By Kaitlin Sheridan
I didn’t want to be there. The weather felt like a box of flavorless popsicles and the day itself hung black. It was my husband’s only day off to spend with us and my son was eight months old so, no, I was not ready for trying to find five layers of clothing for my child and shuffling through mud puddles.
Once our feet hit the pavement, however, and happy cheers were ringing through the streets of Fort Wayne, Indiana, my mood dramatically changed. It changed because I quit wrestling with my negative thoughts and marched into what really mattered: life for all.
We were at the Allen County March for Life. In yet another year of remembering the Roe v. Wade decision of legalizing abortion access–which has led to the murder of millions of innocent children–I knew why I was there with my husband and my infant child. I was there because life matters, and we needed to be a witness to that truth.
THE INCARNATION
This truth was never more evident than in the Incarnation, where Christ became man in the womb of Mary. Christ Himself took on human flesh. Christ became human for us as a baby in the womb. There, in Mary’s womb, was where He made, all life has value–even that of a tiny three-week-old baby. Because Jesus Himself was once an unborn baby, all unborn have been given significance.
Satan could not fathom such a union with God–one where we are joined in flesh with the God-man Christ Jesus. He was green with envy. His work now is what it always was: to strip us from this union with Christ, so he starts with the body. He attacks the very thing that Christ claimed was His in the Incarnation.
THE FRUIT OF DEATH
Satan’s first picture painted of such evil was in the Garden of Eden, where he tempted Eve to take a bite of forbidden fruit. Satan first tempted Eve’s eyes. That fruit now looked beautiful. He tempted her hearing. The screeching-of-bad-decisions fruit now sounded like a mouth-watering crunch. Everything about that fruit now seemed good to all of the senses. She consumed it; then it consumed her. The seed of sin began to grow throughout mankind.
Fast forward to right now. We have more rotten fruit: abortion, Planned Parenthood, a women’s choice. It leads to the same outcome for those who eat of it: death. These are the things that make up the devil’s playbook. He begins by attacking the mind. He slyly words advertisements as “good healthcare,” “safe option,” “therapeutic,” “best for you right now,” and bullies women into thinking that they have no other option than to murder their child. The fruit is shinier—more acceptable—than ever because it’s presented by a doctor, a spouse, a best friend, a trusted coworker, or someone else you respect and believe would care for you. Satan guides you to a doctor who will prescribe you pills that will end a baby’s life. Satan will walk you into your abortion appointment. He will hold your hand even as you think you’re doing the right thing, but he won’t tell you that you’re doing the wrong thing. He will pat your back and tell you that you’re doing what’s best for you. He will not call you a murderer.
Turn from this fruit of death! Repent. Keep steadfast in God’s Word to know right and wrong. Remember who you are. Remember Whose you are! You are not a slave to sin “having been set free from sin, [you] have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:18). Do not be afraid to confess the truth in this dark world. Make the sign of the cross upon your foreheads and upon your hearts for you have been baptized for this moment here and now. As St. Cyril of Jerusalem noted, “[F]or when they see the Cross they are reminded of the Crucified; they are afraid of Him, who bruised the heads of the dragon.” Be the baptized. May the Cross that marks you and claims you remind the devil of the One who was made flesh for you. May that Cross make him tremble and flee.
VALUE IS FOUND IN CHRIST
And may that Cross remind Satan that you are joined with Christ Jesus. You are not joined to evil ways even in this evil world. Christ claims you. May your confession of truth be with you as you proclaim, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2) because the crucified Christ is the One who makes all lives valuable. He makes the old lady in the nursing home who can’t remember her name valuable. He makes the life of the single man on Valentine’s Day valuable. He makes the homeless woman’s life valuable. He makes the life of the girl who did not make the play she auditioned for valuable. And, yes, He makes even the tiny baby in his mother’s womb valuable. How did He do this? He claimed us. We no longer need to succumb to the bloody hands of abortionists; we can submit to the holy waters that cover us in our Baptism.
And when I think on that, I realize I had no business NOT being at the March for Life—cold, rainy, dreary day, ittty bitty baby and all—because our Lord really does know what’s good for us, better than we do ourselves. It was a blessing to be with others who know that life is precious for all people because of Christ.
Kaitlin Sheridan is a homemaker for her wonderful husband and three wonderful children. Way back when, she also served numerous times as a CCV at Higher Things conferences.
This article was originally published in the spring 2020 issue of Higher Things Magazine.
