Unplanned Pregnancy

 

The priest noted today, that last week some people had questioned him on why the overturning of the Roe decision was not more celebrated in the church.  He went on to explain that the event was indeed a great battle victory in the war against abortion, but now there were many more battles to be fought in each state.  The war isn’t over.  Then, he spoke of the need for greater focus on helping women with unplanned pregnancies, to find other possibilities than abortion.  “The war will not be over until abortion is outlawed and ended in our country.”  I thought I certainly couldn’t agree more, except …

From listening to him my mind suddenly changed focus, as I thought “abortion ended”?  And I recalled that abortion has existed in all history, and probably will also exist in the future, as long as man is tempted in this world to do things as “I plan” or “I want”.  This world, this country, can certainly choose to do God’s plan, even as the Jewish nation chose to do --- and failed ---throughout the Old Testament.  It would be another great step, a battle victory for our country I think, if we stopped celebrating abortion.

Then, I thought of the word “unplanned”, and realized that all pregnancies are really “unplanned”, in that there is no sexual act which guarantees pregnancy.  It happens, or it doesn’t, as part of God’s plan.  And then I recalled that saying “all life is a gift”.  I had forgotten that phrase.  But, … my mind immediately wandered to all the counter arguments for abortion, all the “but’s”.  What about rape, incest, or any financial, medical, or critical emotional problems?  Why is the woman penalized into accepting these things?  And I again thought: “all life is a gift” --- and gifts are not penalties, especially gifts from God.  And I wondered, can we develop a trusting attitude which says “I want God’s plan, even if I do not understand it”?

Sitting in the church, my mind again jumped to all the occasions of other gifts, and how all those occasions are celebrations.  If there really are no “unplanned” pregnancies, and all “life is a gift of God”, why wouldn’t we celebrate what God has gifted us?  I wondered: What if once a month the priest asked all the pregnant women in church to stand and the whole church prayed over them?  And then, applauded that God has chosen them for a very special gift: Life.  Whether the woman who had been trying for decades to get pregnant, or the teen who was raped, bad things may have happened in the past, but out of the suffering God has presented a gift, His most precious gift, a life --- which He has plans for.  And then quickly all the counter arguments jumped into my brain; and I noticed that they all began “but, I ….”  None mentioned prayer, much less thanks to God for the gift of life.

Even as mass continued, I could not re-focus my brain, despite my strong efforts.  Then I went up to the altar and received Communion.  I have had many past occasions in my life where receiving Jesus in Communion flooded me with His Spirit, although not recently.  But today I was overwhelmed with Love, and I took off my covid mask to wipe the tears from my face and eyes, as I struggled to catch my breath.  And then, while “I” was planning to look down so others could not see my tears, instead I felt the urge to look up.  And there, on the pedestal next to me in the church, was the large stone statue of St. Joseph, and I saw the smiling Baby Jesus he held in his arms.  And the thought came to me: “The most famous unplanned pregnancy in history --- which we celebrate”.