Dear God,
I grew up not really aware that artificial contraception was a huge issue for many people most especially Catholics. I didn’t know it was considered by the Catholic Church as a mortal sin and intrinsically evil. Even up to now the issue remains to be controversial, Lord, with the Reproductive Health Bill still being pushed in Congress.
During my high school days in a nun ran school, there was already sex education as part of our Home Economics. I remember my teacher bringing samples of condoms, IUDs, diaphragm, and the rest. We were quite innocent and still childlike in high school of the late 70’s and we would chuckle and quiver at the thought of putting that inside ours. Talks about sex also emerged, some quite scary while gossips also began to abound of who had this kind of experience.
On television, I remember Rosa Rosal being watched by my mother in “Kapwa Ko, Mahal Ko”. She was, of course, known as the great humanitarian and synonymous with Red Cross in the Philippines, caring for the sick poor who would go to the program. She would always ask the women who would go there asking for help, “how many children do you have?” Exasperation and pity would be on her face when a woman would have more than two. She would send them off for ligation. And so I thought, Lord, that artificial contraception was just a normal part of an educated life.
Of recent times, Korina Sanchez had also sent a woman in ligation in her TV show. One of GMA’s news reporter also did the same in one of the magazine news documentary shows. Lea Salonga, openly professed Catholic, is also a “passionate” advocate of reproductive health. It’s not surprising, she is so self-sufficient. Everything is planned and prepared in her life. Even the Born-Again Christian leader, Eddie Villanueva is for reproductive health. The Moslem convert Robin Padilla is passionate about Trust condom. Yes, Lord, there are more vocal advocates of artificial contraception; But does it really have anything to do with You?
Lord, it boiled down to one simple question for me, “DO YOU BELIEVE that GOD is the CREATOR of HUMAN LIFE?” And I say, “YES”. It follows then that the sexual act is where You manifest Yourself as the Creator of Human Life. Wow, Lord, what a precious act it is! Becoming co-creator with You – a man and a woman. It is a trinitarian act.
This question, Lord, made me understand that the Catholic Church is not against spacing pregnancy but it is against the artficial interference in the sexual act. It’s an act of slapping Your Hands out of our life. Slamming the door and saying, “You are not doing a good job giving life”, “I can plan my life better”, “Can’t You see, Lord, You are not giving us enough food, land, and things in proportion to our population”.
Dear God, I ask for Your mercy on what humanity had come to do. And I pray for all those advocating it that they may see the Light of Your Truth and preserve our country. I pray that we may go back and say that we TRUST in You. You do have a better view of the world, past, present and future. And yes, Lord, I affirm that LIFE is a GIFT. Not something we reject when You want to give it and say “later, perhaps, I have other plans”. And yes, LIFE is a GIFT to be received and welcomed as You, the GIVER deemed so. Amen.
