eyeball to eyeball

Racism is a conversation that has taken center stage in today's culture and has a necessary place in the work of renewing a culture of life. Protecting those who are vulnerable to the hateful and evil actions of others based on the color of their skin is a fundamental and necessary exercise in protecting the dignity of the human person. What is most important to remember is that solving the problem of racism can only happen within the walls of our hearts.

True pro-life ministry is a work of the heart — a work of true discipleship. If you know me, you have heard me say this work must be done eyeball to eyeball… We cannot be the hands and feet of Christ if we are not close enough to see the pain in someone's eyes. If we are not close enough to see one another's pain, we will never, never be able to treat their wounds and lay them before our Divine Physician for healing. Nothing will change when we cannot be eyeball to eyeball. True change will happen when neighbor cares for neighbor in the vulnerable moments of need and sacrifice. This is the work of pro-life ministry.

As Christians, we know this is true. We know it's true because it's what Christ did for us…Christ quite literally took on a human heart so that He could care for us, eyeball to eyeball.

It wasn't too long ago that I, for the first time, really meditated on Christ's Sacred Heart. I thought about His Heart — when it beat light and fast in His youth, slow and steady during His ministry, and raced under the physical stress of duress and torture. I thought about His Heart when it sat heavy in His chest amid corruption, discrimination, and hate; when it burned with holy boldness as He commanded us to love both God and neighbor and when it ached in the greatest depths of sorrow as He took on the sins of the entire world. The King of Kings took on a human heart and chose to stand in our garbage so that He could be close to us and love us — eyeball to eyeball — heart to heart.

Pro-life ministry is about uniting ourselves with His Sacred Heart – it's about allowing our hearts to beat in unison with His will for our work. The sin of racism can only be healed when we submit and accept His love for us and the work He has set before us. This week, introduce your children to Bl. Francisco de Paula Victor, a man of great virtue who chose to face hatred with Christ's heart.