Being Authentic in the Struggle Against Abortion

Once again this Advent, the sermons of Jesuit Fr. Alfred Delp published in Advent of the Heart (Ignatius Press) have deeply touched and challenged me. Father Delp preached in his Munich, Germany parish before being sent to Tegel Prison in Berlin for aiding resistance fighters against the Nazi regime. There, along with many other priests, he was tortured, placed in solitary confinement, and eventually executed on February 2, 1945, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord and the first Friday of the month (noteworthy because it was a very special monthly feast for Fr. Delp).

This book, a powerful Advent gift for all of us, presents a mix of Fr. Delp’s earlier parish sermons and those he wrote while in solitary confinement, hand-cuffed in a cell in which he could only take three steps forward and three steps back. He wrote his notes on tiny scraps of paper that were able to be smuggled out with his laundry to a secretive supporter.

Giving Authentic Testimony

Feeling a kinship with St. John the Baptist, who was imprisoned for challenging the illicit marriage of Herod, Fr. Delp challenges the reader to give “authentic testimony, being untouched and untouchable when faced with compromise, half-measures, silence, anxiety, or cowardice.” (p. 66) Writing for the 2nd Sunday of Advent, Fr. Delp defines authentic testimony in two ways:

1. “Do not permit regard for private security or personal existence to make you into an inauthentic person.” (p. 64) Saint John challenged the power of Herod, and even though he was imprisoned and killed, he was right and authentic in his testimony of God’s law.

2. “Futility and ineffectiveness do not dispense one from speaking the truth, declaring what is wrong, and standing up for what is right and just. … Whoever considers success, or makes his decisions or attitudes dependent upon whether something is futile or certain of success, is already corrupt. Then authenticity no longer means his personal encounter with what is real; it is rather his personal dependence upon success, upon being heard, on popularity and applause, and on the roar of the great throngs.” (p. 65)

Standing Firm Against Abortion

What can we do now about the holocaust of abortion? Has it become any less wrong because each state can choose what kinds of abortions are legal in its jurisdiction? Should we settle for 15 weeks, 10 weeks, 6 weeks because it is better than 20 weeks or because it places us in the “acceptable” middle of American opinion? No. We are as guilty as the abortionist if we cede a certain timeframe as being acceptable for the killing of a human being. We are as illogical as the “pro-choice” advocate if we acquiesce to legal abortion at 14 weeks, or 9 weeks, or 5 weeks.

At the same time, we must also recognize what we are able to do now and what we must work toward doing in the future. It will take time, much work, much love, and much prayer to make abortion unthinkable. Just as St. John the Baptist was right to challenge Herod, it is right and just to continue to challenge the travesty of abortion.

Helping Mothers With Unborn Children

There are currently two legal avenues that will go a long way toward serving the needs of the unborn child and helping the mother get the support she needs and deserves to choose life: child support and dependent tax exemptions for unborn children.

The state of Georgia has already passed this legislation, and it is being considered by several other states. A bill is also currently working its way at the federal level to require this of all states. These measures are clearly required for justice and fairness. The medical costs of pregnancy and the related absences from work or medical leave should not be the sole responsibility of the mothers. Just as fathers are required to support their born offspring until the age of 18, child support should be required and legally mandated by each state for unborn children.

Furthermore, just as dependent exemptions are granted for the costs of raising born children, parents deserve to take the same exemptions for those children while they are not yet born. Often the costs of carrying an unborn child, in medical visits, sickness, and lost employment, are as daunting as the costs of caring for a born child. Most importantly, responsibility for the costs of bearing a child should not be the sole burden of the mother. A father’s responsibility must be made clear and legally enforceable by the state once pregnancy is established. The value of the unborn child has been diminished for far too long.

Conclusion

The intentional killing of a human being, born or unborn, is always wrong. A defenseless and vulnerable human being, no matter the age, the location, or the circumstances, especially deserves our authentic and unwavering protection. Now is not the time to settle. Let us continue to move forward where we can, and never give up hope. This season, more than any, teaches us to work while we wait.

O come, divine Messiah!