The image and likeness of God is placed upon every human being from their very beginning, and this is why hearing news (like what happened in New York) strikes a Christian to their core, because to deliberately destroy the image and likeness of unborn children, is to destroy God Himself.  This is something that our souls simply cannot understand. 

This short homily was given by Fr. Raphael Biernacki of blessed memory, over the loss of a child who went to the open arms of our Lord during delivery. It was adapted and read during our parish’s annual memorial service for all unborn infants on Sanctity of Life Sunday.

“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”   Imagine the enormity of that statement!  God comes to us in the flesh, the Trinity is made manifest, and then Christ comes out and tells us that the only appropriate response to all of these incredible things, is to change the orientation of our lives…and repent.  

…There are many in the outside world that would look upon this custom as odd, just like they do at so many of the other mysteries (sacraments) of the Church.  From an outside perspective, these mysteries of the Church seem like a bunch of hocus pocus, useless rituals that have no purpose, and no way of changing mankind and the world.  But it has been the teaching of Christianity from the very beginning, that it is through the sacraments that the human race is truly transformed….

Beginning with the Annunciation, we see an angelic message of FAITH.  Mary, although she did not understand what was happening, listened to the angel Gabriel when he told her that she was going to have a child conceived by the Holy Spirit.  God was asking Mary to step out on faith rather than on her own understanding.  Mary’s faith in God allowed her to respond: “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).