By Judie Brown
In the commentary “5 Ways to Help Your Child Become a Faith-Filled and Pro-Life Superhero,” Susan Ciancio struck gold, not just for young people but for you and me. Expanding on this theme, I would like to invite the reader of this commentary to look around at the world in which you live.
While we often read stories to children, we are living our personal stories every day of our lives—and becoming an example to others as we do so. This prompts us to inquire of ourselves: What exactly am I doing to serve as a storyteller to others? Do they see me smile? Do they hear me talk about truth, such as the wonder of an expectant mother and her preborn baby?
If we are not doing such things, we should begin.
While we are at it, we should also practice the gift of empathy with those who find it hard to accept the truths we teach. Empathy is “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. Empathy is the capacity to feel what another person is experiencing from within their frame of reference. It is the capacity to place oneself in another’s position. Put in ordinary language, it is feeling the feelings of the suffering person as if you were in the same position as the suffering person.”
Jesus taught us the value of empathy by His unlimited love for each one of us. He died so that we might live in Him. It is that gift that inspires us to be one with those who suffer, whether emotionally, physically, or spiritually. To be empathetic with another is to imitate Christ.
We find this practice especially useful when we invite our family, friends, and coworkers to toil with us in His vineyard. Believe it or not, even a smile given to another is a work of mercy, a blessing from the Lord that we can share with others.
Real superheroes smile, affirm, and live their love of Christ every minute of every day. They do this to mimic God’s love—the love Jesus showed us when He gave Himself to us in the Eucharist.
Pope Leo XIV recently stressed the fact that love is an action, saying, “Love is not the result of chance, but of a conscious choice. It is not a simple reaction, but a decision that requires preparation. Jesus does not face his passion out of fatalism, but out of fidelity to a path freely and carefully accepted and followed. This is what comforts us: knowing that the gift of his life stems from conscious intention, not a sudden impulse.”
This is the foundational truth upon which human superheroes stand. Seeing us love the Lord affects those around us in the same way that a mom treats her child’s boo boo with a kiss. Acts of kindness show His love in ways that words never will.
As we think about God’s love and the superheroes who give their time to protecting His children, let us think about the work of pro-life people, like those at Louisiana Right to Life, who strive every day to protect others. It has recently been reported that all the Planned Parenthood facilities in Louisiana are closing. We agree with Louisiana Right to Life’s Benjamin Clapper who said, “Planned Parenthood could easily remain in Louisiana to provide healthcare to women if it just chose to stop performing abortions. But their focus is always more abortion.”
This statement underscores the precise difference between a superhero and a villain, as the villainous Planned Parenthood cares more about killing babies than protecting moms and families.
That’s why we are thankful for Louisiana attorney general Liz Murrill, who stated, “We will always protect women and babies,” and Governor Jeff Landry, who said that “abortion should never be considered healthcare.”
Truthful statements like these bring smiles to our faces and gratitude to God. While we are quoting elected officials as people in the superhero category, we know the day-to-day witness in defense of truth is the attainable task of every one of us.
We invite you to also become a superhero, spreading truth, love, and joy as you protect the vulnerable around you.