Day Seventeen - Women and the Pro-Life Movement

Today's Reflection:
by Rain Mariz

“Anti-abortion is anti-woman.”

This lie is repeatedly told in the secular world today to advocate for abortion, as they argue that abortion is a woman’s right. This often paints the picture that pro-lifers are merely misogynistic people fighting to take away a fundamental right for women. I mean, who would want to be that terrible person, right? But the fact is, abortion is one of the most anti-woman issues in this day and age.

To show that abortion is anti-woman, we must first reflect on the true nature of woman. What exactly is the essence of femininity? Well, physically women are designed to bring life into this world, and to nurture life from the earliest stages–from conception. A woman’s body is created with the purpose of taking care of the being that will grow inside her, and this is the beauty of the corporeal nature of women. In Mulieris Dignitatem, Pope John Paul II wrote that “Scientific analysis fully confirms that the very physical constitution of women is naturally disposed to motherhood - conception, pregnancy and giving birth - which is a consequence of the marriage union with the man. At the same time, this also corresponds to the psycho-physical structure of women.” The structure of a woman’s body is pro-life in its very nature! But, digging deeper, there is more to femininity than the physical.

Pope John Paul II also said that “woman has a genius all her own, which is vitally essential to both society and the Church.”  This feminine genius is covered in much detail in his Mulieris Dignitatem, and it is at the core of a woman’s nature.  As Pope John Paul II wrote, “A woman's dignity is closely connected with the love which she receives by the very reason of her femininity; it is likewise connected with the love which she gives in return. . . .Woman can only hand herself by giving love to others.”  This is the heart of the feminine genius, which is complementary to masculinity.  Women have a special capacity to receive love.  Through that receptivity of love, women have it in their nature to give themselves to the other, giving love in a unique way.  In one of her essays, St. Edith Stein (also known as St. Terese Benedicta of the Cross) wrote, “To be a mother is to nourish and protect true humanity and bring it to development.”  This applies to all women.  Simply put, by nurturing humanity through love for others, women have the ability to bring out the best in humanity.  And that is a pro-life mesage.

Now, examining abortion, it defies the whole nature of women.  Abortion intentionally ends the life of the child in the womb, although the mother’s body is made to support that life.  In doing so, abortion is not an act of love towards the unborn child and is against her nurturing nature.  It is also worth noting that abortion kills many unborn girls!  Abortion is contrary to the intrinsic nature of women, and that is why the “anti-abortion is anti-woman” argument is a lie.

Often, advocates for abortion will say it is necessary in cases of rape or when the mother’s health is in danger.  Rape is a terrible thing, but abortion hurts both victims–the mother and the child.  Abortion also contributes to mental health issues in women, so it causes additional harm.  Instead, we should promote pregnancy help clinics and organizations that are there to provide aid to women in crisis pregnancies.  In cases when the mother’s health is at risk, intentional killing of the unborn is still wrong.  Abortion must be distinguished from medical procedures where the death of the unborn child is the foreseen but unintended side effect. Mothers in difficult situations must be shown compassion and love, and abortion does not have to be an option.

Today, we can pray for all mothers who need help in difficult times. We can pray for women everywhere and for the pro-life movement. We ask for Our Lady’s intercession that the true nature of women will be upheld in our world.

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.

Amen.