Last week, we reflected on October as the month of the rosary. October, however, is also dedicated to remembering another important issue for our faith and our society. It is also Respect Life month. This year, the special theme to encourage our respect for life is, “Each of Us is a Masterpiece of God’s Creation.”

That theme captures the essence of our faith and the best of the Church’s witness to life. For starters, it encourages us to step back and see the whole and the beauty of why, as Christians and Catholics, we are pro-life in every sense. Human life, made as we are in the image and likeness of God, is the masterpiece of God’s creation.

The world itself, coming from God’s hand, has an inherent beauty that reminds us of God’s presence.

Think of how often that presence comes to mind when we see a sunrise, a sunset or even the beauty of fall trees.

Yet even beyond the natural beauty of the world, God’s life is reflected in a special way in every human person. That’s the meaning of the praise of God when we pray Psalm 8, “You have made (man) little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him rule over the works of your hands, putting all things under his feet …” (Ps 8:6-7).

Human life, then, is an exceptional gift from God. Our recognition of that masterpiece, our respect for all human life, is part of the joy and good news of our faith.

Our witness to the gift of life takes on many forms. On Oct. 5, throughout the Diocese, you may have seen the life chain. People stood together in a silent and united witness that respect for life begins at conception. Despite our country’s legal acceptance of abortion, those young lives have the same right to be born and fulfill God’s calling to them that each of us has received. Thanks to all who participated in the chain.

Thanks also to all our young people who, each year, joyfully take part in the March for Life in January as we recall the sadness of the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing so many abortions.

And thanks to all who constantly pray for this intention.

Respect for life, of course, goes beyond its first stages. Pope Francis has made it a point of emphasis in his teaching to remind us of respect for the lives of those who may be especially weak and vulnerable.
In a particular way this includes those near the end of their lives. He urges us to honor and respect the elderly in our families and in society.

No one should ever be made to feel like a burden or a financial drain in his or her final days and years. We remain part of the masterpiece even then. For that reason, we need also to be respectful of God’s hand at the moment of death.

Just as He gives life, it is His to take us back to Himself. Our care for the elderly is why we oppose the constant talk of legalizing assisted suicide and our insistence on the provision of ordinary means of medical treatment, as well as food and water. Even though life may lose some of its vigor, it retains all of its dignity.

Our respect for God’s gift of human life influences our wider view of society and how we witness to life. In our day, it is hard to separate care for life from concerns about the economy, employment and health care. Even our approach to fixing our broken immigration system must take into account the dignity of human life and its rootedness in united families.

As with the rosary, our respect for life is not limited to one month. Our daily and year-round witness is simply highlighted during October.

But whether we look in the mirror, at a grade school playground or the front door of a hospital or nursing home, we see God’s hand. We see the masterpiece that is human life.