Dear Deacon, Darkness is responsible for the despair and hopelessness
that leads women to choose abortion. Scripture says that Jesus is "the light of the world."
Sometimes, the darker the place, the brighter the
light shines. That is certainly the case when we bring the light of
Christ to the sidewalk outside abortion facilities. Our role in this historic 40 Days for Life campaign
is to be the of light-bearer. We bring Jesus to a
place He is desperately needed. Here are a few examples of how the light of Christ
can overcome darkness.
-------------------------------------------------------
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
------------------------------------------------------- Ann, the local 40 Days for Life coordinator in Richmond,
arrived at the prayer vigil to hear the good news that
a woman had just left the abortion center, telling
volunteers she was keeping her child. After spending some time in prayer, Ann got a phone call
-- from a reporter at the local ABC TV station. "As much
as I dislike being on camera," she said, "I'd do it for
the team." She sent out a quick call for as many people as possible
to come provide prayer cover during the interview. The
reporter called back, asking to meet at the station.
"No," Ann responded, "I need to be praying at the vigil." When she returned, there were eight people praying --
during an hour had been completely empty on the vigil
schedule. "Thank you, God," Ann said, "for all the many ways You
bless us." To see a picture of the people who responded to Ann's
call for prayer in Richmond, please go to: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2066
-------------------------------------------------------
WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA
------------------------------------------------------- The 40 Days for Life team in Winston-Salem watched as
two women brought their daughters in for abortions. A vigil participant said "good morning" to the women.
One of them stepped forward and said, "I resent you
being here. You are judging us!" The vigil participant hadn't said a word; she was simply
holding a sign that said, "I regret my abortion." It turns out that both of these women had had abortions,
and they knew exactly what it was they were about to put
their daughters through. "This clearly demonstrates the generational curse that
abortion is," said the volunteer. At this point, vigil
participants did the only thing they could. They continued to pray. I was in Winston-Salem recently, meeting and praying
with 40 Days for Life team members. To see a couple of
photos from my stop there, please go to: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2066
-------------------------------------------------------
LONDON, ENGLAND
------------------------------------------------------- It seems the 40 Days for Life vigil site in London is
blessed with an occasional heckler. I say "blessed"
because some of the comments lobbed at the people
praying are downright entertaining. Here are some
observations from a frequent vigil participant: "You are just wasting your time. There is no God!"
shouts a passing cyclist with breath-taking and
steely metaphysical certainty. "You hypocrites, what about the millions of starving
children around the world?" cries another man (I am a
bit at a loss by the non-sequitur of this latter
reproach). But the most entertaining must be a young man who
approached us and, with an agitated, tense voice,
called out, "Why aren't you praying for the 20,000
back-street abortions that take place in Pakistan?" Whilst wondering if he has personally counted the
number being shouted at us, I offer him one of our
magazines; but he snarls: "I know all about your
fabricated propaganda. I don't need to read any
more about it!" As a last resort, we offer to pray for him. This
really sends him ballistic. "I don't NEED your
prayers, thank you. I don't believe in your evil God!" With the onset of the warm and sunny spring weather,
the heckling completely dies out. It is as if the
good weather symbolizes Christ, the light of the
world, who sends the evil spirits packing. To see a picture of the 40 Days for Life vigil in London,
please go to: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2066
Today's devotional is from Fr. Frank Pavone, national
director of Priests for Life.
------------------------------------------------------
DAY 38 INTENTION
------------------------------------------------------ Pray that we become vessels of hope to all around us,
especially to those who minister in the pro-life
movement.
------------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
------------------------------------------------------ On the first day of the week, very early in the
morning, the women took the spices they had prepared
and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away
from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not
find the body of the Lord Jesus. "Why do you look for
the living among the dead? He is not here; he has
risen!" -- Luke 24:1-5
------------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life
------------------------------------------------------ This meditation, based on a sermon I once heard, is
adapted for pro-life concerns. It's Friday. Jesus is on the cross. He has been killed
by his enemies; he is off the scene. But that's because it's Friday. Sunday's comin'! It's Friday. Abortionists continue their work 3,300
times a day, tearing off the arms and legs of little
babies and crushing their heads. But that's because it's Friday. Sunday's comin'! It's Friday. Pro-abortion groups receive blood money
from billionaires who are as deceived as they are. But that's because it's Friday. Sunday's comin'! It's Friday. Liars attempt to speak for all women and
hide the pain of abortion, and ignore the evidence of
how it harms women, and call abortion a blessing. But that's because it's Friday. Sunday's comin'! It's Friday. People of hardened hearts guard the
clinics and usher desperate women in to have their
abortions, while keeping them from the pro-life people
who want to give them hope. But that's because it's Friday. Sunday's comin'! Hope does not mean that we ignore or minimize the
evils around us. It means, rather, that we see the
whole picture, which is that evil is conquered because
of what happened one Sunday morning. We are called to proclaim, celebrate, and serve that
victory, waiting in joyful hope for Christ's return
and the full flowering of the Culture of Life! Indeed, Sunday's comin'!
------------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
------------------------------------------------------ Lord, fill your people with new hope. Make us vessels
of hope to all around us, especially to those who
minister in the pro-life movement, that as we engage
in the difficult work ahead, we may experience the
peace and joy that come only from you and that nobody
can take away from us. We ask this through Christ our
Lord, Amen.
------------------------------------------------------
PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
------------------------------------------------------ To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/spring2011day38print.pdf ------------------------------------------------------ Yours for Life, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life PS: Have you received assurance that your efforts with
40 Days for Life have borne fruit? If so, please share
your story by replying to today's blog entry at: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2066 40 Days for Life 10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US
