The other day I joined a group of folks for Christmas caroling at an abortion clinic. It was cold. It was wet. It was depressing. A stream of young mothers entered an ugly building. Their expressionless faces belied the fact that they were carrying their own children in to be cut up and tossed into plastic bags for disposal. Within the hour, at least ten children would be destroyed.
The contrast between the Christmas carols and the abortion clinic struck me. “What Child is this, who laid to rest…,” we softly sang as the mothers loped into the clinic. “Away in a manger, no crib for a bed….,” we sang in perfect unison and harmony. The silver notes of “Silent Night” filled the parking lot as the mothers shut their ears, “Holy Infant so tender and mild—Sleep in heavenly peace.”
They were stopping their ears. A car pulled out of the lot, the windows tight shut, loud rap music pounding from within. The young lady at the wheel averted her eyes. We sang sweetly on. But not everyone sang. Rather than sing, some of the people called out to the fathers and mothers bringing their children into the clinic to die. “Hey, you. You’re a father. Take responsibility for your child!” Some, rather than sing, held up angry signs to cars passing by.
It seemed to me that we either sang or we frowned. There is certainly plenty to frown about. We pro-lifers have lost this war. No one is paying attention to us. America has re-elected the most pro-abortion president in history, who will appoint two or three Supreme Court justices. American Catholics are mostly pro-abortion, or at least refuse to defend human life. The media, the education system, the government—all the powers of this world are against us, and we have lost this war. There is no hope. So why am I standing out on this sidewalk?
And I realized: I am standing out on this sidewalk not to win a war, but to sing. I am not convincing anyone of anything—that is God’s work. My work is to sing of the Way, the Truth, and the Life. My job is to witness, and let God do the rest. And if I do not sing, I will despair. Christmas is a fact that secular advocates of death can change. A young mother, impoverished and unwed, gave birth to her child. It was the single decisive fact in human history. No one can change the fact of Life’s triumph in a world of death.
We can either give in to anger, or we can sing. Much better, especially during this Christmas season, to sing.
The contrast between the Christmas carols and the abortion clinic struck me. “What Child is this, who laid to rest…,” we softly sang as the mothers loped into the clinic. “Away in a manger, no crib for a bed….,” we sang in perfect unison and harmony. The silver notes of “Silent Night” filled the parking lot as the mothers shut their ears, “Holy Infant so tender and mild—Sleep in heavenly peace.”
They were stopping their ears. A car pulled out of the lot, the windows tight shut, loud rap music pounding from within. The young lady at the wheel averted her eyes. We sang sweetly on. But not everyone sang. Rather than sing, some of the people called out to the fathers and mothers bringing their children into the clinic to die. “Hey, you. You’re a father. Take responsibility for your child!” Some, rather than sing, held up angry signs to cars passing by.
It seemed to me that we either sang or we frowned. There is certainly plenty to frown about. We pro-lifers have lost this war. No one is paying attention to us. America has re-elected the most pro-abortion president in history, who will appoint two or three Supreme Court justices. American Catholics are mostly pro-abortion, or at least refuse to defend human life. The media, the education system, the government—all the powers of this world are against us, and we have lost this war. There is no hope. So why am I standing out on this sidewalk?
And I realized: I am standing out on this sidewalk not to win a war, but to sing. I am not convincing anyone of anything—that is God’s work. My work is to sing of the Way, the Truth, and the Life. My job is to witness, and let God do the rest. And if I do not sing, I will despair. Christmas is a fact that secular advocates of death can change. A young mother, impoverished and unwed, gave birth to her child. It was the single decisive fact in human history. No one can change the fact of Life’s triumph in a world of death.
We can either give in to anger, or we can sing. Much better, especially during this Christmas season, to sing.
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