May 31, 2006

Has it only been a year since Mary Schindler appeared on our television screens nightly pleading for the life of her daughter, Teri?

“Michael and Jodi, you have your own children. Please give my child back to me.”

We all know what happened. Michael Schiavo did not relent. We all witnessed it. We shared Mary’s pain as the child she bore grew into a young, beautiful woman, became disabled, and was denied food and water by court order. Terri died from starvation and dehydration on March 31, 2005, at the age of 41.

This was not the first case of judicial homicide. In 1973, Norma McCorvey’s attorneys managed to persuade a group of judges that the unborn were unworthy of protection. Boys and girls could be destroyed for any reason prior to their birth. We all know the results: 46 million babies lost—women and men wounded and grieving over an abortion decision that they thought would bring them freedom. Our society has experienced the continuing devaluation of life as a gift from God and an increased push to value only those individuals whom society deems as useful. Babies in an unplanned pregnancy became a burden, Terri Schiavo became a burden, and the elderly are increasingly becoming a burden.

Population studies have shown that in the United States we are experiencing an aging population. The fastest growing segment of the population will be those described as the “oldest old.” You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that the economic consequences of an aging population will drive our society to endorse euthanasia for what the Nazis called “useless eaters.”

During the pendency of the Schiavo case, Lutherans For Life received many calls from Lutheran pastors who were shocked at the reaction of their parishioners. Many Christians were more concerned about how they could avoid ending up with a feeding tube, like Teri, rather than the fact that she was being euthanized. Comments centered around, “I wouldn’t want to live like that,” or “She would be better off dead.” Some of our pastors were amazed that our people did not understand that God can and is working in each of our lives, no matter how frail and incapacitated that life may be. I don’t have much hope that our society will protect the elderly from the legacy of abortion. Several years ago a friend of mine was told that she “had a problem and needed to let go” when she asked her mother’s doctors to place a feeding tube in her mother, suffering with Alzheimer’s, who had lost her swallowing reflex.

The hope to countering our culture of death must remain with the Church. The Church must speak out on these issues and educate their parishioners through the Word of God. Pastors and lay people must care for their elderly, pray for them and with them, and visit shut-ins to demonstrate that the care of the Church does not end when people can no longer contribute to their congregation as they once did. Pastors must equip their people with God-pleasing ways to care for grandmas and grandpas, particularly when illness demands that difficult medical decisions need to be made. God has told us that He is in charge, not us. He is the one who gives our lives meaning and purpose. He determines when His meaning and purpose for a particular life is complete.

The vision of Lutherans For Life is to be “a powerful, Biblical, pro-life voice and resource to Lutherans, and through them, transform society.” We equip people to make God-pleasing decisions in difficult life situations and make a difference in the lives of people around them! What a blessing to be a part of that work! When you support Lutherans For Life you are helping the Church and our people be God’s shining light of LIFE illuminating the darkness of our culture. Thank you for joining with me in speaking God’s truth in love and giving hope to those who trust in His promises!