ABORTION IS GRAVELY CONTRARY TO MORAL LAW (HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE 16TH WEEK IN THE ORDINARY TIME

Jer 1:1, 4-10; Matthew 13: 1-9

The first reading speaks to us of the call of the prophet Jeremiah. However, evident in this reading is the truth that God is not only the giver of our vocations and has absolute knowledge of our being but that God abhors the termination of the life of the unborn. Abortion is an abominable crime before God the most High. The word of God is addressed to Jeremiah saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jer 1:4-5).

Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, the foundational argument of the pro-abortionists is that the unborn can not be said to be recognized as persons and thus do not possess human rights. This is a porous and dismissable argument because it does not fathom the moment of the inception of the life of the human person. 

The catechism of the catholic church instructs us that Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the moment of his existence, the human being must be recognized as having rights of a person- among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life” (CCC 2270).

Friends in Christ, When God addressed Jeremiah: his being, vocation, and mission, God spoke of Jeremiah as a human being even while he was in the mother's womb. God recognizing Jeremiah as a human being consecrated him and blessed him with vocation and mission. It is fitting to say that the beingness of Jeremiah was for long recognized by God before he was born. God did not wait until Jeremiah was born before he consecrated him. God was mindful of Jeremiah before his birth.  Beloved in Christ, do you understand the point? Let us also know that each one of us also has a place in God's plan and through prayer, we can unravel the special purpose of God upon us. 

Consequently, through the church and with the church, let's condemn this moral evil of procured and direct abortion. Let us as pro-lifers preach the truth that human life begins at the moment of conception and must be recognized as having the right of a person. 

It is saddening to hear that the president of the United State of America: Joe Biden, a catholic, for the sake of politics stood out as a pro-abortionist even when the Supreme Court of America ruled against abortion in the land. This is disheartening that in the corridor of leadership, a moral evil such as abortion is sustained by a president who is a catholic. May God help us all!

The Gospel reading narrates to us the parable of the sower. The sower sowed by scattering the seeds upon the field. He knew quite well that not all the seeds would sprout. He was mindful that some would fall along the paths, some on rocky grounds, some among thorns, some on the fertile grounds etc. But that did not dissuade him from sowing. He didn't sit down, lamenting or crying that some seeds would get wasted. No!, we are told he went ahead and sowed the seeds. 

Beloved in Christ let us not be dissuaded with fear that despite our labour and efforts we may not achieve huge results. Sometimes what is considered a failure in the eyes of humans may simply be a humble beginning in the eyes of God. Let's not be discouraged when we do honest jobs. Even Jesus, in the eyes of humans was considered a failure but in the presence of God he was victorious. He had a humble begin with the 12 disciples but today Christianity is all over the world. In all we do let's offer it to God that he may bless our undertakings and prosper the work of our hands. 

God bless you all!

Fr Remi osj