Life Is A Precious Gift

“Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him.” – Deuteronomy 30:19-20

This verse from Deuteronomy sums up the mission of March for Life and the call to value life—the young, the old, the rich, the poor, the forgotten, and the renowned. We celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, successes, and reunions. We see the joy in a baby’s laughter, the powerful bond of a fifty-year-long marriage, the wonder of the human body and its resilience, and the triumph of a reconciled friend. Since the beginning of creation, life has been cherished and valued. Children bring so much joy to the world, our elders share wisdom, and the young and determined work toward the greater good. 

Personally, my life has meant much more to me recently as I am entering adulthood, both within the Church and in society. None of this would be possible without the choice to respect the sanctity of life by my parents. They chose me. God chose me. My purpose is to be Christ to others. It’s certainly a daunting call, but to me, it’s the least I can do for the immensity of the gift of life I have received. 

In January, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Vermilion Catholic March for Life pilgrimage with my high school senior class. Ever since the legalization of abortion with Roe v. Wade in America, there has been a march in our nation’s capital to end abortion and its snuffing of the truth, beauty, and goodness in our world.

I asked my mother, who carried my life inside her and has nurtured my life these past seventeen years, to accompany me. The highlights included attending daily Mass, visiting secular and sacred sites, and delighting in traveling with just my mom. My mom and I, plus fifty other faculty, staff, parents, and peers, flew out of New Orleans early on Saturday, January 13.

When we arrived in New York City, we went to dinner and were scheduled to see a Broadway musical. Sadly, the play was canceled, and we were given the night off. My mother and I went exploring around the neighborhood, and we stumbled upon Bryant Park’s Winter Village. We settled down at a table and people watched, chatted, snapped pictures, and simply enjoyed the present moment. We walked back to the hotel feeling tired and content. 

In the morning, we woke up and attended Sunday Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral. It was a beautiful celebration of the universal church with our chaplain, Fr. Nick, concelebrating the Mass. There was no doubt that we were in New York City, as we heard the first reading proclaimed by a man who sounded like Danny DeVito. This was one of the most magnificent churches I have ever stepped inside!  

After lunch at a Korean restaurant, we boarded the bus to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. Walking through this was incredibly powerful for me. I cried most of the time. The loss of life hit me so hard. The last stop in NYC was the Staten Island Ferry. We missed the first ferry, but that seemed to be in God’s plan. We walked onto the next ferry at the golden hour, perfect for capturing pictures of the setting sun illuminating the Statue of Liberty. Back on the bus, we drove to Maryland and stayed the night in Emmitsburg.

The following day, we celebrated Mass in the chapel at Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary. We visited an alumni of Vermilion Catholic, Mr. Bret Lee. He had been my Theology teacher for Church History during my sophomore year. Mr. Bret is studying at Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary to become a priest. That day was my classmate’s birthday. I talked with the people at my lunch table, and we agreed that now was the time to celebrate. We bought a piece of cake from the cafeteria and led everyone in singing “Happy Birthday” to him. 

Next, we visited the Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton shrine. Her life was a testimony to the goodness of God and how He uses all things for good! Our last stop that day was Gettysburg.  Here we learned more about the gift of a united nation and the despair of all who fight in war. That night, we arrived in Washington, DC.

On Tuesday morning, we attended Mass in one of more than eighty small chapels inside the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. From there, we headed to the Pope Saint John Paul II National Shrine. I have always had a love for this saint and world leader, but I learned so much here, and it was probably one of my favorite parts of the pilgrimage! His ministry for life and the unity of the Church was inspiring. My favorite quote from him is:

“Do not let hope die! Stake your lives on it! We are not the sum of our weakness and failures; we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his son.” 

– Pope Saint John Paul II, 2002 World Youth Day

I had frivolously prayed to see snow on our trip, and God never disappoints, even in a seemingly unimportant intention. We were showered with marvelous snowflakes throughout the week. The wonder I felt standing under falling snow again and the joy I experienced as I watched my classmates play in the snow for the first time was unforgettable. We could all play and be children of God. 

The following morning, we attended Mass inside a hotel conference room. We visited the Capitol building; the legacy of freedom and justice for all began there and is carried out every day. It was incredible to learn more about our nation built on Christian values and the immense job it is to run this country and preserve its integrity. Next, we visited the Holocaust museum. I was deeply moved to pray for an end to racism for all peoples, especially against anti-semitism and the wounds that the holocaust and other movements against Jewish people have caused. 

Our final stop that day was visiting Arlington National Cemetery. We trekked to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and presented flowers for all who have served our country. We also saw JFK’s grave and the eternal flame. It was humbling to be in places like the National Cemetery and the National Basilica to see how small I am in the grand scheme of things. How awesome is our God to see and know each and every one of us personally?

On January 18, we drove to Annapolis to visit the US Naval Academy. It was an enlightening experience to see the academy and all its history and heritage. We enjoyed the best barbeque for lunch, and then on the way back to our hotel, we visited the Franciscan Monastery, which is modeled after the Holy Land. It was created for Americans so they could experience the birth, life, and death of our Lord without traveling all the way to Israel.

When we returned to the hotel, we had a smidgen of downtime, so my mother and I dashed over to see the Smithsonian Museum of Art. That evening, we enjoyed a fancy dinner at Filomena Ristorante. I felt a little overwhelmed while dinner was ending and made my way to the front of the restaurant, where there was a delightful old Italian woman hand-making ravioli. She smiled at me, and my heart melted. The beauty of age, the beauty of service, and the joy of her life stuck deep in my heart. The entire reason for the trip was to encounter people like this woman and to be truly grateful for the gift of life daily. 

On January 19, we marched for life through falling snow alongside more than 50,000 others. As we walked in defense of life, I thought about all the places we had visited that week. A few thoughts bubbled up: war is wrong. We feel it in the absence of life and the pain we experience when we lose someone close to us. Hatred in one’s heart leads to the acceptance of violence and atrocities such as the Holocaust and 9/11. Justice is never served in ending a life.

We must pray for those who are misled, those who are ignorant, and those who don’t know “The Way, The Truth, and The Life.” We are all imperfect and sinners; that’s why we are invited into a real living relationship with Our Father. 

No God, No Peace. Know God, Know Peace!