What Constitutes effective, pro-life witness among families? Living out the Gospel of Life with holy abandonment.
This is the remedy Pope Saint John Paul II suggests as a good starting point in overturning the Culture of Death.
Toward the end of his beautiful papal encyclical, Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), the holy saint has some exhortations for Christian households.
He begins section 95 quoting Ephesians 5:8, 10-11: “Walk as children of the light… and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness.”
The Polish Pontiff uses this as a launching point for the next couple sections of his encyclical. He effectively lays out marching orders for all Christians, and especially Christian families, to follow.
INEFFECTIVE CHRISTIAN WITNESS
The Polish Pontiff says, “We need to begin with the renewal of a culture of life within Christian communities themselves” (#95, emphasis original).
He identifies a problem within Christian communities as this: “Too often it happens that believers, even those who take an active part in the life of the Church, end up separating their Christian faith from its ethical requirements concerning life…” (#95, emphasis added).
The late pope goes on saying we must have the courage and openness “to question how widespread is the culture of life today among individual Christians, families, groups and communities in our dioceses” (#95).
Pope Saint John Paul II explains what results from this ineffective witness to the Gospel of Life.
“[T]hus they (Christian communities) fall into moral subjectivism and certain objectionable ways of acting” (#95).
We might say, if there is nothing indistinguishable between your so-called Christian family and the pop culture’s view of family, then you’re not doing it right.
If the values you instill in your children do not come from the wisdom of the Church and the pages of Scripture, then you’re using the wrong sources. The mass media and Hollywood are not your friends, Christian parents.
The former Bishop of Rome explains in the next paragraph why this occurs. He says, “at the heart of every culture lies the attitude man takes to the greatest mystery: the mystery of God” (#96).
“Where God is denied and people live as though he did not exist, or his commandments are not taken into account, the dignity of the human person and the inviolability of human life also end up being rejected or compromised” (#96, emphasis added).
A TRANFORMATION OF OUR CULTURE MUST TAKE PLACE
Pope Saint John Paul II writes, “The first and fundamental step towards this cultural transformation consists in forming consciences with regard to the incomparable and inviolable worth of every human life” (#96, emphasis original).
He identifies an inseparable link between life and freedom.
Where our culture nowadays glorifies a person’s autonomy as the end all, be all, the pope does not. Our culture also does not welcome new life willingly, but only conditionally.
The pope sees this as a basic problem that must be overcome. “There is no true freedom where life is not welcomed and loved; and there is no fullness of life except in freedom” (#96, emphasis added).
Pope Saint John Paul II explains what I have written about in the past. When freedom and truth are separated, as has happened in our culture, society is “at the mercy of the unrestrained will of individuals or the oppressive totalitarianism of public authority” (#96, cf. 98).
The former Bishop of Rome explains in the next paragraph why this occurs. He says, “at the heart of every culture lies the attitude man takes to the greatest mystery: the mystery of God” (#96).
“Where God is denied and people live as though he did not exist, or his commandments are not taken into account, the dignity of the human person and the inviolability of human life also end up being rejected or compromised” (#96, emphasis added).
I want to stand up and cheer. This is dead on!
Why is our culture so messed up? Because we have lost our bearings, and we are adrift, having rejected God.
Which diametrically opposed camp does your family serve?
BETTER GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER, SAYS THE POPE
The Pope gives a demanding challenge to all Christians, especially to Christian households.
“In a word, we can say that the cultural change which we are calling for demands from everyone the courage to adopt a new lifestyle…” (#98, emphasis original).
Again, back to that theme that we must be distinguishable from the rest of the world, to give actual testimony to the Gospel of Life.
The Pope lays out beautifully what this “new lifestyle” needs to look like. It is especially pertinent to Christian families.
The “new lifestyle” consists of “making practical choices—at the personal, family, social, and international level—on the basis of a correct scale of values” (#98). He goes on to list what those values are.
1. “[T]he primacy of being over having”
2. “[O]f the person over things”
3. Passing from ”indifference to concern over others”
4. And ”from rejection to acceptance of them” (#98, emphasis original)
THE QUESTION REMAINS OPEN
Just how accepting of the Gospel of Life are Christians? Do Christian families give effective witness?
To make it more personal, is your family accepting of new children?
Do you value people over stuff? Or do you have it backwards?
YOUR TURN
What do you make of the Polish Pontiff’s appraisal of effective witness to the Gospel of Life?
Please sounds off below.
