The New Life of Fall

by Bishop Francis I. Malone, Diocese of Shreveport

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE SEASON? A favorite month of the year? I have always been drawn to October. I guess there are several reasons: first, summer has given way to fall – the mornings have a crisp air about them, replacing the heat of the summer; the leaves in the trees have new and brilliant colors, football season is full of activity, and the Church reminds us that a special focus of ours should be on “life.” I am a little prejudiced about life, especially life fully alive in the womb. My mother had at least ten pregnancies. She lost one child at birth, but when I think of her, I always see her as a pregnant woman. For that reason, and others, I believe the most beautiful women in the world are expectant mothers. Their fullness reminds me of a quote I heard many years ago: “a newborn child is a sign from God that life will go on!” From the moment of their conception, throughout the pregnancy, and at the moment when they see the

sunlight for the first time, new life is always a precious thing to see, and recognizing that an unborn child is first and always a gift from God, their presence among us is a pre-eminent gift –the most important and valued gift from Him.

Unfortunately, we live in a world that does not always share our values when it comes to life. It has always come as a point of irony to me that people, in general, breathe in the new and fresh air with the coming of fall. That they are drawn to the sight of flowers, or puppies, or a sunset aglow in the western sky, but way down on the list, at least for some, is the invaluable gift of human life in the womb.

The month of October has a special emphasis on reminding us that there is nothing more sacred than an innocent life. Last month we remembered the thousands of innocent lives lost on 9/11. The end of America’s involvement in the war in Afghanistan underscored the many innocent civilian and military personnel who were sacrificed in a terrible war. The daily news is almost always replete with stories of a tragedy in our communities, and especially touching when it involves the innocent and the young.

I live in hope that together – and soon – we will champion with added fervor the cause of the innocent, especially the unborn, having taken seriously their irreplaceable lives. May this new fall with the signs of life that fill the trees be a reminder that God is constantly at work bringing about new life among us and charging us to be the voice of those who cannot speak for themselves.

May your fall be colorful, your autumn bright, and your heart full of awe at the gift of life from the Lord! And may this become your favorite season too!