Our mind is revolted at the thought of it: raping a child, a girl only ten years old. Not once, but twice. Rape itself is a brutal act, and as one federal judge once wrote, an egregious attack on humanity.” And, to make matters worse, the child ended up pregnant as a result of the assaults.
We never would have known about it had not the doctor charged with her care spoken out. Why the media fuss? Because in Ohio, she could not obtain an abortion; she had to travel to Indiana to secure one although she was only 6 weeks and three days into a pregnancy. Although the rapist was arrested and now faces charges, the Ohio Attorney General, faced with questions, said it was “Likely” that this horror had never occurred.
Abortion is a deeply personal decision with real moral implications, to say the least, that requires us to examine the beliefs we hold most dear. It affects the rest of our lives, as does the violence of rape.
Prayer for the Day
Holy and eternal Spirit, we are not always ready to hear you,
For you disturb us when we want tranquility;
Confronted by violence around us when we want comfort,
We search for stability in a society that offers none.
Help us, O Holy Spirit, to find you where we least expect:
In the eyes of terrified children confused by an adult world.
In the name of him who embodies your mercy,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen
Thoughts for the Day
Is this what the rest of my life is going to be like? Moments of happiness punctured by the memory of what happened, like a bomb which can detonate at any time.
-Kelly Yang, Asian-American writer
Here, from her ashes you lay. A broken girl so lost in despondency that you know that even if she does find her way out of this labyrinth in hell, that she will never see, feel, taste, or touch life the same again.
- Amanda Steele, from the novel The Cliff
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day but you do not answer; and by night, but fine no rest.
Psalm 22: 1-2