The Book of Tobit--A Book of Love

During this past week, the reading of exerts from the Old Testament Book of Tobit (Book of Tobias) was part of the Liturgy of the Word for the weekday Masses. This book is a beautiful love story. A love of a man and a woman, the parents and their son and daughter-in-law, and the providential Love of God. One of my close friends who is a devout Bible reading Catholic and a daily communicant finds this book as one of the most beautiful in the Bible. He recommends this book to whomever he meets. His piety and evangelization efforts outshine most of us.

Unfortionately for our Protestant friends, the Book of Tobit is a "Deuterocanonical" book and therefore is only found in the "Apocrypha" of Protestant Bibles. In this book the Archangel Raphael plays a major role--and archangel I have a special devotion toward. For many Catholics the Archbishop Raphael is an angel to turn to when petitioning for healing and safety in travel. With the recent murder of the late term abortionist Dr. Tiller, I am reminded to ask this great archangel to bring my prayers for those in the medical profession to the feet of Our Lord.

The Tragedy

The murder of Dr. George Tiller is a tragedy. A tragedy for Dr. Tiller, his wife and his family. I am a avid supporter of life; some may describe me as extreme in my beliefs as I believe that all elected abortions are immoral--I recognize abortion as the murder of a human being, though it may be in the aborted person's early stages, it is still the taking of the life of a helpless innocent human person.

Though I strongly disapprove of Dr. Tiller's medical practices, I also strongly disapprove of anyone murdering him. I have deep sympathy for his wife and family and I ask that anyone reading this blog pray for Dr. Tiller, his family and his loved ones during this very sad time.

This murder is also a tragedy for the "Pro-Life Movement" for regardless of the murderer's motives or mental state, there will be some who will use this situation to paint all pro-lifers as radical threats, whereas pro-lifers due to their very respect for life are peaceful people.

I am afraid that this murderer's actions will be a temporary set back for the pro-life movement. Yet, now is not the time for pro-lifers to get disheartened; but rather if any unjust accusations arise, which I suspect will happen in our growing "fascist" driven society, now is the time to demonstrate that we pro-lifers are people of peace and love.

We must never forget that though during the pre-Christian Roman Empire pagan dominated era abortions and infanticides were common, the love demonstrated by the early Christians led to the conversion of many and the banning of both procedures.

Now is the time for pro-lifers to reach out in love to Dr. Tiller's wife, family and friends providing them the support they need during their grieving. Would not Christ do the same?