The thought of covering abortion so close to Christmas initially seemed sacrilegious. But as my pen awaited its instructions, a bright star to the East glimmered brightly, and the path on my paper became clear.
Indeed, what better time to write about the very antithesis of the Incarnation than now?
Therefore, I proclaim, with great expectation and without a shadow of a doubt, as we approach the birth of the Savior of the World: it’s high time for “Roe” to go!
This past summer, my sister presented me with a gift; something shining that she’d noticed while at the clinic for a routine medical procedure. The silver band around the nurse’s wrist was pretty, so she asked her about it. The nurse had gotten it at a rummage sale, learning only later of its significance.
A date inscribed into the bracelet, which, on its front, bears the Greek letters of Alpha and Omega—the beginning and the end—tells of its significance: Jan. 22, 1973. This is the date that the erroneously decided Supreme Court Roe vs. Wade edict codified into law the killing of our smallest, most vulnerable American citizens: preborn children in the womb.
As my sister soon learned, all the bracelets like the nurse’s, made shortly after that date, a symbol of hope, were to be worn until the flawed law was overturned. After hearing from my sister about my commitment to pray for the preborn in Fargo, the nurse gave the jewelry to her to give to me.
It is treasure, and well-timed. On Dec. 1, our Supreme Court justices heard oral arguments, pro and con, for this law’s integrity. We are closer than ever to overturning Roe.
One sign of a law’s effectiveness is whether it is settled. Has the law brought more peace, or more unrest? Most thinking persons, in assessing the aftermath fairly, can see that Roe was an epic failure.
Millions of lives have been lost because of this law, and millions of hearts shattered. The devastation of each human life extinguished prematurely brings a mark, a scourge, to our land and souls. This is true no matter how far removed we believe we are from abortion, or how difficult the circumstances of a pregnancy. We can trace so many ills of our current society to the careless disregard for life that has ensued since Roe.
It’s time—well past it—for Roe, a faulty law based on a fictitious premise, to be sent on its way. We are better than this. We are more creative than this. We do not have to endorse ending lives to solve our problems.
The justices have already cast a private vote, indicative of their leaning. They’ll spend the next several months deliberating over how to best solve this mess before issuing a final decision. It’s time to pray like never before as we wait in hopeful anticipation.
Rejoice, all ye of good will, for the Christ child and his saving grace are nigh.
Merry Christmas!
[For the sake of having a repository for my newspaper columns and articles, I reprint them here, with permission, a week after their run date. The preceding ran in The Forum newspaper on Dec. 20, 2021.]
Excellent article, Roxanne!!
Thank you friend.