On January 13, 1984, President Ronald Reagan issued a presidential proclamation, declaring January 22nd to be National Sanctity of Human Life Day. Yesterday marked the tragic 44th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. An estimated 60 million innocent lives have been lost since the decision was handed down by the Supreme Court in 1973.
Think of the devastating consequences of Roe v. Wade… There are fathers who never had the privilege of a first dance with their daughters, and dads who never got to teach their sons to spell words or swing a hammer. There are mothers who never had the joy of hugging their sons, or washing their cuts and bruises after they scrape a knee. There are moms who never had the joy of having tea or of playing “dress up” with their girls. There are sons who never got the chance to cuddle a brand new baby sister. There are daughters who never got to teach their baby brothers to ride a bike. There are grandparents who never got to go shopping with their grandkids. There are grandpas who never got to teach their grandsons and granddaughters to catch fish.
Currently, the United States is one of only four nations in the world where it is legal to kill your child throughout all nine months of pregnancy. How tragic that the United States – a country recognized as the leader of the free world – is on that list. It’s a cause for grief that it’s necessary to even have a designated Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.
On Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, individuals across America declare truths that human beings honestly shouldn’t have to say about other human beings. It should go without saying that abortion is wrong because a father shouldn’t abandon his child or child’s mother. It should be recognized that abortion is wrong because it has hurtful emotional and physical consequences to women. It’s unfortunate that pastors have to tell their congregations that abortion is wrong because every life has value no matter the circumstances. It’s unfortunate that teachers have to tell students that abortion is not okay because 1) preborn babies are human beings and 2) preborn babies feel pain, and possibly far sooner than 20 weeks.
Even this week, as we recall with somberness the nearly 60 million lives lost to various barbaric abortion methods, there are children who will be violently ripped from the comfort of their mothers’ bodies.
One day, I pray we won’t have to have a Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. I hope that one day we won’t have to peacefully protest an end to all abortions everywhere. I hope one day we won’t have to be told that all life has value no matter the circumstances. We will just know it and act upon it.
