Reflections on the 2007 March for Life

Reflections on the 2007 March for Life (January 22)

by Karen Frohwein, Director of Development

As I gathered my warm clothes and my thoughts in preparation for attending the March for Life in Washington, D.C., I wondered what the day would bring. As a citizen of this country, I believe it is important to be a part of the political process. Abortion is certainly a political issue, as the thousand of marchers with their banners, the politicians speaking to the crowd on the National Mall, and our destination—the steps of the Supreme Court—indicated. The atmosphere was charged with emotion and energy as pro-life people of all ages marked the 34^th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

But, I wasn’t marching as a citizen involved in a political cause. I was attending as a member of Lutherans For Life. I was a member of a group of about 50 people, decked out in blue and white "LFL ‘07" scarves and headbands, marching together under a Lutherans For Life banner. Was there something different, something unique, about our group? I believed there was. We were there to witness to the sanctity of human life because of Who created, redeemed, and preserves life. We were there because abortion, and all life issues, are spiritual issues.

Three stories of the day reminded me of what it means to be a pro-life Lutheran. The first was how we began our day—in worship—acknowledging our Creator, hearing His words of life from the pulpit, confessing our sins, and receiving His very body and blood gathered together at His Table. This is the Lutherans For Life message. The rest of the day, with all the press coverage and public display, was nothing compared to the life message of the Gospel and the new life we received together through Word and Sacrament.

At the conclusion of the service, we made our trip into D.C. and joined the throng for the March—God’s people, LFL’ers—reaching out to transform society. The atmosphere on the National Mall sometimes made me wonder why I was there. It had a somewhat carnival feel with the chanting crowds, the food venders weaving through the masses, and at times rock music blaring from the public address system. Maybe it was pro-life rock music. I really couldn’t understand the words. Which leads me to my second story.

Besides the visible signs identifying our group, LFL’ers witnessed as we marched through the singing of hymns. How Lutheran! Onward Christian Soldiers and A Mighty Fortress is Our God rang out on the streets of the nation’s capital! As we joined together in Chief of Sinners Though I Be, I was again reminded of how we are different from other pro-life groups. We reach out with the Gospel to address the life issues because we recognize our own sin. We were confessing our own sins against the Lord of Life—the times we remained silent as a mother aborted her Down syndrome child, or ignored the needs of a young single mom after she chose life for her baby, or put our efforts into saving a child from abortion but fell short of bringing that child to the waters of Baptism. We weren’t singing "chief of sinners though you be." We were reaching out to those who were seeking light in the darkness of death as fellow sinners who recognize the saving power of the Gospel.

Yes, we witnessed as we walked, but really, can a group of warmly-dressed, hymn-singing Lutherans For Life folks on the streets of DC make a difference? Allow me to tell one more story. As we approached the Supreme Court, there was a group of young women protesting on the steps of a nearby building. These women had bought into the culture of death. Their words of anger were unmistakable, but it was their faces that caught my attention. These were beautiful, young women full of pro-death anger instead of hope for the future. They should be celebrating life—not death! Was it a coincidence that as our group passed by, we were singing How Great Thou Art?

A man walking beside our group offered us words of encouragement as he said "Keep singing. This is important!" It was then that I was reminded that politics won’t change these women, but a great God can. Somewhere in that group of women God’s message of hope, expressed by our hearty band of marching Lutherans, fell on ears that were open to hear. We know God’s Word will not return empty. We may never know that woman, but we will share heaven with her someday. That is the message of Lutherans For Life—in the midst of anger and confusion—we proclaim Life!

It was then, as we stood at the steps of the Supreme Court, that I realized the evidence that life issues are spiritual issues for the church to address was clear and convincing. As Lutherans, we must march on wherever we are—For Life—in Christ.

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The U.S. Court Decisions That Led to the Need For a March For Life

(posted January 18, 2005)

Onward March - Americans protest Roe again

(posted January 24, 2005)