Our human soul is our connection to God. Here’s how Our Sunday Visitor Catholic Dictionary defines soul. “It’s the ‘animating’ principle, created directly by God, which together with the body contributes to the unity of man. The human soul is immaterial, rational, and immortal; it is independent of matter and enables man to enter a relationship with God.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 33) points to Vatican II (Gaudium et spes 18) in calling the human soul “the seed of eternity we bear in ourselves.” Our immortal soul, not our human body, is our eternal connection to God. Therefore, we must focus on our soul, not on our human flesh. We must turn away from sin; because God’s grace and our sins cannot share our soul.

In Saint John’s gospel, John the Baptist sees Jesus coming toward him and proclaims, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” Do you fully understand the significance of John’s proclamation: Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity takes away the sins of the world? If He takes away our sins, we can, by living a faithful and moral life, spend eternity with Him in heaven. This should be every man and woman’s goal in life: eternal salvation. Never lose sight of this reality: while eternal salvation is possible for everyone, it is not guaranteed to anyone. We must avoid sin at all cost; especially, mortal sin. Do you want to avoid mortal sin? Then listen to the Church, not to our secular society. Christ’s Church, the Roman Catholic Church, is the moral beacon in the world.

The secular world tells us that artificial contraception, abortion, euthanasia, and embryonic stem cell research are good for society. These voices are wrong. When it comes to these four life issues, Jesus calls us to listen to the Church, not society.

The prophet Isaiah tells us that Israel was formed as God’s servant from the womb. The prophet Jeremiah tells us that before God formed him in the womb God knew him. Human life begins in the womb. At the moment the male sperm fertilizes the female egg, God implants an immortal soul and human life begins.

What’s your answer to this question? In America, is abortion legal the first three months of a pregnancy, the first six months, or all nine months?

Abortion, the killing of a human life, a child of God, is allowed up and until the baby is completely out of his mother’s body. This is wrong. And how do I know this is wrong? I know it’s wrong because the Church says it’s wrong; and I place my complete faith in Jesus and His Church, not in the secular world that has lost its moral compass.

God in His infinite wisdom created man and woman for marital love. He gave beauty and purpose to sexual intercourse. And He calls every husband and wife to be open to new life when they come together as one to share sexual pleasure and love. When husband and wife use artificial contraception to prevent pregnancy, they are rejecting God’s wisdom and His plan for new life.

Do you realize that the birth control pill can cause an abortion? When the pill first hit the market in the 1960’s, many women died from the side effects of its high dosage. So the manufacturer reduced the dosage. This reduced dosage birth control pill is not always successful in preventing the fertilization of the egg. (Remember, as soon as a human egg is fertilized, God implants an immortal soul. Read CCC 366.) While the pill is not always successful in preventing fertilization, it is often successful at preventing the new human life from attaching itself to its mother’s womb. Thus an abortion occurs.

God is the giver and taker of human life: not man. God decides when an earthly life is to end. God is not asking us to play God. We need to leave God’s work to God. All human life is sacred. We are God’s partner in caring for it and protecting it. No man or woman reaches a point in their life, a “ripe old” age, where their life is meaningless or better served if it were brought to an end. The Church teaches that euthanasia, the deliberate killing of a dying, disabled, or chronically ill person in order to end his or her suffering, is immoral and to be rejected because it usurps the power of God. Euthanasia is often called mercy killing; but in reality it is man attempting to play God. As faithful Catholic Christians, we must reject “mercy killing.”

Do you know that the Church supports stem cell research? It does. The Church wants men and women to discover and develop ways to heal the sick and to reverse paralysis. Adult stem cell research is acceptable to the Church; it’s embryonic stem cell research that is not morally acceptable to the Church. Why? Adult stem cells can be harvested without taking human life. When embryonic stem cells are harvested, the human life with its immortal soul is destroyed. Once again I say, “God does not need us to do his job.”

Let me close with this final thought. I do not believe that the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion in the U.S. will be overturned anytime soon; but we must continue to work to overturn it. Artificial contraception, abortion, euthanasia, and embryonic stem cell research will end when the hearts and minds of men and women place their faith in the wisdom of God and His Church.

I ask each of you to evaluate your own life and your own set of beliefs. Are they in line with God and the teaching of His Church; or, do you think you know better than God what’s right for you and your family? Be honest with yourself.

For more insight read CCC paragraphs 33, 362-67, 382, 1060, 1703, 1753, 1934, 2270-79, 2332, 2370. Also, pull out your “Catholic” Bible and reference Gen 1:26-28; 38:6-10; Job 10:8-12; Ps 22:10-11; 127:3-5; Is 49:1, 5; Jer 1:4-5; Jn 1:29-34; 1 Jn 5:16-17.