| Dear Deacon, Today’s update almost sounds like a weather report. We have wind, blowing snow, freezing cold, hail and lightning – and finally, sunshine. We pray that just as the sun will come, so will the end of abortion come. And we know it will! ----------------------------------------------------- “Artic temperatures, snow, wind, blowing snow have all challenged those having visited the vigil location,” said Brian in Montreal. “My heartfelt thanks goes to all who have braved these conditions, suffering numb toes and frozen finger tips.” Each day has seen about 20 people praying at the 40 Days for Life vigil – more would be great, but Brian says “the weather dominated the proceedings.” Still, there have been special prayer hours as part of the campaign. “Prayers were recited, meditations read, and hymns chanted,” he said, with extra thanks going to two members of an order of religious sisters who led the singing. Prayer has continued after the end of the daily vigil – in church, where the warmth was no doubt welcome. -----------------------------------------------------  “It was an amazing day!” said one of the 40 Days for Life prayer volunteers in McKinney. “A guy came by around 2:30 and insisted that we have coffee and pastries, which he brought,” the vigil participant said. “He saw us out there and decided to come pray with us. He had no idea what 40 Days for Life was."  Not long after that, a woman with a camera came running up – insisting on taking a picture of the folks praying so she could send the photo to her daughter-in-law, who is considering having an abortion. “She was quite distraught about it and we told her we will pray for her, which the four of us did right after she left,” the volunteer said. The woman said that finding the vigil was “a total God thing” -- that He had brought her there. “Just when I was asking myself what difference are we making,” the prayer volunteer said, “God sends not one sign but two – how great is He? I am so inspired to press on and continue making a difference.” ----------------------------------------------------- Fran in Tallahassee was glad to see some sunshine return to the Sunshine State – praying in the rain is one thing, but being outside in a thunderstorm is another matter altogether. She passed along a note from a prayer volunteer that shows a true servant’s heart. “She gave me permission to share this,” Fran said. “God is so good!” “I just wanted to thank you for organizing the 40 Days for Life in Tallahassee,” this vigil participant said. “My husband and I prayed from 5-6 this evening. I am 40 weeks pregnant today – our due date – and it was especially wonderful to be able to pray with 40 Days for Life on this day,” she wrote. “Because of the hail and lightning, we had to pray from our car. I hope that’s OK! We’ll try to sign up for another time closer to Easter after the baby is here.” Now THAT’S answering God’s call to pray! (And yes, if there’s hail and lightning, it’s OK to pray in your car.) Today's devotional is from Fr. Terry Gensemer, national director of Charismatic Episcopal Church for Life.
May we absorb the truth that God is paying attention to us, and to each human life, personally and individually.
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. -- Psalm 8:3-9
How often we ignore the phrase, "stop and smell the roses" and instead submit to the all too "urgent" task at hand. Is this tendency what keeps us, at least in part, from acknowledging that God's care for His sacred creation is paramount in His own mind? The Psalmist speaks of God's handiwork: the heavens, the work of his "fingers," and then points to God's masterpiece -- human life. He declares to us that God is mindful of us. God keeps His masterpiece in His thoughts. God, the creator of the awe-inspiring heavens, is not distracted by the tasks before Him. He is not pulled away, as we might be, by thoughts of something "more important." God is paying attention to and attending to His crowning glory, His masterpiece of creation, which cannot be duplicated or replaced, which surpasses the beauty of all other created things -- the human being. There is no way to adequately describe how God feels about us as human beings. There are no words to fully portray His love, compassion or desire to be in communion with us. Perhaps, the closest we can come, is to contemplate the thoughts of a mother as she gazes for the first time at her newborn child. God cares for Life. We, as His followers, should take time to consider the life He has created and called upon us to love and protect.
Lord, you are the creator of all things. Guide my thoughts to consider your creation in all of its majesty, beauty and holiness. Guide my heart especially to your creation of precious human life. Help me to comprehend how essential life is in your own heart. Teach me to appreciate, love and protect all human life through your son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
To download today's devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/spring2013day18print.pdf
Yours for Life, Shawn Carney PS: How has 40 Days for Life in your community affected you? Please let us know by posting a response to today's blog entry at: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=4128
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