Reflection on January 20-Second Sunday in Ordinary TIme

A Contrast of Visions for Humanity:

The Civil Rights Movement and Planned Parenthood

The day's readings can be found here. 

On Monday, our nation will celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  If he was still alive, he would be 84.  Remembering his great contribution to civil rights in the United States and in the world – and in particular, the civil rights of African-Americans – we ourselves have the opportunity to reflect on our own attitudes toward people of different skin colors, cultures, and languages.  How is Dr. King’s dream of racial equality and harmony (achieved in a non-violent way) being enacted in our lives as Catholics?  If we struggle with prejudice of any sort, are we honest with ourselves and with God so that we can overcome this insidious attitude with God’s help?

Ironically, one day after our nation reflects on great progress in human rights, we remember one event that single-handedly set back the United States and civilized humanity: the Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, that is, the legalization of direct abortion in the U.S. in 1973.  Tuesday marks 30 years since the tragic decision.  Already in the 1960s, the organization Planned Parenthood was pushing for abortion rights and for government-supported contraception.  Planned Parenthood was founded by Margaret Sanger, a well-known white supremacist, in order to slow down birthrates of races of people (minorities) that were of darker skin color.  Now, Planned Parenthood abortion mills and other such facilities are located in areas that have heavy African-American and Hispanic populations.

Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., has said the following: “Abortion is genocide. It’s killing populations. It’s killing generations and certainly the population that is most impacted by abortion in America is the black community. So I feel that as a civil rights leader I have responsibility to proclaim that black Americans are being exterminated by the genocidal acts of abortion.”  Latino-Americans are also high-risk targets for the abortion industry.

Tuesday, thousands of Pro-Life people will march peacefully in Washington DC, in state capitals, and in large cities to encourage and pray for the conversion of our country.  The Gospel of Life in our nation will triumph only if we have inner conviction of the truth — the truth of the sacred value of each and every human life — and perseverance in communicating that truth.  Dr. King had this conviction and perseverance for his “Dream”; may we also have this conviction and perseverance for the Gospel of Life: that all little boys and little girls – regardless of class, color or language – will be welcomed into this life.

The U.S. Bishops have asked us to pray and fast on Tuesday, January 22nd for an end to abortion.  May our sacrifice lead to the proclamation and generous response to the beginnning of the Gospel of Life: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:15).