Tuesday in the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time
Scripture Readings: 2 Pt 3:12-15a, 17-18; Mk 12:13-17
The first half of Jesus’ reply to the Pharisees and Herodians about paying taxes teaches respect for government, “Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.” The second half teaches the limitations of the state: “Give back to God what belongs to God.” Almost everywhere today governments are overreaching their limitations by restricting and even denying the rights of conscience and freedom of religion. I’m not thinking of the right to receive 
the sacraments denied because of the coronavirus, but of the right to life that has been denied to our most vulnerable children for almost fifty years. Worldwide there are about 125,000 abortions per day!1 We keep praying that will stop.
Abby Johnson, who worked in Texas as a Planned Parenthood director and became Pro-Life after seeing an abortion on ultrasound writes that if abortions become illegal Planned Parenthood will call them miscarriages2 and their services will be advertised as “Miscarriage Management.” 3 Her memoir was made into the now famous movie titled “Unplanned.”
Let us keep praying that what belongs to God will be given back to God: respect for the right to life.
1. https://www.worldometers.info/abortions/
2. Planned Parenthood 2015-2016 Annual Report, p. 25;