By Father Eugene Hemrick • Catholic News Service • Posted July 17, 2018

Whenever I see a mother rubbing her infant’s back, it reminds me of studies on parenting. From them, we learn stroking a baby’s back generates healthy physical growth.

The intimacy it creates is vital to psychological fitness because it imprints on a child the significance of caring, tenderness, affection, confidence and closeness. Gently stroking a child is vital to bonding.

On many occasions, mothers have handed their child to me to hold. Often the young child will instinctively reach back to the mother to be with her.

A mother recently told me when her daughter comes home from work, she loves having her mom stroke her back. Not only do babies love and need intimacy, so too do adults instinctively yearn for its bonding spirit.

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It is said that wounded soldiers on the battlefield are often heard crying for their mothers.

These thoughts lead us to a sacred truth of life: the laws of bonding, intimacy and caring top the list of first truths.

In the past few weeks, some have contended that law is law in the debate over immigrant children being separated from their parents. It is true that a small minority of immigrants coming into the country are drug peddlers, criminals and problematic. It is also true that past border wars have heightened hostilities on the issue of immigration.

Responding to today’s immigration challenge requires postmodern wisdom like never before.

Maintaining the laws of intimacy, caring and bonding between parents and children is the very soul of our nation and family life. The strength of progress depends on the psychological, physical and spiritual bonding of family life.

When it’s argued that the law is the law, what laws are being addressed? Are the laws needed to sustain family life and healthy childhood considered? Are they considered the basis for keeping the order and stability of a nation?

Do pro-life advocates consider preserving these laws as their mission? The same holds true for millions of women who marched for women’s rights.

Prudence dictates we get our understanding of law and vital issues in better order.