Dear Deacon, I'm in Texas today ... but I would like to turn my
attention westward -- to California. I've been to
California during nearly every 40 Days for Life
campaign -- and I'll be there again in two weeks. "West coast" and "pro-life" don't often go together
in most people's minds. But ... they really do!
And California continues to show what God can do,
no matter where you live. California now has 37 campaigns currently under way
-- more 40 Days for Life locations than any other
state in America. There are voices for life standing
witness from one end of the state to the other. And
people are listening!
-----------------------------------------------------
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA
----------------------------------------------------- Rebecca says Thursday is typically a surgical abortion
day at Planned Parenthood in San Luis Obispo -- and it
appeared this would be the case as usual. "Young women
showed up for abortions," she said, "although in
drastically reduced numbers than we've seen in the past." One woman came out, got in her car and left. It was
clear she had not been inside long enough for an
abortion. Then another woman came out, accepted pro-life
information from one of the volunteers -- and she also
left. One by one, these young women all went home. The abortionist never showed up! "Whatever the reason for no surgical abortions being
performed," Rebecca said, "God is answering our prayers!
We're now praying that no abortions are performed in
San Luis Obispo during the 40 Days for Life campaign.
To God be the glory!" To see a picture of the vigil in San Luis Obispo,
please go to: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3459
-----------------------------------------------------
STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA
----------------------------------------------------- Janelle in Stockton says this campaign has brought
blessings in disguise. When the planning process began,
she was concerned that there would not be enough prayer
volunteers to be present for all of the hours Planned
Parenthood would be open. But, she said, "God proved otherwise." Something happened at Planned Parenthood after
40 Days for Life started. They've been closing early.
Not only have they closed early, but on one Saturday,
they didn't even open at all. "When they are closed," Janelle said, "we are there.
We've been able to help and offer information as an
alternative. So far we've taken three women to the
local pregnancy help center just down the street
where they can receive good, healthy counseling for
themselves and their children.” Because Planned Parenthood was closed, she said,
several lives and souls were saved ... and there's
less money for Planned Parenthood. "God is good,"
Janelle said, "all the time!"
-----------------------------------------------------
MILL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
----------------------------------------------------- Mill Valley likes to be known for its tolerance --
but only, it seems, if you're pro-abortion. At the
first-time 40 Days for Life vigil outside Planned
Parenthood, Ruth Ann says she's been lectured on
overpopulation, on Planned Parenthood's alleged
value to poor women -- even on global warming. "I was called judgmental, a bigot, stupid -- and I
was told I was wasting my time," Ruth Ann said. "I
was told to go home, as the locals were sure I wasn't
from Mill Valley." But, she says, there have been blessings. A woman
stopped by to thank them for being there. A man who
arrived with his two sons asked what they were doing
-- and praised God when he found out. "He said we were
in the belly of the beast," she said, "and he has come
to pray with us every day." Ruth Ann's volunteer list has continued to grow. "I
believe it is important," she said, "for people to
know that not everyone believes abortion is good for
our society."
Here's today's devotional from Fr. Frank Pavone,
National Director of Priests for Life...
-----------------------------------------------------
DAY 17 INTENTION
----------------------------------------------------- May all understand more deeply that the pro-life
message is rooted in the two basic truths of life: There is a God;
He isn't me
-----------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
----------------------------------------------------- And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of
life; and man became a living being. -- Genesis 2:7
-----------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life
----------------------------------------------------- From the beginning of the Bible until the end, the
theme is echoed that God alone has dominion over
human life. He made it; shared it; died to save it;
will raise it up forever. The act of creation described in Genesis 2:7, and
earlier in Genesis 1:26-27, is a sovereign act. God
did not have to do it, and would have been happy
forever without us. Yet without our asking for it or earning it, God
brought us out of nothingness and into life, and
sustains our existence at every moment. And He does
so in Christ. "For by Him all things were
created...in
Him all things exist" (Colossians 1:16-17). "You are not your own," Paul declares in 1
Corinthians 6. God alone owns us. While He entrusts
us to the care of one another, He does not allow any
human being to own another. A Southern California abortionist, James McMahon,
once explained how he justified killing children
after 20 weeks gestation by partial-birth abortion.
He did not deny that this was a child, but rather
asked, "Who owns the child? It's got to be the
mother." The struggle over abortion is really a struggle over
the dominion of God. The Christian individual, and
the Christian Church, cannot sit idly by when others
declare that God is not God.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
----------------------------------------------------- Lord, we are yours. Thank you for breathing into us
the breath of life. Thank you for claiming us as your
own. May our words and actions in defense of human
life proclaim to all the world that you alone are
Lord of life and death, Lord of our freedom and of
our choices. We pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
----------------------------------------------------- To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2012day17print.pdf ----------------------------------------------------- For Life, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life PS: What are people in your community saying about
40 Days for Life? Please leave a comment on
today's blog posting at: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3459 40 Days for Life 10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US
attention westward -- to California. I've been to
California during nearly every 40 Days for Life
campaign -- and I'll be there again in two weeks. "West coast" and "pro-life" don't often go together
in most people's minds. But ... they really do!
And California continues to show what God can do,
no matter where you live. California now has 37 campaigns currently under way
-- more 40 Days for Life locations than any other
state in America. There are voices for life standing
witness from one end of the state to the other. And
people are listening!
-----------------------------------------------------
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA
----------------------------------------------------- Rebecca says Thursday is typically a surgical abortion
day at Planned Parenthood in San Luis Obispo -- and it
appeared this would be the case as usual. "Young women
showed up for abortions," she said, "although in
drastically reduced numbers than we've seen in the past." One woman came out, got in her car and left. It was
clear she had not been inside long enough for an
abortion. Then another woman came out, accepted pro-life
information from one of the volunteers -- and she also
left. One by one, these young women all went home. The abortionist never showed up! "Whatever the reason for no surgical abortions being
performed," Rebecca said, "God is answering our prayers!
We're now praying that no abortions are performed in
San Luis Obispo during the 40 Days for Life campaign.
To God be the glory!" To see a picture of the vigil in San Luis Obispo,
please go to: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3459
-----------------------------------------------------
STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA
----------------------------------------------------- Janelle in Stockton says this campaign has brought
blessings in disguise. When the planning process began,
she was concerned that there would not be enough prayer
volunteers to be present for all of the hours Planned
Parenthood would be open. But, she said, "God proved otherwise." Something happened at Planned Parenthood after
40 Days for Life started. They've been closing early.
Not only have they closed early, but on one Saturday,
they didn't even open at all. "When they are closed," Janelle said, "we are there.
We've been able to help and offer information as an
alternative. So far we've taken three women to the
local pregnancy help center just down the street
where they can receive good, healthy counseling for
themselves and their children.” Because Planned Parenthood was closed, she said,
several lives and souls were saved ... and there's
less money for Planned Parenthood. "God is good,"
Janelle said, "all the time!"
-----------------------------------------------------
MILL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
----------------------------------------------------- Mill Valley likes to be known for its tolerance --
but only, it seems, if you're pro-abortion. At the
first-time 40 Days for Life vigil outside Planned
Parenthood, Ruth Ann says she's been lectured on
overpopulation, on Planned Parenthood's alleged
value to poor women -- even on global warming. "I was called judgmental, a bigot, stupid -- and I
was told I was wasting my time," Ruth Ann said. "I
was told to go home, as the locals were sure I wasn't
from Mill Valley." But, she says, there have been blessings. A woman
stopped by to thank them for being there. A man who
arrived with his two sons asked what they were doing
-- and praised God when he found out. "He said we were
in the belly of the beast," she said, "and he has come
to pray with us every day." Ruth Ann's volunteer list has continued to grow. "I
believe it is important," she said, "for people to
know that not everyone believes abortion is good for
our society."
Here's today's devotional from Fr. Frank Pavone,
National Director of Priests for Life...
-----------------------------------------------------
DAY 17 INTENTION
----------------------------------------------------- May all understand more deeply that the pro-life
message is rooted in the two basic truths of life: There is a God;
He isn't me
-----------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
----------------------------------------------------- And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of
life; and man became a living being. -- Genesis 2:7
-----------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life
----------------------------------------------------- From the beginning of the Bible until the end, the
theme is echoed that God alone has dominion over
human life. He made it; shared it; died to save it;
will raise it up forever. The act of creation described in Genesis 2:7, and
earlier in Genesis 1:26-27, is a sovereign act. God
did not have to do it, and would have been happy
forever without us. Yet without our asking for it or earning it, God
brought us out of nothingness and into life, and
sustains our existence at every moment. And He does
so in Christ. "For by Him all things were
created...in
Him all things exist" (Colossians 1:16-17). "You are not your own," Paul declares in 1
Corinthians 6. God alone owns us. While He entrusts
us to the care of one another, He does not allow any
human being to own another. A Southern California abortionist, James McMahon,
once explained how he justified killing children
after 20 weeks gestation by partial-birth abortion.
He did not deny that this was a child, but rather
asked, "Who owns the child? It's got to be the
mother." The struggle over abortion is really a struggle over
the dominion of God. The Christian individual, and
the Christian Church, cannot sit idly by when others
declare that God is not God.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
----------------------------------------------------- Lord, we are yours. Thank you for breathing into us
the breath of life. Thank you for claiming us as your
own. May our words and actions in defense of human
life proclaim to all the world that you alone are
Lord of life and death, Lord of our freedom and of
our choices. We pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
----------------------------------------------------- To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2012day17print.pdf ----------------------------------------------------- For Life, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life PS: What are people in your community saying about
40 Days for Life? Please leave a comment on
today's blog posting at: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3459 40 Days for Life 10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US
