Life

Life

Today my 93 year old neighbor said to me, "I wish I did not live to be this old, I feel so worthless."
This led to a conversation on what makes life worthwhile and valueable.

What determines the value of life, whether old, young, or in between?

The old remember being strong in life, productive and energetic. They remember working, providing,
producing and protecting. Now they are the ones who have to depend on someone else for these very
things that had given them meaning in life.

The young and the unborn don't remember. Their very survival depends on someone's care, compassion and protection. The sick and handicapped depend on the strong for their well being also.

So is it only the strong who have value and meaning in life?

Life is the very essence of God's love. It was His love that created life and gave value and meaning to each
individual, the unborn in the womb,the infant, the sick, the handicapped. the elderly and the strong.
We all need each other. The weak, young and elderly need the strong in order to live a meaningful life, likewise, the strong need the weak,young,and the elderly to live a meaningful life.

Taking care of the weak, young and the elderly is rewarding. It's how we learn to give and learn how to love. It's how our character is shaped, teaching us patience, gentleness, kindness and endurance. It's how we learn to grow in wisdom and so much more.

Our society today determines its own value on the weak. It's a choice we can make they say.
Yes, it's a choice.
Its's a choice to kill an unborn child if it is determinded to be unwanted or not convenient.
It's a choice for self instead of a choice to give, to protect, to provide.
It's a choice to come to "my own conclusion of who is valuable and who is not."

The same goes for the other end of the specrtum, the elderly.
In today's society hospitals are rewarded if they spend less on seniors.
Why should seniors be treated differently in hospitals than the young or middle-aged?
Is it because we are coming up with our own preconceived idea of who is valuable and who is not?

God is the only One who can place a value on an indiviual. He is the One who has created this life. All His creation has value because He has planned and purposed each one of their lives, making each indiviual unique.

He is the One who places the label of value over each person. We cannot exert our power over His and declare that this one is valueable and this one is not.

So I will cheerfully perform my duty of voting this year as a priest before the Lord, and I will vote for what I know He holds dear to His heart. I will vote for LIFE.