Editor’s note: In observance of October as “Respect Life Month,” Bishop Edward J. Burns celebrated a bilingual Respect Life Mass Oct. 17 at Prince of Peace Catholic Community in Plano. The Mass was an opportunity to recognize and pray for all the pro-life apostolates committed to serving women, children, and families in need in the Diocese of Dallas. Following is Bishop Burns’ homily from the Mass.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is confronted with a question intended to trap him: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?
Jesus asks to see a coin and then poses a simple question: “Whose image is this and whose inscription?”
They respond, “Caesar’s.”
And Jesus offers those remarkable words: “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
Brothers and sisters, there is something profoundly important in those words, especially as we gather … to reaffirm our commitment to the dignity and sanctity of every human life.
The coin bore the image of Caesar, but every human person bears the image of God!
From the first moment of conception until natural death, every human being carries within them the image and likeness of our Creator.
We belong to God!
Our dignity does not come from the government. It does not come from the courts. It does not come from our abilities, our independence, our health, or even whether we are wanted by others.
Our dignity comes from God, who created us in his image and likeness.
No government, no court, no law, and no individual has the authority to take away that God-given dignity.
Yet, we live in a society where this fundamental truth is increasingly challenged.
We see it in the continued efforts to legalize and expand abortion. We see it in the widespread distribution of abortion-inducing drugs, sent through the mail and across state lines, making the taking of innocent human life increasingly accessible.
We see it whenever human life is treated as disposable, inconvenient, or unworthy of protection.
This is what St. John Paul II identified as the culture of death — a culture that loses sight of the sacredness of human life and places human choice above the dignity of the human person.
But we are called to something greater!
We are called to build a culture of life!
A culture that welcomes the unborn child, supports the mother facing an unexpected pregnancy, accompanies families in difficulty, protects those living with disabilities, cares for the elderly, and upholds the dignity of every person until natural death.
And let us never forget: Our pro-life mission must always be a mission of love, mercy, and hope. To every woman who has experienced the pain of abortion, the Church offers not condemnation but the healing mercy of Jesus Christ.
St. Paul, in today’s second reading, commends the Thessalonians for their “work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope.”
What a beautiful description of the pro-life movement!
To all those involved in the pro-life ministries of the Diocese of Dallas, I offer my heartfelt gratitude.
Your work is a work of faith; your service is a labor of love; and your perseverance, even in the face of discouragement, is an endurance in hope.
This mission belongs not only to those involved in pro-life ministries. It belongs to every one of us.
We must be voices for the voiceless, defenders of the defenseless, and witnesses to the truth that every human life is sacred.
We must remember that our responsibility does not end with the birth of a child. We are called to accompany mothers, fathers, children, and families with genuine compassion and practical support.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus tells us today to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.
The coin bears Caesar’s image.
But the unborn child bears God’s image. The struggling mother bears God’s image. The elderly person bears God’s image. The person with disabilities bears God’s image. Every human being bears God’s image.
And, because every human life bears the image of God, every human life deserves our love, our respect, and our protection.
May we never grow weary of defending that sacred gift.
And may Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the unborn, intercede for us as we work together to build a culture of life.
For, every life is precious; every life has dignity; and every life belongs to God.
Amen.
Cutline for featured image: Bishop Edward Burns visits with parishioners following the Respect Life Mass on Oct. 17 at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Plano. (KEVIN BARTRAM/Special Contributor)
