Abortion, a betrayal in Intimacy

The United Nations with its powerful lobbyists want the Universal Right to Abortion. Sometimes, it is still incredulous how anyone can even think of it as a right. At the same time, the culture of death had always been at war with the culture of life. Roman civilization had bloodbaths in their circuses, and there were cheerers. Of recent times, Hitler had rounded up Jews in Concentration Camps. Many Germans were hailing Hitler and even leaders of other nations were honoring the German Fuhrer.
Yes, it can happen. We can be desensitized by constant exposure. We can be blinded by great rhetorics and euphemism.
Still, everything pales in comparison with abortion. It is not just the innocence and helplessness of the child within the womb. It is the most intimate of social interaction. A body within a body, a soul within a soul. A heartbeat so close in rhythm with a mother's heartbeat. The mother and the child within the womb being nourished separately. The mother and the child within the womb can face life or death separately. Yet, they affect each other greatly. The mother's sadness or stress affects the child within. The child within can also have his/her own stress that can affect the mother. They are together 24/7 facing the bigger world.
This is the most intimate of human relations, a world so closely shared with one another. The mother and the child within the womb becomes vulnerable to each other, a nakedness beyond compare even to sexual relations.
Abortion, thus, is curtailing humanity of this intimacy. We were all beneficiary of this intimate social relationship as we are all dwellers of the womb.
Seeing the Chinese video of a little girl being run over by a vehicle where passersby go on with their lives. It is heartbreaking. It is a cold world. And in our world where institutionalized abortion destroys the warmth of intimacy in the relations between a mother and a child within the womb, it can truly be cold.
Still, it is not a lost cause. We were meamt for intimacy. We can not remain cold, empty statues for long, we would want to reclaim our humanity. And for Catholics, the Holy Eucharist is the most intimate relationship we can have with God, and for that we can never never let abortion betray our true humanity.

Something about Mary

We are all called to be "co-workers in truth" and the Truth has a name in the person of Jesus Christ whom we believe when He said, I am the "Way, the Truth and the Life".  Thus, everyone has a role and participation in God's redemptive work, working out our "salvation in fear and trembling".  It is a choice we have to make.

We turn to Mother Mary, addressed by the Angel as full of grace "kecharitomene" as the masterpiece of creation, faithful co-redemptrix in God's salvific plan.  She responded in complete  submission, "let it be done unto me according to His  Word", overshadowing all her existing plan and repercussions in Jewish society.

Teaching us in our earthly life to "do as He (Jesus) tells you"- a continual submission to the "Word became Flesh".

God, in His love and mercy, had began the work of salvation from the first fall of humanity, "I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel" (Gen 3:15).  The "woman" Mary that brought forth Jesus, the Messiah. Though there are many workers in the Vineyard of God, Mary though human had personified the "fullness of life" for which Jesus came to bring.

For this, Mary's role in salvific history can not be ignored, and how could we miss out revering and loving the person that God had "so favored".

Meet Brother Richie

Bro. Richie, Richard  Michael Fernando (1970-1996) died at a young age of 26 in the Jesuit mission, Centre of the Dove in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  He was teaching and caring for young children - handicapped by the violent environment of Cambodia.  He had first encountered the Cambodia amputees during World Youth Day in Manila 1995.  On October 17, 1996, Bro. Richie had been 18 months in the mission when a grenade was thrown at the center.  The explosion injured two boys and killed Bro. Richie.

So many children and adults in Cambodia were marred by the unexploded mines buried in the fields.  The Jesuit mission sought to give them a helping hand through technical skills in building wheelchairs and artificial limb.  Bro. Richie was joyful amidst the visible scars of war in the mission, he felt closer to Jesus. 

I wish, when I die,  people remember not how great, powerful, or talented I was, but that I served and spoke for the truth,  I gave witness to what is right,  I was sincere in all my works and actions,  in other words, I loved and I followed Christ." 
Richie Fernando's retreat diary,
January 3, 1996

What kind of heart must we have to truly love the poor?  They do wear the imprints of some bad and ugly things in this world that was not necessarily their making.  Many would wish them away and do their utmost so they dwindle in number by reducing their population.  A priest friend of mine, when I asked if we can visit where he was assigned.  It was a neglected and undeveloped region in the Philippines.  All he could say is that it is not for the weak of heart.

Brother Richie, Mother Teresa, Father Richard Ho-lung and their missionaries must have more in their heart that they do not fall into desperation over the plights of the people they care about.  Courage - to accept the world we live in is not paradise.  Hope - to see that there is a chance for better and happy lives amidst the conditions they are in.  They are not social workers wherein the poor are the least and they are the superior ones that they depend on.  No, I think Bro. Richie, Mo. Teresa, and Fr. Richie knew that as much as they give, they are also being given.  They knew that beyond the poverty, the poor still has something to give.  Most of all, the heart of these missionaries had a heart after Jesus' own heart.  They love Jesus and Jesus loves the poor.  Although, most of the people they are working for are not Christians, Jesus was very much alive at their midst, because they start to love each other where they are and who they are.  From that foundation of love, they can move forward to possibilities and eventually experience far greater love - giving themselves totally.