Pro Lifers Should Celebrate Life
Posted by: tony on 08/24/2006 10:55 AM
Updated by: tony on 08/24/2006 10:55 AM
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Expires: 09/24/2006 12:00 AM
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Todd at Catholic Sensibility wonders why pro-lifers are dour and angry looking all the time. He thinks it might be a bit conterproductive to their cause. He writes:
Many pro-lifers cannot comprehend why they seem to get so little support from their parish priests. My pastor nailed it in his bulletin column. Here's what I posted on Monday:
I am not unaware - as some of you have noted to me and other priests - that those who serve on pro-life committees and who work for life causes in other arenas are among the saddest people in our parishes, looking dour, even angry, rarely smiling or reflecting the joy of life that they promote.
I wonder if these people see the harm they do. They leave the conversion of the hard-hearted entirely in the hands of some miracle of God. They underestimate the calm witness of a serene and peaceful person. A few people posted their positive personal experiences of Helen Prejean on that open book thread. Absolutely no comment on them.
Todd is right on target with this. We, as Catholics are called to evangelize. We generally don't do it like the Jehovah's Witnesses, door to door, but we have our own, and very effective way of evangelizing.
Live our life in a way that makes people want what we have.
This means being full of joy and peace. This means being secure in your service to the will of God. Being at loggerheads with God's will is not a path of a peaceful person. Taking time to sit down quietly with God in the Blessed Sacrament and listen to what He has to say.
People catch on to that. They wonder why you are so joyful when their lives are filled with strife. They wonder why you are peaceful and not so worry-filled as they. Then they come to you and ask. When that happens the door cracks open and you have your opportunity. Invite them to Mass.
What does not attract people is the bitterness and anger projected by many pro-lifers. I guess that rather than peacefully turning people away from abortion one heart at a time, they try and take it on as some sort of battle. Many times they depersonalize the object of their ire calling them murderers, and the clinics "abortuaries". Though accurate, it isn't helpful.
We pro-lifers need to attack the abortion problem the same way we are supposed to attack anything else, with faith, love, and charity.
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