I received an email recently, indicating that some people in Washington D.C. wanted me to be a part of the annual March for Life on January 23rd. Unfortunately, I was unable to accept the invitation. I have joined the March in the past, and never have I been part of a more joy-filled gathering of human beings. We were all on the same page—friends for life. Anyone could start a conversation with anyone, fully expecting an enjoyable experience. There were no strangers. Everyone was united in life and only too eager to share that reality. There were no scowls, which are often evident in protest marchers. This congregation knew only warm fellowship and the hope for a brighter future. I will pray for the success of the March this year, which will be superintended by the Author of Life.
What could I say to these happy pilgrims that has not been said before? How could I offer anything more noble and gallant than what the marchers are displaying in their demonstration of the value of life? My admiration for the multitude should render me speechless. Nonetheless, there were some pro-lifers who thought I might have something worthwhile to say—a humbling, and yet encouraging idea. The transition from marcher to speaker, however, is a daunting one.
I noticed a sign that was displayed in last year’s March (2025). It read, “Every person deserves a birthday.” We celebrate birthdays retrospectively. Each person has one birth. But that entrance into the world has enough significance to be honored on a yearly basis. A candle is lit for each passing year. “Happy Birthday” salutes the day, but at the same time commemorates the one day of birth. Should we not also celebrate a birthday prospectively?
According to Greek mythology, Prometheus and Epimetheus were brothers who were in charge of life. The former, as his name indicates, had foresight while the latter had hindsight. Prometheus was courageous and wise. His brother was weak and foolish. I believe that those who march for life are Promethean in the sense that they have foresight and are able to see things prospectively. They are the harbingers of good things. They are mindful enough to celebrate birthdays even before they occur.
Birthdays, then, should be celebrated anticipatorily or prospectively. Pro-lifers, as well as pregnant women, are expectant. Foresight indicates a certain kind of extra-sensory perception. The distinguished theologian Romano Guardini has said that the root of eyesight is in the optic nerve, but the root of vision is in the heart. Pro-life marchers have vision because they have heart. A Latin expression reminds us that wherever there is love, there is insight (ubi amor, ibi oculus).
It is rather mind boggling to think about the genealogy of the unborn. The line from parents through a series of grandparents is an unbroken one that stretches all the way back to our primary parents. It would be a terrible shame, a metaphysical violation, to break that line after it has survived for so many thousands of years.
Yes, each unborn child deserves to have a birthday. History is on his side. The marchers are hoping that more pregnant mothers look forward to their child’s initial birthday. In the words of Shakespeare, “‘Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.”
The March for Life this January 23rd is a collective affirmation of the right of every living person to have a birthday. Those who have had multiple birthdays come together to make a visible case that unborn children, who are heading toward a birthday, will attain that cherished goal.
The March sounds a note of humility. Those who are born in no way see themselves as elite, but as servants. They do not discriminate between the born and the unborn. They understand that the common denominator that unites them is life. And so, under the banner of Life, they march so that life may be shared by all who live.
Photo by Luma Pimentel on Unsplash
