God’s Greatest Gift God’s greatest gift to mankind is life.  “Truly children are a gift from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward” (Psalm 127:3).  In Psalm 127, children are the reward God gives to mankind.  The understanding that children are a gift, that mankind is blessed to create with God new life, and that God creates children out of His love for man illustrates the sanctity of life.  Sanctity means that something is sacred and holy.  All life is holy, meaning it deserves deep respect and awe. The miracle of life is amazing and awesome.  Children are the miracle that God gives to mankind to show His love. Children are a gift, not a right.  Everyone does not deserve this reward, yet God gives this gift lovingly.  Many people think they deserve to have chidlren.  “A child is not something owed to one, but is a gift.  The ‘supreme gift of marriage’ is a human person” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2378).  It is a miracle to conceive children.  It is a product of God’s love for man.  Mankind cannot conceive on its own.  Man needs God’s creative power to form a new person.  People should receive the gift of life with joy and love.  A child belongs to a couple forever.  A child is the product of the love of the man and the woman and of God. What a beautiful gift God gives man!  The love that God has for man and woman and the love that man and the woman have for each other is so powerful that it creates a whole new person.  That love needs a name! Having a child is an opportunity to participate in God’s love and His creation.  God created man and woman out of His love for mankind.  God did not need mankind.  God is perfect and all-powerful.  There is nothing man can do that God cannot do on His own.  Man is not pure and clean as God is.  Yet, God still wants man to be with him.  He wants someone to love.  He could not have this without humanity.  Mankind is His creation.  He gives man the opportunity to be a part of His creative power by having a child.  What a blessed opportunity to work with God! Indeed, God creates children because He loves man.  When man rejects creation, man rejects God’s love.  Man cannot and should not reject a gift.  Every child God creates has God in him.  Every child has their own personality and their own gifts.  God wants every child to shine his or her light throughout the world.  When man rejects a child, he rejects God and God’s gifts.  And God wanted the children to use their gifts to show that God is good and they cannot do that when man rejects their life.  God made this lovable person for man to love and to raise.  By loving and honoring a child, man is loving and honoring God.  So when man rejects God’s creation, man is missing his opportunity to love and honor God and his child.  He is also hurting the world, which needs people to grow and use their gifts. Overall, life is to be respected and honored.  The sanctity of life is demonstrated through the understanding that life is a gift, not a right.  The opportunity to participate in God’s creation should be valued greatly and not taken for granted.  God so loved mankind He created man and woman to live on the Earth and to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28).  In order to honor God’s love for mankind, we must respect all life.  When man respects all life, God will be pleased with him and give him a reward – which is eternal life in Heaven with God.