Disturbing. That would be the word I would use to describe the session I attended on Monday evening.

It was an information evening under the heading Made for Life: What’s Wrong With MAID.

MAID, of course, is the acronym for Medical Assistance in Dying, and while the term seems clinical and legal, the truth is disturbing. The policies around MAID are disturbing, and the numbers around MAID are disturbing.

I often say, about church attendance, every number is a person, and the same is true for MAID. In 2024, over 16,000 Canadians chose to have a doctor end their life. 16,000 people.

To be clear, this is not ending your own life; it’s having your life ended by a physician.

If I suggest you should end your life, or assist you in ending your life, it’s called a crime under the Canadian Criminal Code. If a physician suggests you should end your life or assists you in ending your life, it’s called compassion under the guidelines of MAID.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to be people of compassion, but also people who affirm the inherent worth of every life, especially in moments of vulnerability and pain — as challenging as that might be.

Have a great week, and remember: to see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.