Students and faculty from the University of Notre Dame packed into the Log Chapel for the Sanctity of Life prayer service on January 23.  These men and women came together to offer their prayers for peace around the world, for a greater respect for life at all stages, and for the hundreds of thousands of mothers, fathers and children whose lives are affected each year by abortion.

A large number of people from the Notre Dame family were hundreds of miles away, taking part in the thirty-ninth annual March for Life in Washington, D.C.  This prayer service provided a way for those who remained  to show their unity with the marchers and their commitment to the cause of life.

The service began with evening prayer.  The congregation then chanted Psalm 103, a song dedicated to the praise of divine mercy: “Bless the LORD, my soul; all my being, bless his holy name!  Who pardons all your sins, and heals all your ills…Who fills your days with good things, so your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

This song of trust and faith in God reflected well the hopeful confidence which marked the people gathered there and, indeed, which marks the pro-Life movement.  While a solemn and reverent attitude permeated the crowd, there was nevertheless a spirit of hopefulness which, as suggested by the psalm, had its foundation in trust in divine providence.

After the psalm, one of the leaders read an excerpt from Matthew’s Gospel: Chapter 25, verses 31-40.  These verses summed up, from a Christian perspective, a beautiful and powerful motivation to work in service of every individual, and for the defense of all human life.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you blessed of my Father…for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me…Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

This passage encapsulates the beautiful Christian message that one of the most authentic ways of loving and serving God is to love and serve the weakest, the most in need, and the most vulnerable of His children.  Who is weaker, more in need, or more vulnerable than the unborn child in the womb?

This thought was doubtless present as the congregation contemplated this Gospel passage, as it reflected the clear and essential connection between the words of Christ two thousand years ago and the daily call to action in today’s society.

After the Gospel, another hymn was sung: “Holy Is Your Name” by David Haas, which echoed Mary’s Magnificat proclamation in praise of God’s mercy.  Intercessions were offered for those suffering from addictions, for the elderly and those who serve them, and for deceased friends and relatives.

These prayers served to remind those present of their common bond with all human beings, and their concern for the lives and wellbeing of all of God’s children.

The service closed with the Lord’s prayer and a procession to the Grotto, where those who had participated in the prayer service were invited to take the opportunity to offer silently the prayers for life that had been submitted by alumni, parents, friends, students, staff, and faculty of the University.

For many, this trip to the Grotto also served as an occasion to renew their commitment to promote a culture of life and to the love and service of the God of all life.

Contact EJ at esanche4@nd.edu.