To My Generation

A couple weekends ago, I went to Austin with a group of friends for the state pro-life march. The twenty or so of us had a pleasant time traveling to and even being there in the capital, but the reason for the trip brought us little joy or happiness.

The fact of the matter is that in this nation since the Roe vs. Wade decision in 1973, over 47 million babies have been murdered, aborted, or any other euphemism used to describe the killing that has been committed. The simple irreverence that is shown to the matter, or worse yet disdain for the topic being brought up as "controversial," is more appalling.

The frustration of such a lack of respect for life, in all its stages is a serious problem. My parents' generation, those who grew up in that time of "free love" and all that was the 1960's and 1970's, failed morally. Not only did that generation give us a warped sense of morality, but they condoned something so inherently wrong—the killing of innocent life.

The trip to Austin two weekends ago was some light amid all the darkness. And it specifically had to do with my generation and our stand for life in all its stages. The fellowship we had and the camaraderie in being able to attend the yearly Pro-Life Mass at San Jose in Austin, then the Pro-Life Rally and March at the steps of the Capitol, and then the reception at the UT Catholic Student Center was a blessing for me.

But more than that was the homily I heard the next morning at our 11 AM Mass at St. Mary's. Father Brian, in his usual way set out in a clear manner the ills of what our nation has faced and what has caused this evil to seep into our society's heart. He outlined the three major ideological culprits: individualism, relativism, and utilitarianism. While I wish I could reconstruct verbatim the words of the homily a week and a half ago, I am not that skilled in memorization, so I will have to give you the cliff notes version.

Essentially put, individualism is "love without sacrifice," relativism is "love without truth," and utilitarianism is love without humanity. With any one of the three, we are apt to err in judgment. For if we look at everything told to us with the same weight as being equal, how are we to know anything as true? Or, with individualism, if we always think of ourselves, how are we to help our fellow man (and woman)? And especially with the final one, utilitarianism, if we to look at everything in this world saying, "What's in it for me,” how are we to be truly helpful?

The homily did strike a chord in me, and it got me to think a great deal. Additionally, it made me contemplate the weekend, and what more I ought to do to help end the killing. Meanwhile, that evening I began to write again, and even though I didn't set out to write specifically to the topic of abortion, the words fell into place. So these are those words, my words to my generation:

To My Generation

By moonlight do I write
These words of the night,
Of joyous, wondrous might,
And of blessings bestowed by the Way, Truth, and Life.

It is not without sorrow
Nor sadness, nor pain
That I write of a better tomorrow,
Of one not so vain.

Our society kills with indiscretion
The young, the old, and the vile
But the saddest thing is they call it a decision
And they do so with a smile.

What our world now needs
Is a nation and a generation
To sow all new seeds
By calling this killing what it truly is, an abomination.

For if we do not awaken from boredom
The hearts and the minds of this country,
Our proud mantle of justice and freedom
Will fall from its God-given glory.

What else then must we do,
We whom they call the next Great Generation,
Than to cast out the evil and make all things anew?
This is my cry and lamentation.

We who are a people built on principle
Ought not stand by so idly
And allow this atrocity so indefensible.
Instead we should be on the front lines fighting mightily.

Without question, there is a battle to be fought,
One not of actual battle lines,
Rather of clinics where murder is sought.
This is what we fight for: our people’s hearts and minds.

We must change what was lost,
That self-centered failure of our parents' fallen generation.
This is a battle we must win no matter the cost,
For if we do not, ours may be the last generation,
A generation who refused to pay the absolute cost.

So to my generation, do I send this plea:
Awaken from your slumber and change this cruel world that I see.