Several weeks ago, I made a post about the undercover videos that have begun to surface regarding some of the activity that goes on inside Planned Parenthood. Today, a seventh video was released and in this one, the person speaking talks about how she heard a heart beating of a baby whose parts were being dissected. The video is gut wrenching, horrifying, and brings my heart to sorrow.
We as a culture have lost the moral capacity, as well as the philosophical and theological language to be able to deride this kind of activity clearly and forcefully. Until we get our moral, philosophical, and theological underpinnings back (first in the Church, and then in the greater society), and are able to once again value the dignity of every human life from the first moment of conception, none of our other "issues" will be able to be resolved. Gender inequality, wealth inequality, sexual exploitation, human trafficking, hunger, lack of medical care, issues with the environment are examples of issues that cannot be fixed until we first fix the foundational disregard for human life that we have, whether we wish to admit it or not.
It is moments like this that we can turn to people like Saint Joseph for inspiration. His whole life he protected and defended life. After the angel first appeared to him, he "took his wife into his home" (Matthew 8:24). Mary was pregnant at the time. Therefore, Joseph took an unborn life into his home. We are called to do the same, bring life into our homes. We need to welcome the unborn like Joseph did, even if they are not our biological own. It is fair and just to to be concerned with unborn babies that are not in our own wombs, contrary to what some pro-"choice" advocates may say.
Later on, Joseph took Mary and the child and fled to Egypt, again at the request of an angel (Matthew 2:13-14) . Why? Because Herod was going to destroy him. Joseph here takes the steps necessary to defend the life of a child who is targeted for execution. We must do the same for the unborn babies today who are under the same fate due to legalized abortion.
Another interesting aspect of Joseph's mission was that he was the one who was told by the angel to name the child Jesus (Matthew 1:22) . His example shows us that it is important to give every child a name. His intercession is used sometimes by groups who assist mothers who have had abortions to give their aborted child a name as part of the grieving and healing process post-abortion.
While the title "patron of the unborn" is not in the official Litany to Saint Joseph, it is a title some pro-life groups have given him today. It should be clear from these examples why. A group that has specialized in post-abortion healing came up with the prayer copied below. This prayer can be said for all those babies aborted at Planned Parenthood over the years, ideally by the men and women involved with the abortion as part of their healing process, but if not them, then by us. I will close this post with this prayer.
O St. Joseph, after your most holy spouse, our Blessed Mother, you were the first to take into your arms and heart the baby Jesus. From the first time you gazed upon him and held him, your heart and soul were forever bonded to him. You caressed the Holy Child with fatherly love and affection, and you committed yourself always to love, protect, and care for this Son.
Look now with similar love and affection upon this child of mine, who has gone from this world. I place my child, as well as my grief and guilt, into the eternal embrace of your arms. Hold and caress my child for me with the love of my arms and sweetly kiss my child with all the tender affection of my heart.
As God the Father entrusted the care of His most precious Son into your most loving and confident hands, so too do I entrust into your fatherly care this child of mine. Please present him to the merciful hands of Our Lord, so that one day, when I too leave this world, my child may greet me into eternal life. Amen
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