April 5, 2009
It's finally here: day 40!
To mark the conclusion of this amazing 40 Days for
Life campaign, David Bereit and I just recorded a
special 9-minute audio for you.
Listen online now at:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=230
John- I want to thank you for your prayers
and participation in this spring 40 Days for Life.
You are truly a hero. Really!
Everyone who has prayed, fasted, stood vigil, or
engaged in community outreach is a hero -- for
responding to God's call to speak up for the most
helpless who we will most likely never see or meet.
Standing witness outside abortion facilities -- even
when it is tough and unpopular -- is always worth it.
Just ask the 368 children whose lives have been saved
from abortion during this spring 40 Days for Life.
Yes, reports keep pouring in and the number is now up
to 368 lives saved. Praise God!
There is much to celebrate on Day 40 of this 40 Days
for Life. Here are just three examples among many...
To say that it snowed a lot during this "spring"
campaign in Kalispell, Montana is an understatement.
But Kalispell, which is in a county of about 85,000
people, has maintained a 24-hour vigil since February
25 despite the waves of wintry weather.
Their sacrificial efforts just gained front page news
coverage in their local paper...
See: http://tinyurl.com/cdn4uv
...And the dedicated people don't want to stop!
And why not? They're making an impact.
When the vigil at Planned Parenthood began, the
Kalispell clinic was open five days a week. The
facility has now cut back to three days a week.
In addition, the area's other abortion center has cut
back from six days a week to five. "So they have begun
to downsize," said Sandra Bois, a local coordinator.
"A beginning!"
Other true heroes are the men and women who've shared
the message that Christ's healing is available in the
wake of abortion. They've stepped forward during 40
Days for Life to tell the world, "I regret my
abortion" or "I regret lost fatherhood."
Frances Wilkinson spoke up after an angry abortion
supporter's letter to the editor appeared in the
Ottawa Citizen. The writer said she was "increasingly
outraged" at the 40 Days for Life vigil in Canada's
capital city and encouraged others to follow her
example of donating to a pro-abortion fund.
Frances answered -- and the paper printed her response
and a photo of her holding her "I regret my abortion"
sign at the 40 Days for Life vigil.
See: http://tinyurl.com/d7ky26
Frances said she wants to help other women "so they
will not make the worst mistake they will ever make,
for themselves and their child, and anyone else
affected by the abortion." She added, "No one has the
right to kill another human being."
There are true heroes in Toccoa, Georgia as well.
Toccoa is in a county with a population of around
25,000. But this town has served as an amazing example
of a community coming together to take a stand.
A Christian businessman offered his parking lot on a
busy highway as the vigil site. The coordinators set
up a tent and invited people to pray.
"The response from the road traffic was fantastic!"
said Andrea Sosebee, one of the coordinators. "People
honking horns, thumbs up, hollering positive words of
encouragement to all -- it was awesome!"
She added, "We may not have had an abortion clinic to
stand in front of, but our community has truly been
awakened to the issue of abortion and the need for
change and healing. This has been such an exciting
campaign!"
An awakening. Just what this culture needs, don't you
think? And it's all thanks to the grace of God -- and
the faithful response to His call by people just like
you in 135 cities across 43 states, Canada, Northern
Ireland, and Australia.
Once again, THANK YOU! A remarkable effort is ending
-- but it's really only just beginning.
Today's devotional is from Fr. Frank Pavone, national
director of Priests for Life...
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DAY 40 INTENTION
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Let us keep our eyes fixed on the New Jerusalem, where
death will be no more.
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SCRIPTURE
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"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will
be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for
the old order of things has passed away." He who was
seated on the throne said, "I am making everything
new!"
-- Revelation 21:4-5
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REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life
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Every activity we undertake in defense of the sanctity
of life is prophetic, inasmuch as it points to the day
when "death will be no more."
Every victory we have when an act of abortion is
prevented is prophetic of that day when death itself
will be definitively conquered.
Every triumph of grace in this world, whereby someone
is brought to see the value of life and given the
strength to welcome it, is a breaking into our history
of that definitive future in which the old order of
things will have passed, and all things will be made
new.
As pro-life warriors, we must keep our eyes fixed on
heaven, and our hearts secure in the hope that the day
is coming when all evil will be conquered.
It is the future that shapes the present; it is
victory that informs the battle; it is the destination
that determines the journey.
Daily, we are called to reflect on heaven.
When we weep, we are to think of the day when every
tear will be wiped away.
When we face the destructive power of death, we are to
think of the day when death is swallowed up in
victory.
When we labor against abortion, we are to think of the
day when we will have the rest and peace of the final
triumph of life.
Heaven is as real as earth, and its joys will be as
real as our present sorrows.
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PRAYER
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Father, you are the God of hope. Your word fills us
with the vision of the world to come, when every tear
will be wiped away, and death will be no more.
Father, how we need that hope, how we are strengthened
by that vision! Keep our hearts focused on heaven, and
diligent in the labors of earth.
As we struggle against the culture of death, root our
souls in the assurance of victory. We pray through
Christ our Lord, Amen.
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PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
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To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends:
http://40daysforlife.com/docs/spring2009day40print.pdf
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Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you have
done to make this monumental campaign such an amazing
success. You inspire me, John!
Yours In Christ,
Shawn Carney
Spring Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
P.S.- I hope you are encouraged by the 9-minute audio
we made especially for you. It's posted online at:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=230