L’Chaim! To Life!

Photo of Marty Barrack

Tevye’s wonderful song, L’Chaim, sings of the vitality and wonder of God’s created life. What a great theme song for the pro-life movement! In the great Jewish tradition that gave rise to L’Chaim, the most famous and influential rebbe who ever lived -- his two billion followers say that He is the Son of God -- said, Jn 10:10 “I came so that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

Our Father told us, Dt 30:19 “I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live.” These seven last words explain why it is so important for us to choose life: We will have eternal life only if we protect the lives of others. His Messiah told us, Mt 7:2 “With the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.”

Catholic teaching on life is summarized in Evangelium Vitae, an encyclical letter on the value and inviolability of human life, published by Pope John Paul II on March 25, 1995. Evangelium Vitae means “The gospel of life.”

It identifies the birth of every human child with the birth of Christ. 1 “At the dawn of salvation, it is the Birth of a Child which is proclaimed as joyful news: “I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is. Christ the Lord” Lk 2:10-11. The source of this “great joy” is the Birth of the Saviour; but Christmas also reveals the full meaning of every human birth, and the joy which accompanies the Birth of the Messiah is thus seen to be the foundation and fulfilment of joy at every child born into the world Jn 16:21.

It identifies the inestimable worth of every human life. 2 “Man is called to a fullness of life which far exceeds the dimensions of his earthly existence, because it consists in sharing the very life of God. The loftiness of this supernatural vocation reveals the greatness and the inestimable value of human life even in its temporal phase. Life in time, in fact, is the fundamental condition, the initial stage and an integral part of the entire unified process of human existence. It is a process which, unexpectedly and undeservedly, is enlightened by the promise and renewed by the gift of divine life, which will reach its full realization in eternity 1 Jn 3:1-2. At the same time, it is precisely this supernatural calling which highlights the relative character of each individual’s earthly life. After all, life on earth is not an ultimate but a penultimate reality; even so, it remains a sacred reality entrusted to us, to be preserved with a sense of responsibility and brought to perfection in love and in the gift of ourselves to God and to our brothers and sisters.”

Broadly, the pro life battle embraces five major areas:

Contraception The prevention of new life.

Abortion The taking of life in the womb.

Suicide The taking of one’s own life.

Capital Punishment The taking of another’s life under color of law.

Euthanasia The taking of life from the disabled or old.