Hope in the Midst of Suffering

ChelseaAbortion, Disabled, Love, SufferingLeave a Comment

In the UK:

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has been asked to define what constitutes a ‘serious handicap’ for which abortions after 24 weeks are allowed.

Here we go again, letting doctors arbitrarily decide which life is less valuable than others. This is in response to some women using the “disability” excuse to abort children with cleft lips and palettes. christinaayers.jpgThose are pretty superficial reasons, to be sure, but how does one go about determining which disabilities are in fact serious or devastating enough to justify expanding the acceptable pregnancy “termination period” into the last trimester?

If you ask me, those who suffer the most severe handicap are the doctors, parents and politicians who decide that some life, especially a life of suffering, is not worth living. In most of these cases, fear replaces love. Fear turns us inward and makes us run from that which might cause us pain or discomfort. But love calls us to search outside of ourselves and to “give until it hurts”.

Jesus gave His life to love us and He tells us that we also have to give whatever it takes to do good to one another. And in the Gospel crucifix.jpgJesus says very clearly: “Love as I have loved you.” Jesus died on the Cross because that is what it took for Him to do good to us – to save us from our selfishness in sin. He gave up everything to do the Father’s will to show us that we too must be willing to give up everything to do God’s will – to love one another as He loves each of us. If we are not willing to give whatever it takes to do good to one another, sin is still in us. That is why we too must give to each other until it hurts. ~from Mother Teresa

Disabled children are not problems to be dealt with. They are human beings meant to be loved and cherished. To accept them is to accept God himself (Mt. 25:40).

We should not run from our sufferings – especially to the extent that we destroy human life in the process – for this nullsuffering brings us closer to the Redeemer through the power of the Cross. Even in the midst of the greatest sorrow there is always hope. This is the hope we celebrate this Advent season – the joyful coming of the Lord, when every tear will be wiped away and mourning, crying and pain will be no more (Rev. 21: 3-4).

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