Have you ever wondered the difference between pro-life and pro-choice? Despite the strong contentious debates from both sides, the real difference is simple. It is a difference between life and death. When you are pro-life, you choose life, you defend life, you nurture life. When you are pro-choice, you choose to terminate life.

Let me give you an analogy; in fictional movies, we have superheros and supervillains. The role of superheros is to save lives, the role of supervillains is to terminate life. The supervillains have their ideologies in their quest of terminating humans. A villain may think he is doing right, but he is doing evil. It does not matter if the ideologies are convincing, if it leads to evil, it is evil. Killing is a mortal sin which leads to eternal punishment in hell.

Abortion, euthanasia, and suicide are categorised as killing and hence, are mortal sins. The pro-choice have convincing arguments to validate the killing. Irrespective of their convincing ideologies, the act of terminating life is evil in its origin. We may then ask, what is it that determines evil?

EVIL IS THE PRIVATION OF GOOD

St Augustine of Hippo

Privation means lack; therefore, evil is the lack of good. We know that God alone is good, therefore, when we do according to the will of God, we act in a godly manner. However, when we act against the will of God, we become evil. Killing is evil and against God’s will.

The major difference between pro-choice and pro-life is as follows:

Pro-life is a way of life as God intended it to be. God created life; it is God who takes it away. Pro-life is governed by God’s will. Humanity is created in the image and likeness of God and, therefore, we respect life and accept it as a gift from God.

Pro-choice is based on human will and reasoning. When God is removed from our life, everything becomes evil, even our thinking and our reasoning. When humans reason and decide that certain life must be terminated, it is evil; for example, euthanasia, also known as mercy killing or assisted suicide. The logic behind terminating a life of someone terminally ill is to end their suffering and, therefore, termed as mercy killing. Even our best motives, when it is out of God’s will, becomes evil. Pro-choice uses human reasoning. One sees someone terminally ill and in a great deal of suffering. They want to do an act of mercy and release them from their meaningless suffering, so that they can rest in peace. However, because they are only reasoning according to their human understanding, they are making a wrong choice, because human understanding is limited and filled with errors.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

(Isaiah 55: 8-9, NRSV)

Pro-life is an act of faith and because faith is supernatural, the knowledge is also supernatural, which is only accessible through faith and, therefore, faith in God is greater than human understanding and reasoning. When you act in faith, you begin to see things differently, even suffering and death. Suffering, for a pro-life, is meaningful and especially, suffering that leads to death, because suffering brings redemptive and salvific graces. Suffering has the power to humble a person and humility is a source of abundant grace. This grace can help a dying person repent and receive God’s mercy and, thereby, gain eternal life.

When one terminates the life of a person, they are obstructing God’s grace, and even eternal life to the person, because if anyone dies in unrepentant mortal sin, they go to eternal damnation, which is eternity in hell, where the suffering is unbearable and eternal. Any suffering in this life is nothing compared to the suffering of hell. Therefore, the little suffering we endure here on earth is better than eternity in hell. Therefore, even one’s best motives in terminating the life of a person is evil in the eyes of God.

Only God has the right to terminate life because He alone can give life. Suicide is also evil. Most people kill themselves because they cannot bear the pain. Others do not want to suffer the humiliation of life. They think the easiest way is to terminate life. The underlying problem is pain. Why do people resist suffering? Because sufferings brings humiliation and pain. What happens when you embrace suffering? You embrace the cross of Jesus Christ. However, if you deny suffering by terminating your life, you remain a sinner. Suffering is a portal to God’ graces. It can make you bitter or it can make you better, depending on the choice you make. If suffering comes your way, humble yourself. We are called to be submissive in all the trials of life.

If people only knew the torments of hells, they would cheerfully endure any sufferings and humiliations in this life. We fail because we mostly think in human ways, instead of God’s ways. I pray that you may all be pro-life because it not only saves the lives of others, but it can save your life too.

Pro-choice is motivated by self-love. When one kills someone, they have committed mortal sin and the punishment for mortal sin is eternity in hell. No one can enter heaven if they have no love for God and others.

37 He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

(Matthew 22: 37-40).

Pro-life is motivated by love for God and love for humanity, which leads to eternal life. However, if you are pro-choice, your choice of terminating life will lead to eternal death. You may not care much about hell at this moment, because you are not there yet, and you do not know much about it. If you knew about hell, I know that many who are currently pro-choice will convert and become pro-life.

For those of you who are pro-choice, know that pro-choice is in some way motivated by self-love, even though you may have no love for God or for the unborn child, or for the eternal life of those who are dying. The pro-choice slogan is “My Body, My Choice”. One thing is sure, you love yourself, and at least the love for self should motivate you to become pro-life. If you really love yourself, then you surely do not want to suffer eternity in hell. Imagine that unending pain and suffering. Imagine a hot oven, would you prefer to be in an oven, even for a moment? You wouldn’t, right? The fire in hell is nothing compared to the fire we have on earth. You don’t want your body and soul tormented in hell forever.

The pro-life believe that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are made in the image and likeness of God, therefore, life is precious, to be nurtured and protected. Walking the faith journey is not easy. It is a most difficult journey and, therefore, only very few make it.

We live in a culture of legalised killing. Abortion, euthanasia, and suicide. You may think that abortion, euthanasia, and suicide is an easy way to end your pain and suffering. However, there is no such thing as an easy way. You are signing up for eternal death when you engage in killing. However, if you take the courage and walk this walk of faith, embrace the pain, you will reap eternal reward. The sufferings of this life will surely end. If you go through the inconvenience and embrace the trials in life, you will receive abundance graces that will lead you to eternal life with Jesus Christ. Pro-life or pro-choice, one is right the other wrong. How do you choose? Not, by human understanding but by the word of God.

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly”

(John 10:10, NRSV)

Jesus came to give life. Jesus is pro-life. When you choose pro-life, you choose life with Christ. When you choose to kill, you are choosing the devil and eternal punishment.

If you are in a situation of opting for abortion, euthanasia, or suicide, I pray that you consider becoming pro-life. You can receive guidance from our Blessed Virgin Mary, she is Our Lady of Sorrow, and she understands your pain. She will guide you into the light and will give you abundant graces to overcome every trouble. You certainly are traveling on a difficult path and Mother Mary is with you. Seek her help and you will find it. When the time came to give birth to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary had to knock on several doors before finding a lowly manger to give birth to the Saviour of the world. You too will have difficulty as you seek help. However, with Mother Mary by your side, you will find that lowly place of refuge and you will not be alone. You have Jesus, Mary, and Joseph with you.

If you had the misfortune of committing abortion, euthanasia, or attempted suicide, there is hope for all those who seek God’s mercy.

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