Protect All Life

Tokyo Dome vibrated to the cheers of 50,000 people who were waving their little flags of Japan, the Vatican and Argentina to welcome Pope Francis. The two huge LED screens visibly projected how emotional the Pope was to see the joy and fervor of the crowd welcoming him.

As the Pope mobile drove through the field, Pope Francis stopped several times to bless and kiss babies and children who caught his attention when they were lifted airborne by their excited parents. I don’t think I would be exaggerating to have counted the Holy Father taking time to stop for about twenty children. Such is his love for them!

Pope Francis had brought to Japan –and for the world– a powerful message: “Protect All Life!” Perhaps, this Far East Asian country is the most ideal place to launch this statement because Japan forever stands as a living icon for one of man’s cruelest experiment of self-destruction: the atom bomb. But even with the war over, there continue waves threatening human life that are skillfully crafted to appear beneficial to the person’s health and well-being. We now witness this in countries that promote abortion, contraception and euthanasia in their societies.

St. Paul VI’s prophecy in his most misunderstood and controversial encyclical Humanae vitae was fulfilled: if we do not protect life from its very conception, neither can we expect to protect it in its many other forms. Life isn’t only a biological reality, but embraces a very wide sphere of other realities such as family life, work life and even our life of rest.

Thus, Pope Francis reminded us that if we do not encounter the true meaning of life rooted in Christ –the summit of what it means to be human– we could end up putting “our attention and energy on the frenetic pursuit of productivity and consumerism as the sole criterion for measuring and validating our choices, or defining who we are or what we are worth. (Pope Francis, Homily, Tokyo Dome, 25-XII-2019)” He stressed that our Lord “invites us to re-evaluate our daily decisions and not to become trapped or isolated in the pursuit of success at any cost, including the cost of our very lives. (Ibid.)”

The Pope concluded, “Given this reality, we are invited as a Christian community to protect all life and testify with wisdom and courage to a way of living marked by gratitude and compassion, generosity and simple listening. One capable of embracing and accepting life as it is, ‘with all its fragility, its simplicity, and often enough too, with its conflicts and annoyances. (Vigil, Panama, 26-I-2019)’ We are called to be a community that can learn and teach the importance of accepting ‘things that are not perfect, pure or distilled, yet no less worthy of love.’ (Ibid)”

We realize that to protect life doesn’t only mean defending a biological reality (i.e. abortion, euthanasia, violence and drug abuse) but to foster it within the relationships and activities we hold dear in life. This is so true when we sow unity, peace and joy in family, work and our rest.

In family life we have to be determined to stamp out the enemies of unity found in lying, disobedience and resentment. We fight the enemies of peace found in material selfishness and attachment, vanity and the incapacity to listen and be compassionate. We overcome the enemies of joy when we constantly manifest our smile, silent presence and solicitude for others.

In work life we must reject all forms of intrigue and gossip that oppose both charity and unity. We sow peace when we contribute to the ambience of the work place by contributing to cleanliness and order in our work space, living punctuality in work schedules and deadlines and carrying out what we have been competently entrusted with by the institution. Joy is fostered by concern for others (i.e. birthdays, health and rest) and engaging one another more personally than digitally.

In rest life we live unity by seeking to rest with others than just by ourselves. And if it can’t be helped, to share our restful outlets with them. We may also step out of our rest zones and learn how to appreciate what makes others rest. Peace is fostered in rest by respecting how others rest and not imposing on them how they ought to rest. For example, we can simply be present for them or facilitate their forms of rest. Joy fills our rest when we do not seek our selfish comforts, but are more fulfilled by knowing others are able to rest when we take on their burdens in family or work.

As we prepare for Christmas let us consider how else to contribute to these areas of life so that our loved ones may truly experience how life is truly worth living, when we put Christ –the Child Jesus– at the very center and summit of it.