Dear Deacon, Prayer is required in the pro-life movement. If
we just run out the door to try to save the world,
we're only going to make it about 10 minutes. Abortion is overwhelming; but when we have prayer,
and not ourselves, as the foundation ... our faith
in Christ really can move mountains. When we ask people if they've experienced spiritual
growth through their participation in 40 Days for
Life, the answer is an overwhelming “YES!” Sometimes it is expected. Sometimes it's not. Of
course ... we pray, hope and act to save babies,
help women and show mercy to abortion workers. But
most often, it is our own hearts that our Lord is
working on during these 40 days. Here are the thoughts of several volunteers, taken
from the 40 Days for Life blog -- in their own words.
-----------------------------------------------------
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS
----------------------------------------------------- "This was my first year to participate in 40 Days for
Life. I had been wanting to get involved in the
pro-life cause for some time now, and I happened to
hear about 40 Days for Life on Facebook. "I drove three hours to pray outside of the Planned
Parenthood in Fayetteville ... this is the town where
six years ago to the day I found out that I was
pregnant and scheduled an abortion. Thankfully, a
pro-life group was there for me and helped me make
the right decision. I have a beautiful 5-year-old
daughter now. "I was really wanting a chance to ... pay forward the
kindness once shown to me. But even better than that,
not a single person arrived at the clinic the entire
time we were praying outside! It was a blessing just
to be there and take part. "99% of the people passing by in their cars waved
approval at us, blew kisses, pointed at children in
their back seat or honked. People are beseeching God
to end abortion and He is answering our prayers."
-----------------------------------------------------
CLEVELAND, OHIO
----------------------------------------------------- "We are praying in Cleveland in front of SurgiCenter
that has been killing unprotected unborn children as
old as 19 weeks for years -- and is where I walk my
40 Days for Life prayer vigil. It is on a city street
that some passing cars beep their encouragement to me,
a 69-year- old man, who never expected to be praying
in public protest to anything. "God has called me to step out in faith to stand up and
walk in reverence in support of 40 Days for Life. It is
an empowering experience for me that combines prayer,
meditation and action. My effort is rewarded many times
over with a spiritual and physical renewal."
-----------------------------------------------------
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA
----------------------------------------------------- "We are so overjoyed to report ... the San Jose prayer
warriors and sidewalk counselors met and helped a
woman decide on life for her child! "We prayed and listened to her story. She had no money
for gas, so I drove her ... to get spiritual counseling
and personal support. She has hope in the world now,
because as she told me in my car, 'I'm glad I met you,
too. There are good people in this world.'"
-----------------------------------------------------
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
----------------------------------------------------- "Just being at the prayer vigils here in Memphis is a
spiritual blessing filling me with joy. It's beautiful,
especially considering some of us are from different
'flavors' of Christianity, but one in Christ. "One of our leaders patiently listened to an angry
man unload all his objections to the pro-life cause
and the church. She quietly and lovingly answered
all his questions. "Although many drivers shout thanks, wave and honk
in a friendly way ... a very angry driver laid on
his horn ... and another irate driver screamed an
obscenity at us. We felt blessed, and were reminded
of our brothers and sisters who suffer much worse
for the sake of Christ. "Thank you, faithful 40 Days for Life leaders and
fellow prayers, for offering me this wonderful
opportunity."
Here's today's devotional from Fr. Frank Pavone,
National Director of Priests for Life.
-----------------------------------------------------
DAY 36 INTENTION
----------------------------------------------------- We are the defenders of true freedom. May our witness
unveil the deception of the "pro-choice" slogan.
-----------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
----------------------------------------------------- Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of
the Lord is, there is liberty. --2 Corinthians 3:17
-----------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone
----------------------------------------------------- Norma McCorvey (the former Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade)
used to work at an abortion mill named "A Choice for
Women." She now realizes what a cruel irony that
title was. She saw first hand, just as pregnancy resource center
counselors see, that women don't get abortions
because of freedom of choice, but rather because they
feel they have no freedom and no choice. They feel trapped, abandoned, desperate and afraid,
and have been led to believe that abortion is their
only option. As Frederica Mathewes-Green has written, no want
wants an abortion like she wants a Porsche or an ice
cream; rather, she wants it like an animal caught in
a trap wants to gnaw off its own leg. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
That doesn't mean that the Spirit allows us to do
whatever we want or to decide for ourselves what's
right and wrong. Rather, it means that the Spirit gives us the freedom
to do what is right, the power to choose what is
good, when we see it before us and yet feel pulled in
the opposite direction. Liberty means that we no
longer have to feel doomed to do what we know is
wrong. We are the people of the Spirit of the Lord, and when
we take action on behalf of life, especially by being
present at abortion mills, we are acting on behalf of
true freedom, and imparting to those who are in
bondage the power to do what is right.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
----------------------------------------------------- Come, Holy Spirit. You are the Spirit of freedom, the
source of all that is good, the power to do what is
right. Fill us, and fill those who are in bondage
today, feeling doomed to do what is wrong. Set them
free, and help us to hasten them on the road to
freedom, where your grace overcomes every temptation.
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/fall2012day36print.pdf ----------------------------------------------------- For Life, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
PS: How are you going to spend these last days of
the 40 Days for Life campaign? Please share your
thoughts by leaving a comment at today's blog: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3707 40 Days for Life 10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US
we just run out the door to try to save the world,
we're only going to make it about 10 minutes. Abortion is overwhelming; but when we have prayer,
and not ourselves, as the foundation ... our faith
in Christ really can move mountains. When we ask people if they've experienced spiritual
growth through their participation in 40 Days for
Life, the answer is an overwhelming “YES!” Sometimes it is expected. Sometimes it's not. Of
course ... we pray, hope and act to save babies,
help women and show mercy to abortion workers. But
most often, it is our own hearts that our Lord is
working on during these 40 days. Here are the thoughts of several volunteers, taken
from the 40 Days for Life blog -- in their own words.
-----------------------------------------------------
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS
----------------------------------------------------- "This was my first year to participate in 40 Days for
Life. I had been wanting to get involved in the
pro-life cause for some time now, and I happened to
hear about 40 Days for Life on Facebook. "I drove three hours to pray outside of the Planned
Parenthood in Fayetteville ... this is the town where
six years ago to the day I found out that I was
pregnant and scheduled an abortion. Thankfully, a
pro-life group was there for me and helped me make
the right decision. I have a beautiful 5-year-old
daughter now. "I was really wanting a chance to ... pay forward the
kindness once shown to me. But even better than that,
not a single person arrived at the clinic the entire
time we were praying outside! It was a blessing just
to be there and take part. "99% of the people passing by in their cars waved
approval at us, blew kisses, pointed at children in
their back seat or honked. People are beseeching God
to end abortion and He is answering our prayers."
-----------------------------------------------------
CLEVELAND, OHIO
----------------------------------------------------- "We are praying in Cleveland in front of SurgiCenter
that has been killing unprotected unborn children as
old as 19 weeks for years -- and is where I walk my
40 Days for Life prayer vigil. It is on a city street
that some passing cars beep their encouragement to me,
a 69-year- old man, who never expected to be praying
in public protest to anything. "God has called me to step out in faith to stand up and
walk in reverence in support of 40 Days for Life. It is
an empowering experience for me that combines prayer,
meditation and action. My effort is rewarded many times
over with a spiritual and physical renewal."
-----------------------------------------------------
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA
----------------------------------------------------- "We are so overjoyed to report ... the San Jose prayer
warriors and sidewalk counselors met and helped a
woman decide on life for her child! "We prayed and listened to her story. She had no money
for gas, so I drove her ... to get spiritual counseling
and personal support. She has hope in the world now,
because as she told me in my car, 'I'm glad I met you,
too. There are good people in this world.'"
-----------------------------------------------------
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
----------------------------------------------------- "Just being at the prayer vigils here in Memphis is a
spiritual blessing filling me with joy. It's beautiful,
especially considering some of us are from different
'flavors' of Christianity, but one in Christ. "One of our leaders patiently listened to an angry
man unload all his objections to the pro-life cause
and the church. She quietly and lovingly answered
all his questions. "Although many drivers shout thanks, wave and honk
in a friendly way ... a very angry driver laid on
his horn ... and another irate driver screamed an
obscenity at us. We felt blessed, and were reminded
of our brothers and sisters who suffer much worse
for the sake of Christ. "Thank you, faithful 40 Days for Life leaders and
fellow prayers, for offering me this wonderful
opportunity."
Here's today's devotional from Fr. Frank Pavone,
National Director of Priests for Life.
-----------------------------------------------------
DAY 36 INTENTION
----------------------------------------------------- We are the defenders of true freedom. May our witness
unveil the deception of the "pro-choice" slogan.
-----------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
----------------------------------------------------- Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of
the Lord is, there is liberty. --2 Corinthians 3:17
-----------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone
----------------------------------------------------- Norma McCorvey (the former Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade)
used to work at an abortion mill named "A Choice for
Women." She now realizes what a cruel irony that
title was. She saw first hand, just as pregnancy resource center
counselors see, that women don't get abortions
because of freedom of choice, but rather because they
feel they have no freedom and no choice. They feel trapped, abandoned, desperate and afraid,
and have been led to believe that abortion is their
only option. As Frederica Mathewes-Green has written, no want
wants an abortion like she wants a Porsche or an ice
cream; rather, she wants it like an animal caught in
a trap wants to gnaw off its own leg. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
That doesn't mean that the Spirit allows us to do
whatever we want or to decide for ourselves what's
right and wrong. Rather, it means that the Spirit gives us the freedom
to do what is right, the power to choose what is
good, when we see it before us and yet feel pulled in
the opposite direction. Liberty means that we no
longer have to feel doomed to do what we know is
wrong. We are the people of the Spirit of the Lord, and when
we take action on behalf of life, especially by being
present at abortion mills, we are acting on behalf of
true freedom, and imparting to those who are in
bondage the power to do what is right.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
----------------------------------------------------- Come, Holy Spirit. You are the Spirit of freedom, the
source of all that is good, the power to do what is
right. Fill us, and fill those who are in bondage
today, feeling doomed to do what is wrong. Set them
free, and help us to hasten them on the road to
freedom, where your grace overcomes every temptation.
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/fall2012day36print.pdf ----------------------------------------------------- For Life, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
PS: How are you going to spend these last days of
the 40 Days for Life campaign? Please share your
thoughts by leaving a comment at today's blog: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3707 40 Days for Life 10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US
