2271

Is it just me, or have you ever seen such an onslaught of messaging intended to paint abortion as something good and just? As a crucial part of “healthcare?”

We find ourselves in the middle of October, which just happens to be Respect Life Month. And this (somehow) has never been more offensive to our culture.

We. Shouldn’t. Care.

Our God is described as “the father to the fatherless and the defender of widows” in Psalm 68:5. If you know anything about the time when it was written and remember the Bible was divinely inspired, this indicated our God is especially loving and defensive of the most vulnerable. In our time, that includes (but is not limited to) young mothers, the poor, the elderly who are ill or disabled, and especially the unborn who have been slaughtered for the last half century.

If you want to stand with God in defending the vulnerable and promoting God’s gift of life, please reach out and I’ll put you in touch with the OLOJ Sanctity of Life group.