January 26, 2025: Pro-Life is More

Pro-Life is More

I have a few quick questions for you. Imagine you’re brushing your teeth—would you only brush one tooth? Or washing your car—would you clean just one fender? Or learning to ski—would you only be taught how to go take turns but not how to stop? Sounds kind of ridiculous, right? You’d never do just one part. We know that taking care of something means you have to look at the whole picture, not just one piece. That’s what I want you to think about today—seeing the big picture.

Now, let’s try something fun. Open your hymnal to the back cover and read the Apostle’s Creed with me, but only say the words that have the letter “i” in them. Ready? [We read it out loud together] See what I mean? When we focus on just one issue and forget the rest, that’s what happens—we miss the fullness. And life is about fullness!

This past Friday was the National March for Life in Washington DC. This past Wednesday, we observed the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children, which is obviously very important. But if we only focus on the unborn and forget everything else, we’re missing the bigger picture. In the second reading today,

St. Paul compares the Church to a body, with many parts working together. If one part suffers, the whole body suffers. Protecting the unborn is crucial—but we also need to be sure that life after birth is supported—

through healthcare, mental health services, affordable childcare, paid family leave, and safety nets to help families thrive.

A “culture of life” isn’t just about protecting the unborn—it’s about supporting every stage of life. It’s about addressing the challenges that make women feel that abortion is only option—poverty, lack of education, inadequate healthcare. It's about a society where all life is valued where children grow up in a world that helps them succeed.

Pope Francis says it best: "A society that abandons children, that does not protect the elderly, and that does not care for the sick and the poor, is a society without a future.” Life is sacred from start to finish.

Then, in the gospel, we get Jesus' mission statement. He’s in the synagogue, quoting from the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." That’s not just about one thing, is it? It’s about the whole person—the whole of life. Jesus came to address all of it—economic struggle, emotional pain, physical blindness, social oppression. Jesus came to give us the fullness of life. And He didn’t just do that in a moment; it’s an ongoing invitation for us to live that fullness, too.

It’s the same with our personal lives. If you want to improve at something, you can’t just focus on one part.

Take losing weight—it's not just about eating less (though that’s important!), but it’s also about sleep, exercise, reducing stress, having a spiritual practice.

Or if you want to be better at basketball, it’s not just about shooting hoops. It’s about working with your teammates, stretching, endurance, understanding the strategy, practicing your ball handling, and mastering your footwork.

Life is interconnected. And to live a healthy, full life, we have to address all of it—not just the parts that are easy. This holistic approach is the key to success, in that special goal, in life, and all the other things that go into it.

Henry Ford – “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” Mother Teresa once said, “I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.” She gets it. 

We’re all in this together. We’re all part of the same body—the Church. And when we’re united, when we support one another, we can do great things. But if one part suffers, we all suffer. So, let’s make sure we’re looking at the whole body.

Prayer is powerful, but it’s not enough to pray and then walk away. We need to act. We need to advocate for policies that support families, mothers, and children—not just before birth, but long after. Let’s pray, not just for the unborn—but for the whole family—mothers, fathers, children, the elderly, the sick, and the forgotten. Let’s pray for a world where every life is protected and nurtured, from beginning to end.

And let’s be a community that lives out this vision—through prayer and action. Don’t just say, “I’m pro-life”—show it! Be the hands and feet of Christ in this world. Let’s Love God, Live the Eucharist.