Hey! What's your story?

"I hate those pro-life people on campus - they're so judgmental if you don't agree with everything they say." Those were the words of a fellow co-worker in my office one day as a member of the aforementioned group made preparations for a pro-life event. I asked her to tell me more about it and she responded that they make others feel like they're bad people if they don't agree with their message and modus operandi. As I listened, she started asking questions about the March for Life like, "Why does it have to be on the level of a civil rights movement, and what the h-ll does it have to do with MLK?"

After taking a moment to reflect, I explained that if we look at it historically, Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke for an oppressed population and wanted others to know about it. His method was one of nonviolent protest. As a pro-life advocate, I told her, we also speak for an oppressed population, namely, children in the womb, and choose nonviolent protest as our method, which is annually expressed in the March for Life. The parallel is found in the subject matter (speaking publicly for the rights of an oppressed population) and the mode of expression (peaceful protest, i.e., the March for Life). She thought about it, and said, "Ok - I can see it when you explain it that way." As we continued on, she also told me about how horrible she thought the story about the abortion doctor was (who is being charged with murder) and how wrong those actions were. We ended our conversation amicably and wished each other well when it was time to go for the day.

I was saddened to hear that her experience with (primarily Catholic) pro-lifers on campus was one of condemnation and division rather than respectful, thoughtful and Christ-centered discourse. Too often we hear today of the divisions and rancor between people belonging to different political parties, races (yes, still!), religions and social classes. Very often the rancor occurs within communities holding the same fundamental beliefs in God, Christ and Church. This sort of behavior runs contrary to the witness we are called to bring to the world as Christians, something that must change if we want to push the dialogue further. While there is a natural tension between our call to be faithful witnesses to our beliefs and the pressures of the world to conform to its standards, we are called to be lights in this world. Our witness should serve as lamps to illuminate those divine truths passed down to us in Scripture and Tradition, not instruments of prosecution. We are not called to be judges, but rather siblings in God, brothers and sisters in Christ.

Thursday's Mass readings this week were particularly resonant for me, so I share them here with you.

Reading 1
Heb 10:19-25

Brothers and sisters:
Since through the Blood of Jesus
we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary
by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil,
that is, his flesh,
and since we have “a great priest over the house of God,”
let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust,
with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience
and our bodies washed in pure water.
Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope,
for he who made the promise is trustworthy.
We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works.
We should not stay away from our assembly,
as is the custom of some, but encourage one another,
and this all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Gospel
Mk 4:21-25

Jesus said to his disciples,
“Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket
or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand?
For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible;
nothing is secret except to come to light.
Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.”
He also told them, “Take care what you hear.
The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you,
and still more will be given to you.
To the one who has, more will be given;
from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”