When I was a little boy, the highpoint of my family’s Christmas preparations was our annual visit to Radio City Music Hall to attend its Christmas show. In addition to the energy and excitement of the city itself, I was always deeply impressed with the live depiction of the Nativity that has traditionally closed the show for generations.
The fact that there were live camels, sheep and goats on stage was amazing to my young boy’s eyes. However, it was the narration of the words to “One Solitary Life” that impressed me the most. When I hear it now, it still brings tears to my eyes. On this day when Christians, other believers and people of good gather in Washington to participate in the Annual March for Life, the words of “One Solitary Life” are ringing in my eyes. The evil of abortion has robbed us of the presence of millions and millions of lives- lives that were unique, blessed and a gift from God. In addition to the grave sin that results from any attack on innocent human life, how impoverished we have all become because those lives were robbed from us. For each solitary human life enriches all those around them in countless ways. Their absence in our midst has made each of our lives poorer and our society more fractured and lonely.
As a people of faith, we must defend all human life, at every stage of its development. We must oppose everything that threatens human life, beginning from conception through natural death. The sins of abortion, euthanasia, racism and discrimination must be exposed for what they truly are. We must also work tirelessly to assist the vulnerable in our midst, fight against poverty, help the homeless and unemployed and find ways to unite people rather than divide them.
We have each been given our own “solitary life”. Today, let us rededicate our life to defend our neighbor’s life, no matter who he or she may be.
