Expecting A Baby in a Culture of Truth and Love

Expecting A Baby in a Culture of Truth and Love

The recent good news that Britain’s newest Royal Couple, Prince William and Princess Kate, are expecting their first child—the third in line to be the successor to the Royal throne—gave great joy to many in the United Kingdom and in the world.  The news brought about by the confinement of Duchess of Cambidge in a London hospital due to an acute morning sickness did not escape paparazzi reporters and the official media.  Other trivia or facts on this news were capitalized as sensational for the day, even stories reminiscent of how the late Princess Diana and husband Prince Charles years ago anticipated their first born—Prince William.

Recent knowledge that the Royal Couple--the Duke and Duchess
of Cambridge--is expecting their first baby has been  a great global news. 

The arrival of a baby in a family is normally viewed as a blessing and a cause for joy.   In the Philippines, the parents’ usual understated enthusiasm is also mixed with expected tensions as they prepare for this new  member of the family.  The crib, the little clothes, and the baby’s booties...all these are prepared one by one as much as possible before the baby comes.  The mother takes more than the usual precaution of herself while the father works harder to save more to cover the needs of his spouse and the soon-to-be-born daughter or son.  Once the bundle of joy arrives, everyone at home suddenly acquires light, color, and life.  The baby now becomes a center of attraction and the family members are entertained and awed with the little one’s growth and development.

Each life from the moment of conception
in the mother's womb is sacred,

Amid various perceptions on each child that is to be born, I sigh with relief when a child’s life is safeguarded by both the baby's mother and father.  Is it not at this point where we should really secure the future of a human being’s quality of life?  Is it not here when we protect the sacredness of the person and endeavor to thwart the various threats to the survival of the greatest value on earth?  Definitely, the world welcomes a V.I.P.’s especially if the one to be born has good social and economic standing.  If one is not a prince but only a “commoner” or “indigent” in  society—another mouth to feed they say—many frown.  The poor or weaklings, they say, should not be so many because they will frustrate the ideal of a great, intelligent, and progressive society.  And the birth of many poor ones unsettles and disconcerts even those who benefit from the families of these children.  And if it is in their power, they will even legislate laws or ordinances to control births with this in mind--an apparent quality of life.

May they be allowed to celebrate their birthdays and their first "Christmas" as well.

On the other side of the issue, a new life that begins from the moment of conception means news of good tidings.  Protection of that fetus, the baby-in-potency starts for the parents. And for a parent’s caring and loving heart—for that father or  mother, especially for the mother who bears and gives birth to a new life—that child will always be a treasure, her Prince or her Princess, no matter what.  In these days of Advent, may we also thing of the children to be born whose lives just started to be formed… May they be allowed to have birthdays and celebrate their first “Christmas” too.

The Virgin of Guadalupe is known to be the Protector of the Unborn.  Know also the beautiful story of the Virgin of Guadalupe from this link: http://www.catholic.org/about/guadalupe.php

John Paul II wrote one of the best prayer in promotion of a culture of life with Our Lady of Guadalupe as inspiration:

O Mary, bright dawn of the new world,

Mother of the living,
to you do we entrust the cause of life
Look down, O Mother, upon the vast numbers
of babies not allowed to be born,
of the poor whose lives are made difficult,
of men and women who are victims of brutal violence,
Of the elderly and the sick killed by indifference or

out of  misguided mercy.

Grant that all who believe in your Son
may proclaim the Gospel of life with honesty and love
to the people of our time.
Obtain for them the grace to accept that Gospel as a gift ever new, the joy of celebrating it with gratitude
throughout their lives and the courage to bear witness to it resolutely,

in order to build, together with all people of good will, the civilization of truth and love, to the praise and glory of God, 

the Creator and lover of life.

Blessed Pope John Paul II