Of course, we value life from conception to natural death.

 

Of course, we value life from conception to natural death. However, we need to keep in mind that the main reason we value this life is that we, baptized Christians, can and must live it in a way that is pleasing to God, in order to achieve eternal life. As much as we are afraid of the coronavirus, as the Apostles in the Cenacle were afraid of the Jews, we need to remember that, more serious than physical death, is eternal damnation.

Dear friends, 1everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ was born of God, and whoever loves the one who begot someone will also love the one who was born of him. 2We can know that we love God's children when we love God and keep his commandments. 3For this is loving God: keeping his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, 4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcame the world: our faith. 5Who is the winner of the world, if not he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6This is he who came by water and blood: Jesus Christ. (It came not with water alone, but with water and blood.) And the Spirit is the one who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth.

At dusk on that day, the first of the week, when the doors to the place where the disciples were were closed for fear of the Jews, Jesus entered and, standing in their midst, said: “Peace be with you.” 20After these words, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced to see the Lord. 21Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22And after he had said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23Whoever you forgive their sins will be forgiven; whoever you do not forgive them, they will be withheld from you.” 24Thomas, called Didymus, who was one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25The other disciples later told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the prints of the nails in your hands, unless I put my finger in the prints of the nails and put my hand into your side, I will not believe.” 26Eight days later, the disciples were again gathered at home, and Thomas was with them. When the doors were closed, Jesus entered, stood among them and said: “Peace be with you.” 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and place it on my side. And do not be unbelieving, but faithful.” 28Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Did you believe because you saw me? Blessed are those who believed without having seen!” 30Jesus performed many other signs before his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31But these were written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. After he returned to believing, the apostle Thomas would certainly remember with regret the demands he had made of God, who, however, kindly satisfied his requests, so that through his rebirth to faith we would have the grace to be faithful. Let us not be afraid to believe, even without having seen or touched it. We will throw open the doors of our hearts to the resurrected Christ, in order to unite ourselves to his blessed wounds, in which we will find an ardent love that will impel us to give our lives without fear.

Of course, we value life from conception to natural death. However, we need to keep in mind that the main reason we value this life is that we, baptized Christians, can and must live it in a way that is pleasing to God, in order to achieve eternal life. As much as we are afraid of the coronavirus, as the Apostles in the Cenacle were afraid of the Jews, we need to remember that, more serious than physical death, is eternal damnation.

Dear friends, 1everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ was born of God, and whoever loves the one who begot someone will also love the one who was born of him. 2We can know that we love God's children when we love God and keep his commandments. 3For this is loving God: keeping his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, 4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcame the world: our faith. 5Who is the winner of the world, if not he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6This is he who came by water and blood: Jesus Christ. (It came not with water alone, but with water and blood.) And the Spirit is the one who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth.

At dusk on that day, the first of the week, when the doors to the place where the disciples were were closed for fear of the Jews, Jesus entered and, standing in their midst, said: “Peace be with you.” 20After these words, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced to see the Lord. 21Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22And after he had said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23Whoever you forgive their sins will be forgiven; whoever you do not forgive them, they will be withheld from you.” 24Thomas, called Didymus, who was one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25The other disciples later told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the prints of the nails in your hands, unless I put my finger in the prints of the nails and put my hand into your side, I will not believe.” 26Eight days later, the disciples were again gathered at home, and Thomas was with them. When the doors were closed, Jesus entered, stood among them and said: “Peace be with you.” 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and place it on my side. And do not be unbelieving, but faithful.” 28Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Did you believe because you saw me? Blessed are those who believed without having seen!” 30Jesus performed many other signs before his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31But these were written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. After he returned to believing, the apostle Thomas would certainly remember with regret the demands he had made of God, who, however, kindly satisfied his requests, so that through his rebirth to faith we would have the grace to be faithful. Let us not be afraid to believe, even without having seen or touched it. We will throw open the doors of our hearts to the resurrected Christ, in order to unite ourselves to his blessed wounds, in which we will find an ardent love that will impel us to give our lives without fear.