The Promise of Hope

It is easy to talk about patience. It is much harder to be patient. The people of Israel had to wait hundreds of years for their promised Messiah. It seems ironic, and it must have been very difficult, that even when the promised Messiah came with the birth of our Lord in Bethlehem, the people needed to wait even more decades to be made aware of his presence.

There were some that knew. Our Lady and St Joseph in the midst of wonder, the shepherds summoned by the majestic array of the angels in the heavens, the Wise Men drawn through wisdom and constant vigilance – these were the first to see the fulfillment of the promise.

As the years went on, others were added to this small select group. Simeon and Anna, the teachers in the Temple, and gradually John the Baptist, the disciples, the Apostles, and the crowds; even at Pentecost, thousands more were brought to the Good News. It seems it takes a long time for the promises of God to be fulfilled. The fulfillment of the promise of God began in a small seemingly insignificant way, but it gathers momentum until the Christ Child at Bethlehem becomes the Christ of all the Nations. It seemed like such a small miracle, but that was, in its way, only because the people that were looking needed to learn how to look and truly see and how to listen and truly hear. Any reflection on the birth of the Christ Child has to be struck by the dichotomy between smallness and greatness, between hidden truth and eternal wisdom.

And so, it is in our time. There is a Christmas hymn written and sung by (of all people), Kenny Rogers that talks about sparks of hope – “this comes to pass when a child is born.” And of course, that is true. The miracle of the Incarnation makes a miracle of the birth of each of us. The fact that God took on flesh means that all persons are worthwhile, miraculous, and worthy of protection. His fragility and vulnerability show that each of us, small and hidden, are not forgotten, worthless or disposable, but, rather, that we too “share in the spark of the Divine” and that our destiny is not limited but eternal. This is what we fight for. All of you reading this know that.

But we fight for a positive, not a negative. We fight that the Light of Christ may shine on all the Bethlehems of our world, that the darkness of heart and mind so prevalent in our time may be

illumined by the coming of the Son of Justice into each life and into each society, and to each decision. It is why in this “Covid year” that Priests for Life Canada has continued its work in whatever way possible. We have “visited” seminaries by Zoom, given lectures and talks virtually to groups across the country, in parishes, and thereby, in people’s homes. We have kept the national office afloat through your generosity and were able to hire a seminarian intern who was able to assist us in so many ways during his time with us.

As things eased up, I was able to celebrate several Masses for the 40 Days for Life in Toronto and also to speak at other events in British Columbia. This was all paid for by your generosity. We kept up a hectic pace of consultations on various bioethical questions and controversies and as always acted as voice for those who are seeking answers for “end of life” decisions for their loved ones. It has been a busy year but a strange one. In the midst of hospital shutdowns, cancelled surgeries and social restrictions, the forces of death didn’t cancel abortions, they killed even more of the vulnerable and seemed to crowd out more of our pro-life voices from the public square.

But children were born because of the witness at 40 Day Vigils. Medical and nursing students were supported and able to stay strong because of people in their fields assisting and guiding them. Mothers and families made decisions to give their children life because of the support of Pro-Life Centres and the Sisters of Life. Minds were changed because of pro-lifers being in the streets and our activists being on campuses, and us gaining new skills on social media platforms. A Light has come into the world, a Light which the darkness cannot overpower. I want to thank you for your prayerful support and your financial generosity that allows us to continue this ministry and ask you to continue to support us. May you know all the prayers of the Christ Child for your goodness and hold fast to the promise of Hope which He embodies.

Fr. Tom Lynch (PFLC National President)