Saint Nicholas and the New Pro-Life Movement

Saint Nicholas and the New Pro-Life Movement December 5, 2016

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Once, in the city of Myra, there was a poor man who had three beautiful daughters. The poor man fell on harder times than usual, and one day there was nothing left. With a heavy heart, he determined to sell one of his beautiful daughters into prostitution so that the rest of them could eat. He knew it was wrong, but saw no other way. Saint Nicholas heard of this, and went to the man’s house after the family had gone to bed. He tiptoed to the open window under cover of darkness. And he screamed through their window that there was no excuse for prostitution; we are required to be virtuous even when times are difficult, that no father is ever actually “forced” to sell a child into slavery. He added that besides, some women become prostitutes voluntarily because they think it’s glamorous, therefore those who feel forced are lying. And then Saint Nicholas left, feeling righteous.

Sounds awful, doesn’t it?

It sounds just as awful when you do it.

I’ve gotten some comments in the past couple days, and I’ve read some things online, about how the New Pro-Life Movement is mistaken in saying that we should attack all the injustices that make poor women feel pressured into abortion. I’m told that this is wrong of them, because women ought to choose the right thing no matter what. Yes, being a mother when you’re poor or oppressed is difficult, but we are required to be virtuous even when it’s difficult. Therefore it’s futile to try to help make it easier for poor women to keep their children. Besides, some rich women get abortions for altogether frivolous reasons. That means that no woman really feels forced, and that we can’t end abortion by improving conditions for the poor.

I’m even told that no amount of social change can end abortion, only “conversion of hearts,” and I’m told this by the same luminaries who told me four weeks ago that the only hope to stop abortion was voting for a cheese doodle with a bad toupee.

And I’m floored.

Yes, we’re supposed to act virtuous no matter what. Absolutely. I am required to follow the teaching of the Gospel even if it costs me my life, and so are you. But that doesn’t mean God likes for it to cost us our lives. It doesn’t mean that obstacles to virtue are a good thing. It doesn’t mean we’re supposed to notice a stumbling block in front of our sister in Christ and then shame her for not breaking her neck climbing over it. That’s the sin of the pharisee, tying up a heavy burden for another and not lifting a finger to help carry it. The Christian’s job isn’t to be a pharisee. It’s to be Simon and help carry the cross.

I want to stress that many pro-life people know this and work to ease the burdens of the poor, but a sizable and very vocal number of them do not,  and they’re the ones I’m talking about here, not pro-life people overall.

The fact is– and I know that saying this is going to make some of you very angry– being a mother is a heavy cross.It’s an unspeakably wonderful gift, but it’s very difficult. Being a mother while poor is even worse.


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