Did you ever Realize that the same four words that were used by the Lord Jesus to save the world are also used by some to promote abortion?  "This is my body."  The same simple words are spoken from opposite ends of the universe, with meanings that are directly contrary to each other.

Scripture tells us that on the night before He died to save all people, the Lord Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, "This is my body, which is given up for you."  He was pointing to what would happen the next day, when He would give that same Body on the cross.  He sacrifices Himself so that we may live.  He gives up His Body so that He can destroy the power of sin and death.  As a result, He welcomes us into His life, into His Kingdom.  He makes us members of His Body!

On the other hand, abortion supporters say, "This is my body.  So don't interfere with it!  It's mine, so I can do what I want, even to the point of killing the life within it.  All is secondary to my dominion over my body."  In fact one abortion supporter has written, "I say their (pro-lifers') God is worth nothing compared to my body"  (Michelle Goldberg, "Rant for Choice," in University of Buffalo student newspaper, 1995).

"This is my body."  Same words, different results.  Christ gives His body away so others might live; abortion supporters cling to their own bodies so others might die.  In giving His Body, Christ teaches the meaning of love: I sacrifice myself for the good of the other person.  Abortion teaches the opposite of love:  I sacrifice the other person for the good of myself!

"This is my body."  If, indeed, our bodies are ours, then let's ask the next question:  Why?  The answer is so that we can give our bodies, our lives, ourselves, away in love to one another and to God.  Christ declares, "Do this in memory of me."  He calls us to do what He did, and that is precisely how we reverse the dynamic of abortion.  Mom and Dad must say to their child, "This is my body, my life, given for you," rather than, "This is my body, my life, so go away!"

Human happiness and fulfillment are never found by pushing other people out of the way.  They are found when we push ourselves out of the way.  Pope John Paul II says as much in The Gospel of Life:

"He who had come "not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mk. 10:45), attains on the cross the heights of love:  "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (Jn. 15:13).  And He died for us while we were yet sinners (cf. Rom. 5:8)

"In this way Jesus proclaims that life finds its center, its meaning and its fulfillment when it is given up."

"At this point our meditation becomes praise and thanksgiving, and at the same time urges us to imitate Christ and follow in His footsteps" (cf. 1Pt. 2:21).

"We too are called to give our lives for our brothers and sisters, and thus to realize in the fullness of truth the meaning and destiny of our existence" (Evangelium Vitae #51).

"This is my body."  It is no accident that the same words are used for such different purposes.  A spiritual conflict rages here.  We win, in our own lives and in the world, by living these words in self-giving, life-giving love.

Copyright © 1996

Father Pavone is the International Director of Priests for Life
and an official at the Vatican’s Council for the Family.

Contact Priests for Life at P.O. Box 141172, Staten Island, N.Y. 10314, Tel. 888 1PFL-3448, fax 718-980-6515, email pfl@priestsforlife.org, web site http://www.priestsforlife.org/.
 
 

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A note from the Web Master:

It is noteworthy and honorable that some folks are willing to stand up for a ban on Partial-Birth Abortion.  Let us not forget that ordinary everyday run of the mill abortion is also murder.  We must understand that murder is murder no matter the method.  Because one method of abortion seems to be horrible does not make the other methods less so.  We should be horrified and sickened by any abortion regardless of the method.  The Fifth Commandment spells it out clearly:

"Thou shalt not kill."

A fetus is a person, a human being with a God given soul.  Imagine the pain the Lord must feel when any abortion occurs.  Please contact both of your Senators and Representative, via letter or phone,  to let them know how horrified you are that abortions are legal and to stop Partial-Birth abortions and all other abortions as soon as possible.

(It has become apparent that they do not respond to email therefore you will have more of an impact by writing or telephoning.)