I was at a local coffee shop this morning, finishing up my homily for Sunday. I enjoy reading and writing in public places because I am a people-watcher. I noticed a young girl, probably around 2 years old, in the arms of her grandfather. It was obvious that she loved her grandfather as she clung to him tightly and had a big smile on her face, looking at his. It was also obvious that she had Down’s Syndrome. They sat down together and then her grandmother entered the picture, bringing pastries to the table. As I watched them for the next half-hour, it was apparent that she was delighted to be there with her grandparents. They ate together. They laughed. She was a beautiful young lady and it was a heartening scene.

Now I am not a sentimental person. My wife would even suggest that I am almost robotic at times. Yet I was taken by this scene and remain so. I was also filled with a deep sadness because of the high number of babies that are killed in the womb because they are diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome. George Will reported that “In America, more than 80 percent of the babies diagnosed prenatally with Down syndrome are aborted.” What a tragic evil.

When the worth of human beings is based on intelligence, race, skills, talents or genetic makeup, then we are no different than Hitler and the Nazis. Peter Singer and other so-called ethicists would judge the value of the human person based on their capacity to flourish or perform. If a person is incapacitated in some way, then the logical step is to destroy them for their sake and the sake of society. The diabolical and inconsistent nature of this argument has been addressed by Fr. Neuhaus at length. It is not necessary for me to rehearse it.

The value of human life cannot be determined by performance, intelligence, beauty, success, fame and such. The fact is that all humans are flawed and diseased by sin in more ways than we can imagine. Our worth is not determined by our performance or our ability to perform. Rather, our worth is derived from the fact that we have been created by the Triune God, who loved us so much that Father gave His Son to death so that we might have redemption through His performance on our behalf. None of us had the ability to accomplish this. We are all handicapped when it comes to our salvation and redemption. What if God treated us the way the modern person treats unborn babies with handicaps? Moreover, God’s redemption in Christ is for all human persons through faith, regardless of their capacity or incapacity. The idea that our selfish concerns trump another human life, no matter what the condition, is utterly wicked.

I give thanks for those parents and grandparents who chose not to do what 80 percent of Americans do. I suspect they knew that little girl was a gift and would not destroy what God had created. Now they enjoy the challenges and blessings of loving and parenting her, just like all other mothers and fathers.