* Welcome God every day by reading the Living Faith devotional before work (~1 min). Order at http://www.livingfaith.com/
Your ways, O Lord, make known to me; teach me your paths... Psalm 25:4
Living Faith snippets: "I suspect most of us are tempted to assume we know all that's necessary, or at least enough to get us through. The willingness to admit we are always learning requires humility and openness, something often nurtured only in failure and defeat. When spoken with sincerity of heart and an openness to mystery, the longing to learn God's ways is a powerful and life-changing prayer. It is a plea that sets in motion powerful forces within and around us as we let go of our assumptions and expectations." by Terri Mifek
40 DAYS FOR LIFE (until 16 Mar): This is a unified Christian campaign to prevent the destruction of abortion (babies, families, abortionists) with an around the clock, 40 day prayer vigil at abortion clinics nation-wide. Learn about efforts in your area and sign up for the daily updates at http://www.40daysforlife.com/.
* "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you" (Jer 1:5)..."you knit me together in my mother's womb" (Ps 139:13).
* Check out http://www.hh76.com/ for an impressive selection of prolife resources.
* Please consider volunteering just one hour praying in front of your local abortion clinic (before 16 Mar)...to help tip the scale for an end to abortion and the accompanied despair. Thank you!
Through Christ Our Lord,
Pat
Phil 4:13
* Daily Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml
* LIFE Devotions blog at life-devotions.blogspot.com: Sign up to add your profile and comment at LIFE Devotions. Comment to the entire distro by replying to this email.
* LIFE Prayers blog at life-prayers.blogspot.com: Sign up to post/comment at LIFE Prayers. Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others (so let's pray daily!).
* Sr. Francelle Devotions at sisterfrancelle.blogspot.com.
* Let's joyfully live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!
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2 comments:
Great job everyone keep up the fight back there at home againstabortion...it can be a little uncomfortable at first on a human level tostand outside an abortion clinic and pray the Rosary, but think of thewitness for Christ! He's acknowledging you personally to God theFather--basically talking about you to Our Father in your fight forlife. And on a super human spiritual level you are fighting evil inevery way..."Lord Jesus, please give me your Power"Love and Forgive---ask to be Powerful in doing His will---Pray hard,Fast hard--then eat whatever you want.
Here's some nuggets I'd like to share.. from Envoy magazine, a pastissue.... What would you do in this situation? Readers solve the dilemma.Scenario:Ann is a practicing Catholic who works in a property management office.Two years ago, Rhonda, one of her coworkers, was pregnant with a childdiagnosed with a degenerative spinal condition. On the recommendation ofher doctor, she aborted the child at 5 months. Ann has just learned thatRhonda is again pregnant with a child suffering from the same condition.Her friend intends to abort this child as well. As an agnostic, Rhondahas no religious beliefs or firm moral code. What should Ann do? Whatwould you do? I would lay odds that one of the prime motivating factors behindRhonda's decision to abort her first child was ignorance of the child'scondition and fear of having to face the challenges of raising ahandicapped child. Ann should appeal to one of the so-called"pro-choice" movement's sacred tenets: the right of a mother to make aninformed choice about her baby's future. She should collect informationfrom charitable foundations that raise funds for research into a curefor the child's condition. They will likely have pamphlets and bookletsthat Rhonda can read for more information about her baby's disability.More importantly, they will also likely have contacts with parentalsupport groups that could help Rhonda understand that she wouldn't bealone in raising this child. They could provide the essential firsthandexperiences in not only the challenges faced in raising a disabledchild, but also the joys and blessings such a child brings. Perhapscontact with such a support group could also afford Rhonda theopportunity to meet a child with the same condition her baby has. Seeinghow another child copes with the condition her child has might lessenher fears that her baby won't be "happy" or lead a "productive life."Michelle Arnold, San Diego, CA Since Ann is a practicing Catholic and is therefore receiving worthilythe Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ into herself at Holy Mass,she should have the charity and strength in her to confront Rhonda; sheneeds to tell her not to have another abortion, even if her baby willdevelop a degenerative spinal disease. Ann should explain to Rhonda thatthe fetus in her womb is a little human being with an objective infiniteworth, with an immortal soul that God Himself has given. In other words,Ann should drive home the truth of human life, and that humans cannot beslaughtered like pigs. Rhonda's child was given to her by God to beloved, taught and raised by her as a responsible mother.If Rhonda insists on aborting, Ann needs to let her know that she cannotsupport her in taking an innocent life, but that she would continue tocare about her and would pray for her and her babies. Keeping the doorof friendship and communication open will give Rhonda some place to goif she has a change of heart or needs guidance. I'd tell Rhonda that her situation is like the women who are nowaborting their babies because they want to have a baby on the newmillennium. In both situations, the new human being in the mother's wombisn't even being considered a human being. Instead, it's something thatcan be annihilated at will, just because it doesn't fit into theparent's bubble world of how they think things should be. I'd tellRhonda she needs to come to her senses, and that she shouldn't commitanother sin of abortion - it's murder! She has the obligation to be aloving mother to her child in the womb and after birth, no matter whatdefects her child may have, because human life and happiness don'talways mean being in perfect human condition and health. No woman hasthe right to have an abortion, under any circumstances, even if themother's life is at stake. Murder is always wrong, no matter which wayyou look at it.I'm a seminarian for the Sioux Falls Diocese, and while on a retreat, agroup of us watched a video of the slaughter of a human person at fivemonths. When our Holy Father says abortion is the most cruel kind ofmurder, he's absolutely right. There's nothing more cruel than themurder of an innocent little human in the womb of his own mother, andthen seeing his dead little arms and legs and torso stacked on a counterlike a pile of garbage. By the grace of God, abortion will end one day.Grant Croft, e-mail First, Ann needs to pray for Rhonda and her baby and pray for guidanceand help from the Holy Spirit in handling this sensitive matter. To getinformation about alternatives to abortion, resources available forcrisis pregnancies and suggestions on discussing the subject, she cancall her diocese's Right to Life office or a crisis pregnancy center orhotline.Not having religious beliefs to guide her, Rhonda might not be able torelate to Ann's religious or moral objections to abortion. She'sinfluenced by her doctor's recommendation and society's acceptance ofabortion - especially where serious birth defects are involved. She maybelieve she's doing the right and loving thing by not bringing a childinto the world who would suffer much. Or, she may feel she has no otherchoice but to abort.In privacy, Ann should lovingly express concern for Rhonda and her baby.After gaining her confidence, she can ask how her previous abortionaffected her. If Rhonda expresses regret or guilt, Ann should encourageher to vent her pent-up, unexpressed, painful emotions - all the while,listening with sympathy and compassion. Using that opportunity tosuggest alternatives to abortion, Ann can offer practical and moralsupport. She should share true stories about friends and relatives whochose to keep, love and care for their babies and who received enormouslove and happiness in return. Rhonda might be especially affected byinspirational stories about babies who proved the dire medical prognosiswrong or who overcame them. Conversely, Ann needs to warn her about thecomplications and dangers of repeated abortions - physically,emotionally and spiritually. If Rhonda thinks she's sparing her baby alife of pain and suffering, Ann should ask her to consider the terriblepain her baby would experience during the abortion. By giving her thefacts in a loving manner, Ann can offer hope and help so her friend willchoose life.If Rhonda insists on aborting, Ann needs to let her know that she cannotsupport her in taking an innocent life, but that she would continue tocare about her and would pray for her and her babies. Keeping the doorof friendship and communication open will give Rhonda some place to goif she has a change of heart or needs guidance.Mary Jo Paul, Gaithersburg, MD
By the grace of God, I agree Grant, abortion will end one day. Andbecause of warriors like you, and all those willing to pray hard, andfast hard, for babies in their Mothers wombs in danger of murder, Godhears and answers our prayers. Everyone involved in the fight for lifewants the atrocity of the killing to STOP NOW, and we are oftenfrustrated at the mere thought of how this can possibly go on from dayto day, sometimes to the point of inaction. We must trust in divinemercy. We must continue fighting, with all the love in our hearts. Wemust stop judging, that is Our Fathers job. But we must not stoppraying, acting, being a visible voice for those that have no voice.Love will prevail. The power of love will always be stronger than thepower of evil. Millions of babies have been taken from this physicalworld, that is the reality. The Communion of Saints are always prayingfervently to the Father, and it's up to us, the Body of Christ, tospread the message of love and forgiveness, and to bring the Truth tothose in darkness. We can help to free those in this world filled withhatred they don't even realize exists in their closed hearts. We know weshall win, as we are confident, in the victory, of good over evil. Letus each answer the call and be not afraid. Stand up and arm yourselveswith the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Allow the power to transformyou. With Christ, all things are possible. Ask Mother Mary to intercede.There are many millions of good people, that aren't doing anything,hence the reason for the continued evil prevailing through abortion. Wemust be willing to die for this cause, as Maximilian Kolbe did byvolunteering to die, taking the place of a family man selected in theNazi concentration camp in Auschwitz, as William Wallace did for freedomof his people in Scotland, as Mother Theresa did through her actions oflove for the poorest of the poor, as Sir Thomas More did in refusing toendorse or denounce King Henry VIII's divorce, out of principle, orultimately, as Jesus Christ did by stretching out his arms of love,WILLINGLY and FREELY, to die for us. All of these were done out oflove!Let us all die to our own selfish desires, and allow love to rule,instead of fear. Jesus, help us to love one another, as you have loved us.Thanks Grant!
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