9 Days for Life: Transformation

TRANSFORMATION The Church is about to enter into one of the holiest times of the year--the Passion, death, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we prepare to make this journey with him, let us ask Jesus to transform us from the inside out and invite him to work through us in building up a culture of life and a civilization of love. Intercession May the Holy Spirit continually inspire our words and actions to build up a culture of life each day. Prayer Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be  Reflection In today's world, many people do not recognize the sanctity of every human life. The culture of death tragically promotes the ideas that suffering is meaningless and that certain lives are not worth living. May Christ's love transform every part of our lives, and may our witness lead others to the beautiful truth of the value of every person. We ask the Holy Spirit to inspire us with the right words and actions to promote a culture of life each and every day.  Acts of Reparation (choose one) As part of your evening prayer, take time to go through each part of your day. Meditate on the decisions you made, the good as well as the bad. In what ways could you better live out the Gospels?  Did you help others want to know Christ through you and your actions?   This week, pick one way you can focus on showing respect to others. For example, hold the door for others who are a little way behind you, make eye contact and smile at cashiers, let others go in front of you, etc.   Pray a Rosary for all of the unborn children who are in danger of being aborted. (Pro-life Rosary prayer intentions are available.) One Step Further  In his homily at the National Prayer Vigil for Life this year, Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Boston and Chair of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities, shared this advice:  "To change people's hearts we must love them and they must realize that we care about them. They need the witness of our love and our joy. To evangelize is to be a messenger of joy, of good news." Read more. Image: A mosaic of Our Lady of Guadalupe decorates a side altar in the Church of Santa Maria della Famiglia at the Vatican. Dec. 15. (CNS photo/Paul Haring).