Pro-lifers need to be more joyful to convert hearts and minds against abortion

This is what scripture counsels us to do, as we read in the book of James, “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials.”

The trip left me feeling a peace and a resolve to pursue joy more wholeheartedly. But it also left me with the knowledge that there’s not enough joy in today’s society, and certainly not within the pro-life movement.

All too often, we focus on the negative when what we should be focusing on is the beauty of life, the immense love Christ has for us, and the good we can partake in to shine His light to others so that they too may come to know Him.

That’s as it should be. And the reality is that the joy we experienced on our vacation was more than just mere happiness. When you truly feel joy, you come to know the difference.

In an Ascension Presents video, Fr. Mike Schmitz explains the difference between happiness and joy, saying that “happiness is almost always circumstantial.” He goes on to lament, “That’s a terrible way to live, if happiness is the goal.”

Think about that. Striving for happiness is a terrible way to live. Why? Because it can only let us down, as happiness is fleeting. Sometimes we experience it, but it doesn’t last because we’re always searching for the next thing to make us happy. And as Fr. Mike says, “We long for happiness, but we’re made for joy.”

This led me to think about how we must move forward in our efforts to teach the sanctity of life to those who do not yet understand it. And it really drove home the fact that too many people today seek happiness when what they truly need is joy — the “abiding and pervasive sense of well-being,” as Fr. Mike defined it. Joy can only come through Christ and through the knowledge and understanding that He loves us. And as we just celebrated Easter, we have a tangible reminder of Christ’s love for each of us. He came here to found a Church and to give us eternal life. He died a horrible death, not for a person far away whom we have never heard of, but for you, for me.

When we spend our lives searching for happiness, we end up thinking more of ourselves than of others, as happiness is almost always self-focused. How many times have you heard people justify their actions and even their beliefs by saying we should do this or that thing, even if it’s sinful, because “God would want you to be happy.”

This misses the point of life, and it shows a misunderstanding of God’s inherent goodness. Yes, God wants us to be happy, but not at someone else’s expense, not when our actions hurt or destroy lives, and certainly not when we harm our souls by partaking in sin. Happiness does not trump morality. A knowledge that God loves us more than we can fathom and a respect for the value of life are what should drive our actions. They are what bring us joy. And when we feel that joy, we cannot help but pass it on to others.

Secure in Christ’s love, we can and should choose joy, no matter our state in life, no matter what we’re going through, and no matter how hard life is. And though life today is often quite difficult, when we choose joy, we take steps to defeating the anger, the vitriol, the unkindness, and the hatred spewed by those who have little regard for life.

If we really want to make a difference, to change minds and hearts, and to bring about a respect for all human beings, we must begin by respecting all human beings — even those who call us names and claim to hate us.

As pro-life people, if we truly experience the joy we should have as followers of Christ, our actions would reflect this. We would become infectious rather than poisonous to those around us, as we know that when people feel valued, they are more likely to value others — both born and preborn. We would care for others with that joy in our hearts. Rather than condemn or call names, we would pray for moms in crisis pregnancies to choose life. We would educate ourselves about local pregnancy centers that can help moms so we can pass along this knowledge. We would donate to these centers or even volunteer at them. We would not abandon the elderly or sick but care for them with love, never hastening their death or causing them to feel like a burden. We would teach our children the faith, the science behind the developing baby, the sanctity of life, and the importance of doing good for others. We would give of ourselves, just as Christ gave of Himself. And we would do it all for the glory of God because that’s what He commands of us.

We should never tell ourselves that God wants us to be happy. We should tell ourselves that God wants us to be faithful. It is through that faith that we find joy, which is infinitely more valuable than happiness. Joy opens our hearts to those around us. Joy walks through difficult pregnancies, sickness, sadness, and loneliness and tells the suffering that they matter, that they are valuable, and that they are loved. Joy brings Christ to the places where He has been scorned, forgotten, and even dismissed.

As we ponder our actions and how we can become more joyful, let us acknowledge that only joy can transform the hard-hearted. We will never change hearts by yelling at people or by making them feel small; these actions only serve to make them feel worthless. And that’s the complete opposite of our pro-life beliefs.

Susan Ciancio is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and has worked as a writer and editor since 2003; over 17 of those years have been in the pro-life sector. Currently, she is the editor of American Life League’s Celebrate Life Magazine—the nation’s premier Catholic pro-life magazine. She is also the director and executive editor of ALL’s Culture of Life Studies Program—a pre-K-12 Catholic pro-life education organization.