Dear Deacon, At the end of this record-breaking 40 Days for Life
campaign, we praise God for ... ... 608 babies saved from abortion -- that we know of! (Many campaigns are still compiling their reports, so
that number will likely keep growing.) While it's important to take a deep breath and recharge
our batteries after 40 days of prayer and hard work, if
you're in the United States, there's something vitally
important you still MUST do. Tuesday, November 6 is election day. Voting is not only
a civil responsibility but also a part of our Christian
witness. Christ calls us to proclaim the gospel ... and
that call extends to our witness in the voting booth. It is NOT an accident that record numbers of people have
been praying and fasting for the cause of life in the
lead-up to our most important election in decades. Make a commitment today to: * PRAY ... for our country, the candidates, your fellow
voters -- since everything depends on God -- and vote
as if everything depends on you. Let's especially storm
heaven today with the prayer Jesus taught us: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is
in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and
forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who
trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. * DISCERN ... which candidates will most respect the
fundamental right to life of all persons, and vote
accordingly. While there may not be a "perfect"
candidate on the ballot, those who choose not to vote
are passing up a critical opportunity to speak up for
those who cannot speak for themselves -- innocent
children in the womb. * VOTE ... and encourage every other pro-life person you
know to join you in voting for life. This is a crucial election that will determine the fate
of millions of pre-born children ... as well as the
environment we will be conducing our pro-life work in
during the next four years. If for any reason you're unable to make it to the polls
tomorrow, there may still be time to cast an early vote
or an absentee ballot TODAY! Let's pull out all the stops NOW to ensure that we don't
wake up Wednesday morning wishing we had done more. This 40 Days for Life campaign has continued to build a
foundation for ending abortion in America -- and around
the world ... * Record numbers of people are joining the pro-life
ranks -- including many young people. * Business is down at many abortion facilities. * Workers continue to quit the abortion industry. * And lives continue to be saved ... thanks to YOU!
Your prayers and participation make a difference. Now ... we MUST continue pressing forward -- with
relentless energy! On that note, I ask you to mark your calendar for the
evening of next MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12. Save that date. We'll have more good news about the campaign that just
ended -- and more GREAT news about what's coming next!
Here's today's "bonus" devotional from Fr. Frank
Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life.
-----------------------------------------------------
DAY 41 INTENTION
----------------------------------------------------- Pray that the witness of 40 Days for Life bears
abundant fruit, and that we begin again each day to
storm the gates of hell until God welcomes us into
the gates of heaven.
-----------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
----------------------------------------------------- On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of
hell will not prevail against it. -- Matthew 16:18
-----------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone
----------------------------------------------------- When we read this verse, we usually think that the
Lord is promising that the church, which is His Body,
will withstand all the attacks launched against it.
Of course, that is true. But when we think about it more carefully, we realize
that in a battle, the gates do not run out into the
battlefield to attack the enemy. Rather, they stand
still to defend the city from the enemy attacking it. So when the Lord says that the gates of hell will not
prevail against the church, who is doing the
attacking? It is the church storming the gates! The church, all of God's people in Christ, is called
to take the offensive, to run into enemy territory,
and to gain ground for Jesus Christ. We do not wait
for an invitation; we already have a command. We
prepare, but we do not wait for circumstances to be
perfect; we already have one who has gone before us. During these 40 days, we have stormed the gates. We
have taken the offensive. We have pushed forward the
boundaries of the kingdom. And we must keep doing so,
in numerous ways. Indeed, the gates of hell will not prevail. The gates
of falsehood will flee in the presence of truth. The
gates of sin will melt in the presence of grace. The
gates of death will fall in the presence of the
church, the People of Life!
-----------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
----------------------------------------------------- Father, we praise you. We have heard the voice of
your Son, and therefore we can make our voices heard.
We have done battle with the power of evil, and
therefore we can have compassion on those still
within its grip. We have been freed from the kingdom
of darkness, and therefore we can bear witness to
your Kingdom of Light. May the witness of all your people through these 40
Days for Life bear abundant fruit, and may we begin
again each day to storm the gates of hell until You
welcome us into the gates of heaven. We pray in the
victorious name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
----------------------------------------------------- To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2012day41print.pdf ----------------------------------------------------- For Life, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life PS: What's next for you? For your community's 40 Days
for Life effort? Please share your story by
leaving a comment at today's blog entry: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3797 40 Days for Life 10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US
campaign, we praise God for ... ... 608 babies saved from abortion -- that we know of! (Many campaigns are still compiling their reports, so
that number will likely keep growing.) While it's important to take a deep breath and recharge
our batteries after 40 days of prayer and hard work, if
you're in the United States, there's something vitally
important you still MUST do. Tuesday, November 6 is election day. Voting is not only
a civil responsibility but also a part of our Christian
witness. Christ calls us to proclaim the gospel ... and
that call extends to our witness in the voting booth. It is NOT an accident that record numbers of people have
been praying and fasting for the cause of life in the
lead-up to our most important election in decades. Make a commitment today to: * PRAY ... for our country, the candidates, your fellow
voters -- since everything depends on God -- and vote
as if everything depends on you. Let's especially storm
heaven today with the prayer Jesus taught us: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is
in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and
forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who
trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. * DISCERN ... which candidates will most respect the
fundamental right to life of all persons, and vote
accordingly. While there may not be a "perfect"
candidate on the ballot, those who choose not to vote
are passing up a critical opportunity to speak up for
those who cannot speak for themselves -- innocent
children in the womb. * VOTE ... and encourage every other pro-life person you
know to join you in voting for life. This is a crucial election that will determine the fate
of millions of pre-born children ... as well as the
environment we will be conducing our pro-life work in
during the next four years. If for any reason you're unable to make it to the polls
tomorrow, there may still be time to cast an early vote
or an absentee ballot TODAY! Let's pull out all the stops NOW to ensure that we don't
wake up Wednesday morning wishing we had done more. This 40 Days for Life campaign has continued to build a
foundation for ending abortion in America -- and around
the world ... * Record numbers of people are joining the pro-life
ranks -- including many young people. * Business is down at many abortion facilities. * Workers continue to quit the abortion industry. * And lives continue to be saved ... thanks to YOU!
Your prayers and participation make a difference. Now ... we MUST continue pressing forward -- with
relentless energy! On that note, I ask you to mark your calendar for the
evening of next MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12. Save that date. We'll have more good news about the campaign that just
ended -- and more GREAT news about what's coming next!
Here's today's "bonus" devotional from Fr. Frank
Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life.
-----------------------------------------------------
DAY 41 INTENTION
----------------------------------------------------- Pray that the witness of 40 Days for Life bears
abundant fruit, and that we begin again each day to
storm the gates of hell until God welcomes us into
the gates of heaven.
-----------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
----------------------------------------------------- On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of
hell will not prevail against it. -- Matthew 16:18
-----------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone
----------------------------------------------------- When we read this verse, we usually think that the
Lord is promising that the church, which is His Body,
will withstand all the attacks launched against it.
Of course, that is true. But when we think about it more carefully, we realize
that in a battle, the gates do not run out into the
battlefield to attack the enemy. Rather, they stand
still to defend the city from the enemy attacking it. So when the Lord says that the gates of hell will not
prevail against the church, who is doing the
attacking? It is the church storming the gates! The church, all of God's people in Christ, is called
to take the offensive, to run into enemy territory,
and to gain ground for Jesus Christ. We do not wait
for an invitation; we already have a command. We
prepare, but we do not wait for circumstances to be
perfect; we already have one who has gone before us. During these 40 days, we have stormed the gates. We
have taken the offensive. We have pushed forward the
boundaries of the kingdom. And we must keep doing so,
in numerous ways. Indeed, the gates of hell will not prevail. The gates
of falsehood will flee in the presence of truth. The
gates of sin will melt in the presence of grace. The
gates of death will fall in the presence of the
church, the People of Life!
-----------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
----------------------------------------------------- Father, we praise you. We have heard the voice of
your Son, and therefore we can make our voices heard.
We have done battle with the power of evil, and
therefore we can have compassion on those still
within its grip. We have been freed from the kingdom
of darkness, and therefore we can bear witness to
your Kingdom of Light. May the witness of all your people through these 40
Days for Life bear abundant fruit, and may we begin
again each day to storm the gates of hell until You
welcome us into the gates of heaven. We pray in the
victorious name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
----------------------------------------------------- To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2012day41print.pdf ----------------------------------------------------- For Life, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life PS: What's next for you? For your community's 40 Days
for Life effort? Please share your story by
leaving a comment at today's blog entry: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3797 40 Days for Life 10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US
