Some inspiring stories and great pictures today ...
from 40 Days for Life campaigns from Miami to Manassas
to Montreal!
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MIAMI / PEMBROKE PINES, FLORIDA
------------------------------------------------------ Our 40 Days for Life national director, David Bereit,
just visited two South Florida campaigns -- one in
Miami and the other in Broward County, where the
Pembroke Pines site is a first-time 40 Days for Life
location. At the two vigil sites, he shared words of encouragement
with participants and prayed with volunteers. Both sites have had consistent vigil coverage at all
hours -- despite the heat and humidity -- thanks to the
dedicated local leadership and the faithfulness of many
volunteers.
To see photos of David's visits to the South Florida
vigils, please go to: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3045
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MANASSAS, VIRGINIA
------------------------------------------------------ Bishop Paul Loverde of the Arlington, Virginia Catholic
diocese has a regular pro-life outreach. Once a month,
he offers a respect life Mass ... then goes to pray
outside one of the abortion centers in his diocese. Last week, he visited All Saints Church in Manassas,
then traveled to the 40 Days for Life vigil site for
prayer. Said Mike in Manassas, "300 people came to
pray with us!" To see what 300 people at a 40 Days for Life vigil
site looks like, please go to: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3045
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MONTREAL, QUEBEC
------------------------------------------------------ The 40 Days for Life vigil in Montreal seems to have
struck a nerve. Brian in Montreal said about two dozen
university students showed up, "banner and noise-makers
in hand ... parking themselves directly in front of our
banner. They stayed nearly three hours, spending this
time chanting and enjoying the support from pro-choice
motorists." As they left, he said, "they swarmed our banner,
plastering it with stickers. Fortunately, there wasn't
any damage." A couple of hours later a mother, with her 18-month-old,
arrived with a homemade pro-choice sign. On another
occasion, a young woman asked whether they knew their
presence was intimidating to women. Said Brian, "I
wondered if our visitor had seen the sign at our prayer
site offering free help to pregnant women." Brian says there have been cold, windy days -- but the
spirits of the prayer volunteers are never dampened.
Many travel from afar to spend hours in prayer. "Also, the site is drawing diverse prayer groups," he
said. "The vigil is a magnet for individuals who
otherwise do not see one another. For example, over the
weekend, persons from different faith communities
converged to pray and share fellowship." To see some photos from the vigil in Montreal, go to: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3045
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JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA
------------------------------------------------------ Prayer vigil participants pretty much had the abortion
center's staff and clientele outnumbered on a Saturday
morning. Around 30 people were there praying ...
representing more than a dozen local churches. Trudy in Jacksonville says that pro-life turnout is
fairly typical for a Saturday. She sent photos of some
of the people standing on the sidewalk -- with a
mostly-empty parking lot behind them. To see the pictures from the Jacksonville vigil, please
go to: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3045
Today's devotional is from Rev. Paul Stallsworth,
president of Lifewatch (United Methodist Church).
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DAY 32 INTENTION
------------------------------------------------------ May we come to know that divine life, in relationship,
creates human life.
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SCRIPTURE
------------------------------------------------------ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning
with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him
nothing was made that was made. -- John 1:1-3
------------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Rev. Paul Stallsworth, Lifewatch
------------------------------------------------------ "In the beginning" was God. Always, before all times, there was God. This particular God -- the God of the Bible, the God
of St. John's Gospel -- is different from all other
gods. This God is alive and full of life. This God is not the picture of deadness and death,
aloneness and isolation. This God is the picture of life, relationship, and
unity. For within this God, within this one God, there
are three divine persons who live, who love, and who
work -- together. This is the glorious mystery of the
Trinity. The Trinity means divine life. The Trinity means
three, living Persons -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
-- who relate to each other. The Trinity means mutual
love and service among three Persons. The Word was always with God the Father. This Word
was, is, and will be the Trinity's second person. The
Word is also the Son of God or, as revealed in time,
Jesus Christ. God the Father and God the Son live, love, and work
for each other. As one, they create "all things"
together: the Father creates all things, including all
human life, through the Son. So the Father, through the Son, creates all human
lives. The little one swimming in his mother's womb,
the infant smiling in his father's arms, the child
crying in pain in a hospital bed, the energetic teen
running another mile, the old man gasping for his last
breath -- all were created, at their beginning, by the
Father through the Son. No exceptions. Divine life creates human life.
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PRAYER
------------------------------------------------------ O God, may we always be quick to call you Father. And
when we call you father, let your Spirit remind us
that we, and all people, from their beginning to their
last day, are your children. We praise you, Father, that you sent your Son to
reveal to the world that all people are His brothers
and sisters, that all people are your children.
Through Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.
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PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
------------------------------------------------------ To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/spring2012day32print.pdf
------------------------------------------------------ Yours for Life, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life PS: How is 40 Days for Life changing your community?
Your church? How is it changing YOU? Please reply to
today's blog entry with your good news: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3045 40 Days for Life 10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
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