If you have been following the news, you are probably aware of the physician assisted suicide legislature that was was recently signed into law in the State of Illinois.
Going against the Illinois bishops and even the Pope, Illinois is now a haven for physician assisted suicide. A move that undermines the human dignity of some of the most vulnerable among us and undermines the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In Canada, where assisted suicide has been the law of the land for several years, 4.7% of deaths result from assisted suicide. That may seem like a low percentage, but if you apply that to the population of the United States, that would be over 15 million Americans.
The real danger is where does this go from here.
Remember the abortion argument from 30-40 years ago…remember when Bill Clinton famously stated that abortion should be “safe, legal, and rare”, and then contrast that to our current state.
Inch by inch, the culture of death built on that toehold to the point where abortion has not only been normalized and celebrated, but that infanticide has become accepted in many states such as Illinois and Minneasota.
Procedures are not performed by well equipped physicians, but rather ambulances are called to Planned Parenthood on a regular basis due to complications. And, everyday, women are coerced into abortions they do not really want. Not safe. Not rare.
The culture of death will not rest until death rules the day. Each victory they win for a “rare” situation, or a “safe” situation, or in the case of assisted suicide, a “terminal” situation, only becomes the fortification for their next campaign.
In Canada, there are proposals to expand assisted suicide to allow those with conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia to request their death before the effects of their illnesses set in. Provisions are also under discussion to allow assisted suicide for those that suffer from mental illness.
Regardless of its legal status and how normalized it may become, assisted suicide is still, objectively speaking, a mortal sin. As it says in the Catechism, “Suicide is seriously contrary to justice, hope, and charity. It is forbidden by the fifth commandment.”
As I lay that truth bomb out there, I acknowledge that many of us have known at least one person (and some of us my have known several people) who have taken their own lives via suicide. Perhaps some of us have even struggled with suicidal thoughts.
I do believe Jesus has a special place in His heart for those who were driven to the point where they felt ending their life was the only option. In many cases culpability for the sin is likely reduced due to mental illness, social pressure, side effects of medication, or perhaps even demonic oppression.
Ultimately, we need more social empathy and better ways to recognize when people are reaching this dreadful point. That is a homily for another day.
At the same time, we need to recognize and hold to the serious moral nature of the situation. We must stand firm in the Gospel Truth which is contrary to any form of suicide.
Yet, many “Christians” support it. The National Institute of Health conducted a survey among clergy (which included the wide range of protestant denominations). 28% responded that physician assisted suicide is morally acceptable. The rate increased to 56% among mainstream and evangelical Christianity.
As the non-Catholic ecclesial communities around us and even many of the Orthodox Churches continue to acquiesce to the ways of the world, we are reminded that the Truth of Jesus Christ does not change and that the Catholic Church is the pillar and foundation of that Truth.
Our challenge is similar to the one proposed in the first reading. Who is our King? Are we part of His Kingdom, which is the Catholic Church? Or, would we rather be like other nations? Do we want to be set free by the Truth? Or do we want to be slaves to human secularism and the culture of death?
In the battle of life versus death, let us for ever sing the goodness of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
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