Author: Jocelyn Soriano

Sometimes I’m afraid for the next generation. As the world grows more and more antagonistic of God and tolerant of sin, what would it be like in the near future?

What would it be like in a world that has been accustomed to darkness?

I wish we could all live in a world that is pure and untainted by sin. A world where children can grow up in loving families. A world that believes in God and practices what it believes in.

Perhaps then there would be no crime or violence to fear. Perhaps we’d have lesser heartaches and deeper joys. And perhaps we’d all choose what’s right rather than what’s wrong.

But would we?

I suddenly remember our first parents in the garden of Eden. During that time, there was no sin yet. There was no profanity or violence or any impure examples that could influence their thoughts. In that garden, they had everything they needed. But why did they choose the wrong path?

Thinking about it deeper, maybe that place wasn’t so perfect after all. For though the evil we see today wasn’t there, temptation was never far from their side. A serpent tempted them and they were swayed to do what was not right.

Perhaps what we need is not only the absence of any evil influence around us. Perhaps what we need is a steadfast spirit that can withstand the temptations that come our way.

It isn’t enough to be ignorant of evil. We must be well aware of its consequences. We must know what we’re losing whenever we choose darkness over light.

In that perfect day when God establishes a new heaven and a new earth, we’d realize how a perfect world can truly exist.

For now, we must pray for the kind of faith that endures all our trials, the kind of hope that can save us over despair, and the kind of love that would triumph over every evil.

“Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good. In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate to one another… fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, enduring in troubles, continuing steadfastly in prayer…” — Romans 12:9–12, WEBBE

Since science made much progress in our world, it has questioned the things that science is not able to answer for itself. It only believes what it can explain by its methods. Whenever something is beyond its comprehension or power to measure, it casts its doubt as though nothing else could ever be true.

This does not mean that science directly contradicts faith. If we uncover the noblest purposes of science, we’d realize that it seeks the truth also.

Truth is the underlying principle that should govern science and reason.

But science, just like any field of discipline, can be influenced by the various motivations of the men behind it. While there can be men who sincerely seek the truth, there can also be those who refuse to see it.

Hence, the common view that science and religion cannot co-exist with each other.

But if we take a look at the official stand of the Church, it isn’t opposed to science. It even uses reason to support many of its claims to truth.

Here is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says:

So “that the submission of our faith might nevertheless be in accordance with reason, God willed that external proofs of his Revelation should be joined to the internal helps of the Holy Spirit.” Thus the miracles of Christ and the saints, prophecies, the Church’s growth and holiness, and her fruitfulness and stability “are the most certain signs of divine Revelation, adapted to the intelligence of all”; they are “motives of credibility” (motiva credibilitatis), which show that the assent of faith is “by no means a blind impulse of the mind”. (CCC 156)

The Church says that faith need not be blind. It should not be the same as believing in superstition.

But there are things that even science cannot explain. And this doesn’t mean that some things aren’t true just because they cannot be explained.

These signs are what we often call as miracles. A common example is a miraculous healing that is “medically inexplicable.” In Lourdes alone, where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in 1858 to St. Bernadette, there are 70 cases of healing that are “medically inexplicable”.

In this way, God provides “signs and wonders” to prove His Revelation. And science works hand in hand by proving what it can and cannot explain.

Even during the time of Jesus with the apostles, He provided the people with various signs and wonders through His miracles. He healed the sick, multiplied bread and raised the dead. He did all those things that could help the people understand who He is and what He could do.

Unfortunately, not everyone chose to believe even with all the evidence they saw before their eyes.

They did not doubt because of the absence of any proof. But because they chose to set aside what they saw.

Even today, various miracles are taking place. Many are recorded in the lives of saints. They can be verified through historical and medical records. There are eyewitnesses that can attest to the miracles that they have witnessed.

The only thing that is needed is the acceptance of these proofs. Once we are given all the evidence that we need, how would we react? Would we choose to believe? Or would we turn our eyes away so we could remain blind?

“So then the Lord, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. They went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.” — Mark 16:19–20, WEBBE

The truth is like the sun shining brightly above us. But some see its light only through mists and clouds, while others choose to remain in the shadow of trees. Thus, we don’t see it the same way. Others see the truth much clearer and brighter, while others refuse to see it at all.

Now some may ask, is it the fault of those under mists and clouds not to see the full light of the sun? Is it their fault to live in the darkness where they are?

I’d say that even those in the shadows may desire, if they wish to go farther and seek something that’s missing in their lives. Though I can’t also deny the possibility that some may not know the way to look further while some may have already decided not to seek beyond where they are.

Now when the time comes for the mist and the clouds to fade, the question is whether they shall choose to see the bright world where they now stand or they would prefer to close their eyes and pretend that they were blind.

Is Abortion Murder?

What is murder? While I may not be an expert in terms of law, I can understand it as a grave offense done with full malice and intent to end the life of another human being.

When it comes to the Catholic faith, it is a mortal sin. Without repentance, a person who commits murder takes upon himself the punishment of hell and the loss of heaven.

Abortion as Murder

Abortion on the other hand is the premature death of a child within the womb. It can be spontaneous such as in cases of miscarriage. It can also be induced such as when a medical procedure is performed to directly cause the death of the child even before he/she is born.

If we consider direct or induced abortion to intentionally end the life of a child (considered as a human being), then we can equate such abortion with the gravity of murder. That is the line of thinking we can generally assume when we try to answer whether abortion is murder or not.

What About the Mothers?

The question at hand before us is this, “How do we consider the mothers who commit abortion?” Is it ever right to call them murderers as well?

I wrote this because I felt sad to hear many mothers automatically being tagged as murderers.

Let us remember that even if we are not talking about abortion, a person who kills another person is not automatically called a murderer. As far as I know, for something to be considered murder, it has to be intentional and premeditated. If someone accidentally kills another person without that malice or intention, it shouldn’t be called that way.

Where We Should Draw The Line

While I cannot erase the possibility of cases where mothers are totally aware of what they will do, I would like to believe that many mothers are not fully culpable of the crime. While sin may not be absent, such can be mitigated and those concerned may suffer with lesser guilt.

Only God knows the heart of a person. He knows our weaknesses and our sins.

If there is ever anyone who can call anybody a murderer, it should be God.

This does not mean that we should stop fighting for the life of every child within the womb. God forbid it! But let us be more compassionate in our approach to help those who may suffer more than we could ever begin to think or imagine.

The child is a human being, made in God’s image and likeness, worthy of our protection and love. But so is the mother. Even if she sins.

For have we not all sinned and deserved death? But Jesus Christ came to save us all and to give us everlasting life.

Jocelyn Soriano is the author of the devotional “366 Days of Compassion”. Get the free e-book from Amazon — click here.