Many live as if there was no God or they make themselves like gods or claim rights that belong to God alone - who lives, who dies, interfering with God’s plan for procreation through contraception, in-vitro fertilization, abortion, cloning and experimenting on human embryos, euthanasia or physician assisted suicide. We can be tempted to separate ourselves from others, caring only about ourselves and our families alone, with little thought given to eternal life or correcting injustices. But Jesus taught us that we must imitate his humble service. He taught us the way to salvation was to take up our own cross and follow him.

A true follower of Christ will not be afraid to make sacrifices and even face death. By his death and resurrection Jesus has taken away the sting of death. Shortly before his own death Pope John Paul II said “We must get used to thinking confidently about the mystery of death so that the definitive encounter with God occurs in a climate of interior peace.”

Christians don’t fear death, but nor do they cause death. When the early Christians embraced the faith they rejected abortion and infanticide that were common at that time. The Second Vatican Council called abortion and euthanasia infamies that poison human society. It said they do more harm to those who practice them than to those who suffer the injury. Sin always hurts the sinner more than anyone. Judas and Pontius Pilate did more to harm themselves than they did to hurt Jesus.

A woman who had an abortion once said to me about her abortion “The baby dies once, but the woman dies a little bit every day.” But the good news is that Christ died for sinners. Through Rachel’s Vineyard retreats and other post abortion ministries we promote a message of forgiveness and hope.

The Society of Centurions is a group of former abortionists who have now repented. They are named after the Roman centurion spoken of in the Gospel of St. Luke who repented of his role in the crucifixion, glorified God and said “This man was innocent, beyond doubt.” (Luke 23, 47)

All of us called by Christ to serve; to spread His Gospel of mercy and life. What kind of disciples will we be? Will we be like the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. John the Apostle and St. Mary Magdalene who stood faithfully at the foot of the Cross or will we be like Peter who denied Jesus, Judas who betrayed him, Pontius Pilate who condemned an innocent man or the crowd who called out for Barabbas?

Blessed Franz Jagerstatter, an Austrian, was beheaded by the Nazis in 1943 when he refused to join the army. In the spring of 1938 he voted against the annexation of Austria by Germany. Afterwards many citizens were arrested, tortured and killed. In response Blessed Franz said “I believe what happened that Holy Thursday 1,900 years ago when the crowd was given a free choice between the innocent Savior and the criminal Barabbas.”

Sometimes when we vote, we are given a similar choice. Do we vote based on personality, party affiliation or self-interest and forget the unborn or do we vote for people we know will advance our values, starting with the defense of the most important human right – the right to life.

Ask God to help you recognize your dignity as a child of God who died for you. Pray that God will help you to protect the dignity of others, especially those most threatened. Through the Eucharist which Christ left us as a memorial of his suffering and death, may he give us the strength to build a culture of life.