Every human life is sacred because our lives are a gift of God to us and every human person is created in the image and likeness of our God. In order to have a genuine respect for the dignity of all human life, we have to begin with a respect for the dignity of our individual lives. As difficult as our lives can sometimes be, our lives are still precious and sacred. In the face of the challenges that are yours, do not forget how precious your life truly is. For young people who are struggling to find their place in life, do not let your peers lead you into inappropriate behavior involving alcohol, drugs or sex. Understand that you are loved by God as you are and that God only wants the very best for you. Do not let your peers determine the trajectory of your life, but rather choose the path that will lead to authentic fulfillment. For adults who face tremendous burdens due to financial problems, problems related to their immigration status, problems in their marriage, know that you do not bear your problems alone. Jesus Christ wants to be the strength that you need to carry the burdens that are yours. Each of our lives is a precious gift of God and we should always thank God for the gift that our lives truly are.
            When we truly appreciate the beauty and splendor of our lives, then we should be able to see the beauty and splendor in the lives of our brothers and sisters in God. We should want to honor, respect and protect their dignity. Do our actions affirm the dignity of all human life? Do we advocate for an end to abortion on demand? Do we advocate for an end to the death penalty? Do we advocate for just and humane immigration policies? Do we advocate for those policies and programs that help persons of low-income live in dignity? Do we reject all forms of prejudice and bias? How do we manifest to the world our respect for the dignity of human life?
Let each of us cherish the sacred gift of human life – ours and that of all other persons!