religious freedom and peace »« mary, mother of god

respect for human life

December 1, 2010

"LOFTY AND INCOMPARABLE DIGNITY"

The Incarnation reveals to us, with intense light and in a surprising way, that every human life has a very lofty and incomparable dignity.

"GOD LOVES US DEEPLY"

God loves us deeply, totally and without making distinctions. He calls us to friendship with Him, He makes us part of a reality beyond every imagination and every thought and word: His divine life itself.

"GREAT RESPONSIBILITY"

With feeling and gratitude, let us be aware of the value of every person's incomparable dignity and of our great responsibility to all.

A NEW WAY OF SEEING

Believing in Jesus Christ ... means seeing man in a new way, with trust and hope ... The human being is a good in himself and his integral development must always be sought.

CONCERN FOR WEAK AND POOR

Love for all, ... if it is sincere, tends spontaneously to become preferential attention to the weakest and poorest. This explains the Church's concern for the unborn, the frailest, those most threatened by the selfishness of adults and the clouding of consciences.

GUARD WITH THE GREATEST CARE

The Church continually reasserts what the Second Vatican Council declared against abortion and every violation of unborn life: "from the moment of its conception life must be guarded with the greatest care" ...

"SPURIOUS ARGUMENTS"

Cultural trends exist that seek to anesthetize consciences with spurious arguments. With regards to the embryo in the mother's womb, science itself highlights its autonomy, its capacity for interaction with the mother, the coordination of biological processes, the continuity of development, the growing complexity of the organism.

"VIBRANT WITH LOVE"

Let us entrust our prayers and our commitment to unborn life to the Virgin Mary, who welcomed the Son of God made man with her faith, with her maternal womb, with her attentive care, with her nurturing support, vibrant with love.

(Source: Homily, First Vespers, First Sunday of Advent, 11/27/10)