Dear Deacon John,
Don’t be afraid of a question. It could save a life!
When you pray at a 40 Days for Life vigil,
your witness serves as hope in so many ways. The women going into the
abortion center, the workers inside and people just driving by all know
why you are there.
This prayerful witness can start a dialogue that can save a life – a dialogue that can’t happen if you’re not there.
These short conversations can go a long way ... especially since a life may be at stake.
Jesus told us not
to worry about situations like that … because the Holy Spirit will give
you the right thing to say. Here are a few examples.
Sacramento, California
Volunteers in Sacramento report a positive response from people who’ve stopped to talk at their 40 Days for Life vigil.
One
woman driving by pulled over to tell them about a friend who is
considering abortion. The vigil participants said they “loaded her down
with information. She went away quite convicted and ready to save a life!”
Later
that day, a man stopped by and asked about abortions in cases of rape.
The 40 Days for Life team offered literature and showed him the
developmental stages of babies in the womb.
“He
had a change of heart right there,” one of the volunteers said. “He now
understands why it is important that abortion not immediately follow on
the footsteps of a rape. He wants us to go and speak at his church and bring on more pro-lifers!”
Tempe, Arizona
A
woman told a 40 Days for Life volunteer that her 21-year-old daughter’s
roommate had just been at the abortion facility in Tempe two weeks ago.
This young woman was twelve weeks pregnant and was there to have an
abortion that day.
But after she walked into the building, she began feeling uneasy. She became frightened and questioned why she was there.
The
young woman thought to herself, “What am I doing?” She left the
building immediately. Later, she told her roommate, “I had to get out of
there! I can’t do this!”
Portland, Oregon
A
man stopped to chat with Therese, the local leader in Portland. His
first questions were about the vigil and what churches the volunteers
attend.
Therese was telling him about the impact of abortion on men, and how organizations such as Rachel’s Vineyard help both women and men with spiritual healing in the wake of abortion.
It
was then that the man opened up. “He said that about 20 years ago, he
was in a situation,” Therese said. “The woman he was with was pregnant,
and they were told that their baby had severe birth defects.” He was
willing to keep the baby, but had told her it was “her choice.”
Thankfully, she made the right decision. Today, that baby has grown up to be a perfectly healthy 19-year-old young man.
“Thanks,”
Therese said, “for continuing to pray for the babies, their parents,
those who are suffering from an abortion experience, those discerning
whether to have an abortion and for the workers in the abortion
industry.”
Today’s devotional is from Fr. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life.
Day 11 intention
Pray that people of faith will have their strength renewed even in the face of the violence of abortion.
Scripture
The favors of the Lord are not exhausted, his mercies are not spent. They are renewed each morning, so great is his faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait in silence for the saving help of the Lord.
— Lamentations 3:22-26
Reflection by Fr. Frank Pavone
The Book of Lamentations, a short book of only five chapters, contains some of the most poignant expressions of human grief.
These verses are used in many Churches on Good Friday, since they can be seen to express a prophecy of the suffering of the Lord and the lamentation of his followers on that dark day.
But in the midst of his grief, Jeremiah writes the verses quoted above. "The favors of the Lord are not exhausted." It is a call to hope that no matter how much violence there is, life will prevail in the end.
Why does he say, however, that God's mercies are renewed each morning?
Because early in the morning, on the first day of the week, the women came to the tomb — and they found that the events of that morning changed everything.
Christ's victory over death came in the morning, and therefore each day we can renew our confidence that life has the final victory.
Prayer
Lord, look kindly on your people who weep and mourn amidst the vast devastation that abortion has brought upon our land. We cannot even count the children killed, and the mothers and fathers wounded.
We cannot measure the devastation and corruption abortion has brought upon the very fabric of our society. But we declare today that your favors have not been exhausted, your mercies have not been spent. They are renewed each morning.
Give us new strength today in the resurrection of Christ your Son, that we may bear effective witness to the victory of life! In His name we pray, Amen.
Printable devotional
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Day 11 intention
Pray that people of faith will have their strength renewed even in the face of the violence of abortion.
Scripture
The favors of the Lord are not exhausted, his mercies are not spent. They are renewed each morning, so great is his faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait in silence for the saving help of the Lord.
— Lamentations 3:22-26
Reflection by Fr. Frank Pavone
The Book of Lamentations, a short book of only five chapters, contains some of the most poignant expressions of human grief.
These verses are used in many Churches on Good Friday, since they can be seen to express a prophecy of the suffering of the Lord and the lamentation of his followers on that dark day.
But in the midst of his grief, Jeremiah writes the verses quoted above. "The favors of the Lord are not exhausted." It is a call to hope that no matter how much violence there is, life will prevail in the end.
Why does he say, however, that God's mercies are renewed each morning?
Because early in the morning, on the first day of the week, the women came to the tomb — and they found that the events of that morning changed everything.
Christ's victory over death came in the morning, and therefore each day we can renew our confidence that life has the final victory.
Prayer
Lord, look kindly on your people who weep and mourn amidst the vast devastation that abortion has brought upon our land. We cannot even count the children killed, and the mothers and fathers wounded.
We cannot measure the devastation and corruption abortion has brought upon the very fabric of our society. But we declare today that your favors have not been exhausted, your mercies have not been spent. They are renewed each morning.
Give us new strength today in the resurrection of Christ your Son, that we may bear effective witness to the victory of life! In His name we pray, Amen.
Printable devotional
To download today's devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share:
For life,
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SHAWN CARNEY
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
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