Respect Life
Sunday (2006): War on the Breadth of Life
In the war against life, the Catechism of the Catholic Church points
to many battlefronts as it examines the Fifth Commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.”
It divides the material into what I would like
to call three “battlefields”: first, respect for human life as such;
second, respect for the dignity of persons; and third, safeguarding the peace.
First, then, Respect for Human
Life. On this battlefield there are six main battlefronts.
First, there is the battle to get human beings to recognize the clear “witness
of sacred history”, i.e., the Bible (2259-2262).
The Bible condemns the fratricide of Cain, it
designates blood as a sacred sign of life, it makes the Fifth Commandment itself more precise by saying that it is the innocent and righteous who must not be slain and, in the words of Christ, it prohibits
even the interior attitudes at the root of all disrespect for life: anger, hatred and vengeance.
The second
battlefront is the legitimate defense of life.
Provided such defense remains proportionate, it
is described as “proper love of self” (2264).
Self-defense can be, not just a right, but even
a serious duty for whoever is responsible for another’s life, or for the common good of the family or of society (2265).
In the context of the legitimate defense of the
life of society, the Catechism does not exclude the death-penalty on principle, but in practice it is said to be absolutely necessary only on rare occasions, if at all.
The third
battlefront deals with intentional homicide or murder, be it done by oneself or through a hit man, be it active
(e.g. pistol) or passive (e.g. the acceptance by human society of genocide and
murderous famines without adequate efforts to remedy them).
The fourth
battlefront is abortion: from the moment of conception a human being has the fundamental human rights of any person
and, indeed, merits special protection because of its defenselessness and vulnerability.
This Christian doctrine is demonstrated by the
Catechism to be truly ancient.
A person, or the persons, who knowingly and freely
procure(s) a completed abortion incur(s) automatic excommunication (2272). Why?
As a refusal of mercy?
No, the excommunication makes clear the gravity
of the crime and the irreparable harm done to the innocent child, to the parents and to society as a whole. It seeks repentance,
not the spiritual death of the sinner.
“The inalienable right to life of every
innocent human individual is a constitutive element of a civil society and its legislation” (2273).
“Since it must be treated from conception
as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human
being” (2274).
The fifth
battlefront is euthanasia.
“Those whose lives are diminished or weakened
deserve special respect” (2276).
Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia
is morally unacceptable.
“Thus an act or omission which, of itself
or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the
human person and to the respect due to the living God” (2277).
The Catechism makes the traditional distinction
between the use of extraordinary and ordinary means to keep someone alive.
Ordinary means cannot be legitimately interrupted;
extraordinary ones may be interrupted. Much will depend on the circumstances of each specific case.
Finally, the sixth
battlefront on this first battlefield of the war against life is suicide.
God is the sovereign Master of life and everyone
is responsible for his or her life before God.
We are to accept life as a gift and preserve it
for God’s honor and our own personal salvation.
We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has
entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of (cf. 2280).
“Suicide contradicts the natural inclination
of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends
love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which
we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God” (2281).
Psychological problems and fear of suffering or
torture can diminish someone’s responsibility, so we should not despair of the eternal salvation of those who have taken
their own lives, and the Church should pray for them.
The second battlefield in the war against life concerns Respect for the Dignity of Persons. It has five battlefronts.
The first
deals with scandal which is a sin against respect for the souls of others.
What is scandal? “Scandal is an attitude
or behavior which leads another to do evil” (2284). It is to become a tempter to our neighbor. It is not just a question
of offending sensibilities.
Scandal is worse when it is committed by those
with greater authority in the family, in society, in the Church or in the State.
Scandal can be provoked by laws or institutions,
by fashion or opinion. In the words of Jesus: “Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!”
(Lk. 17:1).
The second
battlefront deals with respect for health, but warns against today’s new paganism called the “cult of the
body.”
By this is meant the treating of bodily life as
an absolute value, when it is actually relative to eternal life.
The cult of the body can lead to a selective preference
of the strong over the weak and so pervert human relationships.
The third
battlefront deals with the relationship between respect for the person and scientific research.
Science and technology are ordered to man, from
whom they take their origin and development.
By their very nature, then, they require unconditional
respect for fundamental moral criteria.
Research or experimentation on the human being
cannot legitimate acts that are in themselves contrary to the dignity of persons and to the moral law (e.g. embryonic stem-cell
research, cloning, forced experiments on prisoners, or on the physically or mentally handicapped).
The fourth
battlefront speaks to respect for bodily integrity and condemns kidnapping, hostage taking, terrorism, torture and
other such questions.
The fifth
battlefront deals with respect for the dead. Burying the dead is called a corporal work of mercy. The Church permits
cremation, provided it is not chosen to deny faith in the resurrection of the body.
Finally, the third battlefield is entitled “safeguarding peace” and has two battlefronts.
The first
deals simply with the definition of peace.
Peace is defined not merely as the absence of
war or the balance of power, but as that tranquility of order which results from the works of justice and charity.
The second
battlefront is entitled, “avoiding war”, and highlights the obligation of all citizens and governments
to work to that end.
It lists the rigorous conditions for the moral
legitimacy of defense by military force.
In the event that such legitimacy exists, it mentions
the right and duty of public authorities to impose on citizens the obligations necessary for national defense.
But at the same time, it underscores the permanent
validity of the moral law during armed conflict.
Finally, it raises strong moral reservations concerning
the arms race, over-armament and the production and sale of arms.
So, as you can see, the defense of life is a very complex and broad question, but, as Pope John Paul said, “no one more absolutely innocent could be
imagined” than an unborn child.
Therefore, “among all the crimes which can
be committed against life, procured abortion has characteristics making it particularly serious and deplorable” (Evangelium Vitae, par.58).
Let us labor and pray, with charity and respect,
so that:
- society, nationally and internationally, may not try to play off
the unborn child against the starving child;
- or be selective in saving the life of some rather than others;
- but, instead, will put in place truly just laws and policies, as
well as structures of support and solidarity, which will protect all life, beginning from conception and ending at natural
death.
Msgr.
Peter Magee
October
1st, 2006
Annunciation,
DC: 8.30 am
