March for Life, Washington, D.C.

A week ago, our family watched some of the annual March for Life in  Washington, D.C.

There was new hope this year, with a pro-life  President recently elected.

And the Vice-President, Mike Pence, had accepted the invitation to speak, the first high up government official to attend this event

which began after Roe vs. Wade.

It was thrilling watching the hundreds of thousands of marchers who value life,

and who were calling upon the Supreme Court to make a turn-around

and also value life.
It is estimated that half a million marchers were there, and their appearance and actions were so refreshing compared to the Women's March of the week before,
which had been complete with vulgarity of speech, action, and appearance.

This crowd of half a million(perhaps not even counting ones who could not get in due to security because of the Vice President's attendance) was joyful, decent, and sane.

At the bottom of the screen on the online site we happened to be watching, which was a Catholic broadcast actually, you could see the numbers fast ticking and going up by the second,

the number of abortions on average taking place worldwide just while this  march was going on.

As you can see, it was up to 20,495 in just a few hours, about one per second.

I liked to see the homemade banners,like the one above with a baby's footprints for the letter O,

in "CHOOSE Life."

Another poster read, "Pro Abundant Life!" 

And another, "Small Lives Matter."

l

One that made us laugh was, "CNN Not My News!"

Thank God for all those who traveled in from every State in the Union plus some from other nations

to send a strong message to the President, Congress, and the Supreme Court,

that the women in the Women's March do not represent the rest of us,

and that there is a strong and large constituency in America that wants to honor God

and value life "from the womb to the tomb," as one placard read.

This was such an encouragement, to listen to men and women of faith sharing, even if it was a Catholic site. I listened with interest to one bishop who was fielding questions from an interviewer asking, "What  about victims of rape and incest? How do you treat them?"

Calmly, gently, and caringly, he responded,

"We have to be honest with them. 

It was not the child's fault.

The crime that happened to the mother does not give her license to murder her child.

But we will be there for her to support her and care for her."

I thought we could learn from this kind bishop's quiet, thoughtful answer. 

That answer could refer to many areas of our lives as we look at the principles of God's Word and how to apply them in difficult situations.
Following God's Word is about principle and not necessarily about convenience.
Difficulty does not give license to do wrong.
Rather, it gives opportunity for grace.
I am so thankful for everyone involved in not only saving the lives of innocent babies,
but rescuing anxious and burdened mothers from shame, guilt, and defeat.