Life will be victorious

Saint Ignatius of Loyola takes the existence and activity of Satan very seriously. In his classic “Spiritual Exercises," he refers to the devil as the enemy of our human nature. Satan hates us.

This isn’t an insight that Saint Ignatius discovered on his own. His conviction is rooted in the testimony of the Bible. In the first letter of Saint Peter we read, “Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1Pt. 5:8).
 
Satan’s hatred of all things human and sacred has been unmasked recently in a surprisingly unambiguous manner. There is no other way to explain it. Jan. 22 marked the 46 ^th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion in our country. That infamous decision has led to the death of more than 60 million innocent children in the United States (roughly the size of the population of Italy).
 
This year, as with every year since 1973, pro-life women, men and young people around the country observed the anniversary with prayer and penance solemnly mourning the destruction of these holy innocents and the devastating effects that abortion has had on countless others.
 
On this same day, legislators in New York raised their voices in fiendish jubilation as the Catholic governor, Andrew Cuomo, signed into law a bill that made the right to abortion up to the day of birth a constitutional right in that state.
 
Apparently concerned that the tide of public support is turning against them and that changes in the composition of the U.S. Supreme Court could undermine Roe v. Wade, pro-abortion activists and legislators led by their governor want to ensure that unrestricted abortion access remains the law of the land in New York no matter the fate of Roe v. Wade.
 
The unseemly celebration (check out the videos) continued through the night as the Freedom Tower, marking the sacred site of the 9/11 attack that killed nearly 2,000 innocent people was illuminated in pink to celebrate the right of women to kill their children. Satan surely smiled his insidious smile.
 
At the same time, an even more egregious attempt in Virginia sought to advance legislation that would have gone even further! A bill that would have permitted abortion through 40 weeks of pregnancy, even up to the point when a woman was in labor, was presented in committee. Such a measure blurs the distinction between abortion and infanticide.
 
Questioned about the impact of such a bill, Governor Ralph Northam acknowledged that even if an infant was born alive during such a last-minute attempt to abort, it would be permissible to deny care to the infant; to simply let it die. Satan must surely have been grinning a ghoulish grin as this was being debated. Fortunately, this measure was defeated and did not advance.
 
Clearly, we have reached a new level of callous disregard for the sacredness of innocent human life. Having recently returned from the March for Life and witnessed the hundreds of thousands of young people standing up for life and hearing the assurances of legislators and even members of the administration declaring their support for the lives of these most vulnerable innocent children, it is possible to be lulled into a dangerous false sense of security. As the devil sees that he is losing ground in this battle between life and death he will redouble his efforts. These latest assaults on human life and dignity are clear evidence that his efforts continue with an intensifying vigor. A new battle front is opening. Infanticide is likely the next challenge we must face.
 
Please join with people of good will everywhere in standing up to protect both unborn and born infants from such gruesome deaths. Life is sacred from conception to natural death. Life will be victorious.