Bishop Celebrates Mass For Life

Bishop Charles C. Thompson celebrated Mass on Jan. 25 for Diocese of Evansville pilgrims traveling to the 2017 March for Life in Washington, D.C. St. Ferdinand Parish in Ferdinand hosted the 7 p.m. Eastern Time Mass. Immediately after Mass concluded, our pilgrims left for Washington and the March for Life, which is scheduled for Jan. 27.  The Message will carry coverage in the Feb. 3 issue, and we present Bishop Thompson’s homily from the Jan. 25 Mass here.

God must have a good sense of humor, as is evident by the fact that our annual Diocesan

Pilgrimage for Life Mass is celebrated this year on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.  As in

years past, our celebration marks the sending off of pilgrims from all around the diocese to take

part in the annual March for Life, in Washington, D.C., commemorating the ill-fated 1973

Supreme Court “Roe v. Wade” decision to legalize abortion.   Saul, who would later become

known as Paul, having previously taken part in the murder of St. Stephen, set out to further

persecute and kill those who dared to follow the way of Jesus Christ.  Along the way, however,

he undergoes a profound conversion experience that would lead him to spend the rest of his days

defending the very faith he had tried to destroy.  And, he would do so at the expense of his own

life.   His martyrdom left no doubt about his complete transformation from previously

participating in a culture of death to faithful missionary discipleship in Jesus Christ.  

        Jesus Christ declared himself to be the Way, the Truth and the Life.  He came to restore life rather than to destroy.  In rather dramatic fashion, Jesus confronted Saul about his complicity

to the evil of death and destruction.  He did so, not to shame but to bring about Saul’s

conversion.  According to Catholic teaching, though usually much less dramatic than that of

Saul’s experience, conversion is a lifelong process.  Authentic conversion is predicated on

encounter.  Encountering the sacred, engaging in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, is

intricately connected to encountering the dignity of all life and creation.  Such encounter is at the

heart of being prolife.

    To be truly prolife in the understanding of the Church is to necessarily engage in a culture

of encounter.  We are called to encounter the sacredness of life, the dignity of the human person,

from the very moment of conception to natural death.  Being prolife is about more than being

against something, like abortion.  Being prolife is about consistently upholding the dignity and

sacredness of life in all circumstances.  Everything is inter-connected.  In a culture of encounter,

no person or aspect of creation is left out.  Embracing Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life

necessarily involves concern for the unborn, the elderly, the poor, the immigrant, the outcast, the

wayward, the sick, the dying, those on death row and all of creation.  

    In our gospel reading, speaking to the Eleven shortly after his resurrection and just before

his ascension, Jesus provides the mandate for those who dare to claim to be His disciple; “Go

into the world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”  He goes on to describe various ways

in which they will overcome challenges and hardships to bring about healing and restoration of

life.  Like Jesus, they will ultimately sacrifice their own lives for the sake of the Good News they

are being called to embrace and proclaim.

    Those taking part in the Pilgrimage of Life are certainly being sent out to proclaim the

Good News, having embraced the Gospel of Life.  This mandate—rooted in the Sacraments of

Initiation; namely, Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist—is not meant for a select few nor for

select moments.  Rather, in all circumstances, each of us must do our part to proclaim the Gospel

by our consistent prolife witness.  Like St. Paul, we must allow ourselves to be transformed as

we seek to realize that transformation in others.  To be missionary disciples in service to the Joy

of the Gospel, necessarily demands a willingness to sacrifice.  Let us live to serve that others

might live.  Life itself is a pilgrimage.  We count our blessings along the way, look to the Lord in

facing whatever challenges might come before us and witness to the joy of life in Jesus Christ.