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402 • Part III. Christian Morality: The Faith Lived
mism of his love and gift of life, in order to bring to its fullness
the original vocation to love which belongs to everyone (cf. Gn
1:27; 2:18-24).
It is from the blood of Christ that all draw the strength to
commit themselves to promoting life. It is precisely this blood
that is the most powerful source of hope, indeed it is the foun-
dation of the absolute certitude that in God’s plan life will be
victorious. “And death shall be no more,” exclaims the power-
ful voice which comes from the throne of God in the Heavenly
Jerusalem (Rev 21:4). And Saint Paul assures us that the present
victory over sin is a sign and anticipation of the definitive vic-
tory over death, when there “shall come to pass the saying that
is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is
your victory? O death, where is your sting?’” (1 Cor 15:54-55).
—Pope John Paul II,
The Gospel of Life
(
Evangelium Vitae
), no. 25
PRAYER
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is
injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith, where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as
to console,
to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we
are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
—St. Francis of Assisi
•
I have set before you life and death. . . .
Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live.
—Dt 30:19