Life in the midst of Darkness

Homily for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
Deut. 18.15-20 Psalm 95 1 Corinthians 7.32-35 Mark 1.21-28

One day, 14 hours and 20 minutes. That’s how long my house was without power during this week’s ice and snow storm. Just as it was during the windstorm in September, there were many people who never lost power, and several who are still waiting for their power to be restored. And, just as it was in September, the church, school, and parish office never lost power. But for me, in the 1 day, 14 hours and 20 minutes without power, the temperature in the house dropped to 48 degrees, once again the food in the refrigerator and freezer had to be moved, and there was plenty of inconvenience.

And really, that’s the biggest thing most of us have to deal with during the aftermath of major storms – inconvenience. We have to make plans to stay warm and to make sure we have enough food, we have to be careful when driving and clearing away the snow and ice, and we have to rearrange our plans. But we make do, we get by, and we move on as best we can. Of course, some people face greater hardships, and they’re not through this darkness yet. But the real benefit for all of us during these times of storm recovery, when the lights are off and school is closed and meetings are cancelled – the real benefit is that we are reminded of those things that are most important. Even when the power is out and the roads are impassable, we still have our faith, we still have our relationships, we still have life itself. Those things may be tested, they may be shaken by a little inconvenience, but there are some things in life that can never be taken away. And yet, there are some people who will try their hardest to take away our very right to live.

For the past twenty years, a bill has been introduced in the US Congress just about every year that has come to be known as the Freedom of Choice Act. As it has been introduced in the past, the Freedom of Choice Act would make abortion a fundamental right in our country. Much more than recognizing abortion’s legality, the act would take away all restrictions on abortion and would overturn informed consent laws, parental notification laws, and any law that regulates abortion practices to make them safe. Abortions would be available at all times of pregnancy, using all procedures, and would not have to be performed by a physician. Abortion would be de-regulated, and no laws could be made that would take away any person’s free and uninformed desire for an abortion. Nowhere in this act is any thought given to the life that is being ended, let alone the rights of an unborn child to live. The Freedom of Choice Act legalizes convenience and whim over life itself. The effects on our country and our culture would be devastating.

As of today, this act has not yet been reintroduced into this year’s Congress. But our newly-elected government leaders have promised to do all they can to pass the Freedom of Choice Act into law. In response, the bishops of the United States have called for action – they have called for all Catholics to stand together to let our senators and representatives know that such an act, were it introduced into Congress, would be unacceptable and irreparably harmful both to unborn children as well as their mothers and fathers and indeed our whole country. The bishops have asked all Catholics to send postcards to our senators and representatives, to bombard them with a united stand in favor of human life. At the end of Mass today, you will have an opportunity to participate in this postcard campaign, and I will give instructions and more information at that time.

The power of nature can easily remind us of what is most important in our lives, and our respect for life itself is one of those things. With love and compassion, we must reach out to women who see abortion as their only choice, and with even greater love and compassion, we must reach out to those who have made this choice already and are trying to live with their decision. But we must also stand together with one voice and one heart to do everything we can to make the voice of God heard. Even in the face of unclean spirits, there was nothing that could deter Jesus teaching with a great authority the most basic truths of life, of love, and of the fundamental right of each human being to live. So, too, we will not be deterred; we will speak together a word of great authority – that all life is sacred and loved by God, not a matter to be dealt with out of inconvenience. We can do without power, we can do without heat for a few days; but we can never do without the gift of life.