“Life is a gift.” Four small words, plain in their simplicity, yet this phrase could be found printed on a multitude of signs scattered throughout the crowd at the National March for Life on January 23rd. They could be heard repeated by our Vice President, JD Vance, as he addressed the nation, decrying the evils of abortion. Four small words that were the very reason roughly 150,000 people came together, many from hundreds of miles away, to march for the lives of those too small to march for themselves. Life is a gift, and yet we live in a society that seems determined to preach the opposite. Our society would have us believe that life is a burden, not only on ourselves, but on those unfortunate enough to be saddled with our care. Help and guidance is monetized, friendship is transactional, and even something as pure as love is often only as valuable as what one gets from it.
Despite all of this, the cruelest way the world corrupts the gift of life is through abortion. Abortion strips away the lives of the most innocent and vulnerable amongst us, trading their worth for personal convenience. The world tells us incessantly that this massacre is righteous, that without it women are stripped of their rights, and that only through abortion can they achieve freedom and empowerment. But is the commodification of hundreds of thousands of lives each year freeing? Is the loss of human dignity empowering? Is human life truly worth no more than the convenience of those around us?
Saint Anthony of Padua once said, “Nowhere other than looking at himself in the mirror of the Cross can man better understand how much he is worth.” In a world intent on denying human dignity, we remember the love and worth afforded to us by God. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Yet we repay His sacrifice — His death — with deaths of our own, not made out of love or devotion, but rather out of a selfish convenience. This is why we came together to march. We marched so that this dignity might become apparent and applicable to all, regardless of size or location.
Our journey this year began with a visit to George Mason University for the “Life is Very Good” Rally and Mass, complete with a message of support from Pope Leo XIV. He reminded those of us gathered there of the sanctity of life, saying, “I likewise express heartfelt appreciation and assure you of my spiritual closeness as you gather for this eloquent public witness to affirm that the protection of the right to life constitutes the indispensable foundation of every other human right.” This sentiment was further echoed by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington in his homily, as he reminded his young listeners, “Cherish the words of the letter from St. John reminding you [that] you are God’s beloved. He loves you. You are His son and daughter, and nothing can ever change that.”
Hundreds of young people, united by a trust in God and an unwavering belief that life is precious and deserving of protection, continued on with the words of Bishop Burbidge guiding us forward: “Rely completely and totally on the love of your Heavenly Father and let Him carry through the day.” We were joined by tens of thousands of people from all across the nation, each one as determined to protect the lives of the unborn as the next. “It was beautiful to witness so many people gathered for such a wonderful cause. Rather than simply saying life is precious, those marching showed by their example that life truly is precious and worth fighting for,” said Meghan Hanley, a sophomore at Mount St. Mary’s University.
Tens of thousands of people coming together from across the nation, not simply preaching the importance of life, but acting upon it, is a poignant reminder of America’s commitment to the belief that life is sacred. As good as intentions may be, intentions alone cannot beget change. The March for Life combines these intentions with actions, working to convince those in power that human life deserves to be protected on all levels. While much of the country continues to treat life as disposable, the March offers a glimmer of hope that one day, all Americans will not only remember the sanctity of human life, but work to defend it.
The March also reminds us of the good being done by those in power in order to protect those without it. In his speech at the March for Life, Vice President Vance shared his commitment to creating a “culture of life.” This culture would not only protect the lives of the unborn, but the lives of all citizens across the nation. It would guarantee freedom from religious censorship and give support to families and children. He shared both the achievements the government had already attained and their plans for the future, saying “we want Americans, every American from all walks of life, to have happy, healthy children, and we want them to raise those kids with confidence that their kids are going to do well and grow up in safety and prosperity, that they’ll have access to good jobs, great schools, safe streets, and warm houses in which to raise their kids.” This “culture of life” looks beyond arbitrary human categories, seeing all people, born and unborn, through the eyes of God. It not only serves as a reassurance that life is a gift, but actively works towards creating a society where life is treated as one. For as we were reminded by Pope Leo XIV, “A society is healthy and truly progresses only when it safeguards the sanctity of human life and works actively to promote it.”
How beautiful would the world be if we were to embrace this “culture of life,” if we were to follow the example of those marching and work towards creating a society that mirrors the love of God. Imagine what the world could be if we were to see others not as a burden or a commodity, but as a gift from God, worthy of our love. Imperfect as our love may be, His love shines through us, reaching them, and it is perfect. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34-35).
