Jesus mission was to come and preach the good news to all creation but throughout his public life Jesus defended those in need and those who were extremely vulnerable. We are told to follow in Jesus example and so we too must take it on as our role to defend the weak. In the story of the calling of Levi, Jesus told the Pharisees that “he had not come to call the righteous but the sinners”. He defended those who were downtrodden or resented. We too must follow his path by defending the young at their birth and the elderly near their death.
Christians aim to protect the child from the moment of conception, due to this abortion is regarded as wrong, abortion is defined as “the deliberate termination of a pregnancy” by Joanne Cleave. The Second Vatican Council regard crimes against life such as abortion as abominable. We should therefore protect the unborn as this is God’s will for us. According to Pope John Paul II, “every child is in some way a sign of the hope of humanity”. All Christians should remember this when regarding abortion.
According to Cleaves Voluntary Euthanasia “takes place when a patient who is dying or who is in intolerable pain asks someone to help him or her to die to avoid any further suffering”. Voluntary Euthanasia is regarded as wrong because it involves a person acting like God which should not be done. The commandment, “Thou shalt not kill” illustrates that we as humans have not the right to take life. If we regard the Hospices views, “Christians should not be afraid of death but have a duty to care for those who are dying” we will realise that suffering comes with death and that we must help those who are less fortunate and weaker members of society.
Jesus suffered a painful and agonising death so that he could free us from sin we too must suffer in our deaths. We have no right to choose a painless death. We should try to suffer a sin free death not a pain free death. Jesus reminded his disciples that they should expect to face suffering but in return they would gain eternal life, In MK 8:34-35 he says “If anyone would come after me he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me”.
In conclusion at our baptism we are given a vocation in life to follow. We undertake responsibilities and we agree to fulfil them. Every Christian has a different vocation to fulfil but one that we all share in common is that we must help others at the beginning and end of their lives. Jesus taught that God looked after each of us, this is evident in Mt 10:29-30 when Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny! Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your father. And even the very hairs on your head are all numbered.”
