Today marks our last full day of the 40 Days for Life vigil this spring in Alexandria. Some of us are busy putting the last few flyers on doors. Some of us are busy getting ready for the party tomorrow (we hope you will be coming, even if you haven't RSVP'd! And Sara wants me to remind you to bring your side dish and items for the pregnancy center.). It is possible at this time to stop and ask what we are doing with all this activity. And the answer to this question is that we are actually building a culture of life.
To identify our efforts with a culture of life may seem far-fetched, even impossible. Culture is wide-ranging, encompassing all aspects of society. It has ramifications in history, politics, the arts. It is characterized by museums, concert halls, libraries, stadiums, bull pens, chicken coops, and kitchens. And it is reflected in the lives and activities of thousands of people, from youth to elderly.
Yet we are building a real culture, and that is a culture of life.
Culture at its root is defined by the things one worships, or in other words, what is important to people. We are a people of God, and our God is a God of life, thus, we are also a people of life. We spread our message through prayer, vigil, and outreach, and we speak through our words, actions, and example.
Over time, our message has begun to spread, as we can see by the eyes of the young who pass our vigil, many people who are affected by what we are doing, and 400+ babies that have been saved from abortion this spring. The change we effect is a change in the human heart, and the life we advance is the life of love.
Our message is not an isolated one, but part of the Christian tradition we have received from our families, one that we strive to live more fully each day. We are part of a larger whole, including churches and religious communities, families and schools, youth groups, pro-life organizations, crisis pregnancy centers, and countless pro-life leaders and individuals.
And this effort indeed brings forth a way of life, both wide-ranging and particular in its dimensions. We call our representatives, we walk our streets, we hold our signs and literature. We document our stories, sing songs, read about Abby Johnson, congregate for rallies and parties, and fast and feast. These efforts are consistent with the practices of thousands of other people around the world working for the same objectives, from youth to elderly.
I want to congratulate you for being a part of the solution, of this culture-building effort. We can see real change all around us, and we will continue our witness for the unborn in the lives we lead, and in the world we touch. The life of love is a life of growth, and nothing can stop its ever-changing power.
Hope to see you tomorrow at the party!
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