Preaching on abortion, 4th Sunday Advent, Year A, Dec. 18, Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life

Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, reflects on the Sunday readings for the 4th Sunday of Advent, Year A, and their message about abortion.

For more information about what the Sunday readings, and the whole Bible, say about abortion, and for resources for your Church, see https://www.ProLifePreaching.org. You can order there the book “Proclaiming the Message of Life,” which contains these reflections for all the Sunday readings in the lectionary.

Is 7:10-14
Rom 1:1-7
Mt 1:18-24

On the verge of Christmas, on the verge of the celebration of welcoming Christ into the world, the readings today focus on the virginity of Mary. Today’s homily can draw out the significance of what this says about us. Mary, after all, symbolizes the whole Church. She received Christ into her virginal body. The Church, too, as the Bride of Christ – and each of us individually – is called to a total fidelity which is symbolized by the virginity of Mary.

In other words, whatever the vocation of each of us, this spiritual (if not physical) virginity means we have no Lord besides Jesus. We do not worship false gods or become intimate with other deities.

As Mary welcomed Christ in her virginity, so does the Church. “It is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her,” the Gospel passage tells us. So can we say, “It is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in us,” and “It is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in the world.” No human effort brings about Christmas. But by our “virginal” fidelity, the Spirit brings him forth into the world through us.

This is the “obedience of faith” of which Paul speaks in the second reading.

And part of this virginal fidelity, part of this obedience of faith, is our commitment to be pro-life. “God is with us” means that he is on the side of every human life, against all that would destroy it. So must we be.