15 Ways to Be Pro-Life Every Day

While voting pro-life every year is important to help protect tiny unborn people from untimely deaths, we have a greater responsibility in our response to this violence. Today I am attending the Pro-Life March in Washington D.C., but our support doesn't stop at the steps of Congress. Being Pro-Life means you're willing to defend the dignity of the human person, regardless of whether they're 1 centimeter long, 6 feet tall, or can barely sit up to reach 3 feet in their wheel chair.

It means caring for a mother and her needs as much as the baby she's carrying (and not neglecting one for the sake of the other). If you are unable to meet their requests, point them in the right direction, and then follow up with them to make sure their needs are met. Resolve to find a way to help the next person that comes your way if you fail to meet the needs of the person in front of you. Be courageous in seeking every day opportunities to give of ourselves so that others may live to know the love of God.

Here's a list of ways we can be pro-life beyond the ballot box:

1. Feed the hungry. Help those who are hungry for the truth, a warm meal, love, and God.

2. Promote Natural Family Planning, or Fertility Awareness. Charting cycles can help women identify biomarkers that can indicate risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and infertility.

3. Pay fair wages to your employees. Don't cut corners where it can hurt your employees. Pay them for their time, skill, talent, and effort. This also means not exhausting your current employees by requiring extra hours in lieu of hiring additional staff, or rather, treating them like a machine instead of a human being. Provide healthcare insurance.

4. Shelter the homeless. Volunteer with organizations like HomeFront or Appalachian Ministries to repair and build homes for those who have lost them. Look at your neighbors or those who live down the street in need of home repair. Organize a church group to help them.

5. Donate money for clean water to drink and fuel for heat for the poor.

6. Donate blood.

7. Help those who are sick: pay for their medical bills or prescriptions, prepare meals, help with chores, offer rides to appointments, or help them understand their treatment options. Visit while they are in the hospital, nursing home, or homebound.

8. Volunteer to help out with chores or meals for a pregnant mother, help her seek sound medical care for herself and baby, or provide material goods. Offer to watch her older children so she can pay her bills, rest, date her husband, go shopping, or make a full 60 minute holy hour.

9. Accommodate social activities and get-togethers for those who are differently-abled. Not everyone can go skiing or hiking, so after you ski or hike with your young adults group, find an accessible place for everyone to get together, or at least, plan thoughtfully, and vary your activities so no one is left out.

10. Be a good Samaritan. Pray that you don't pass by opportunities to love, because you're too busy. Ask the Holy Innocents for their intercession.

11. Become a Big Brother or Big Sister in your community.

12. Encourage Foster Care and Adoption. This process can be as daunting as pregnancy, labor, and birth. However, all suffering out of love for another person helps bond people together. Offer whatever support the new parents need. In addition, prepare your mind, heart, and soul now for children who may not share your DNA. You may fall in love with the person of your dreams only to find out that they can't provide you biological children. Keep your love unconditional and be open to children of all shapes, colors, ages, abilities, and sizes, whether they are biological, adopted, or temporary through foster care. They may not resemble you in any way, yet they can still be the children God intended you to have. Keep your heart open to God's creativity, as He often responds to our prayers in ways other than we expected. Accept spiritual children through Church ministries and as a Godparent. Seek to remove the obstacles in your life that are preventing procreativity.

13. Be careful not to judge those women who have had abortions or are considering them. These mothers are victims themselves, which makes the line blurry for them to identify their baby as a second victim. Every mother sacrifices her life, whether temporarily or permanently, by bringing forth new life. Becoming a mother can be a terrifying and exhausting event.

14. Keep an attitude that is supportive and respectful of family life.

15. Point wounded mothers in the direction of Rachel's Vineyard for healing. Love them, and meet their every need so that with confidence and peace they can make the same loving decision their own mother made for them.

Pray for everyone at the March for Life in Washington, D.C. today. You can stay up to date on the excitement of the day by following the hastags #MarchForLife and #WhyWeMarch on Twitter.

If you are at the March for Life today, stay warm!