October 2, 2009
Yesterday I visited the Toledo, Ohio 40 Days for Life
campaign and in a few hours I'll be jumping on an
airplane to Jacksonville, Florida, where I'll be
joining the 40 Days for Life volunteers on the
streets as part of their vigil.
It always amazes me to see so many people "speaking
up for those who cannot speak for themselves."
While running across the country visiting 40 Days for
Life locations, I have to admit that I keep thinking
about the banner at the Planned Parenthood abortion
center in St. Louis that I told you about earlier
this week -- the one that says "defend the truth."
I keep waiting for the day when everyone knows the
truth and there's no one left to defend what goes on
at Planned Parenthood and hundreds of other abortion
centers in North America and throughout the world.
The good news is that more people are learning the
truth -- thanks to you!
In Riverside, California, people who were praying at
the 40 Days for Life vigil watched as a young woman
entered the Planned Parenthood abortion center. A
couple of hours later, she came out. A pastor who was
praying with the group met her and asked if she
needed anything.
She told him she had come for an abortion, but
changed her mind. The Planned Parenthood staff told
her they would give her a shot that would stop her
baby's heart. She said, "WHAT?"
The young woman knew right away she could not go
through with the abortion, so she got up and left. In
her heart, she knew the truth.
In Kalispell, Montana, one of the vigil participants
had a chance to talk with a man whose company
provided contract services for All Families
Healthcare. It was news to this man that All Families
Healthcare was in the abortion business. He said he
would have never signed a contract with the clinic if
he had known the truth.
He thanked the people praying for taking part in 40
Days for Life -- and assured them that he would not
be renewing his contract with the clinic.
The reality of abortion in most communities is that
many people are simply unaware that it's going on in
their city. "Abortion" is somebody else's problem --
or a political issue, perhaps. It doesn't seem real.
People seem to act like it's something that involves
people you don't know and places you've never been.
But of course, that isn't the truth.
That's one of the reasons why community outreach is a
key component of 40 Days for Life.
In Halifax, Nova Scotia, the 40 Days for Life team
went door-to-door to let people in their city know
about the campaign -- and to ask them to pray.
"Most people are a little surprised at such a
request," said Julie. "And most are polite --
probably thinking that if they are nice, we will
leave quickly."
The volunteers offer a fact sheet about 40 Days for
Life that also includes information about abortion
that people generally do not know.
"This went much better than I anticipated," she said.
"No one I met had even heard of the vigil or noticed
it, so this really is a way to raise community
awareness of the prayer vigil and to bring the
neglected issue of abortion before the public."
The truth will ALWAYS triumph over the big lie of
abortion. So let's spread more of the truth!
Here's today's devotional from Fr. Frank Pavone,
National Director of Priests for Life...
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DAY 10 INTENTION
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Let us affirm the unborn by our language.
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SCRIPTURE
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Anyone who says to his brother, "Raca," is answerable
to the Sanhedrin; anyone who says, "You fool!" will
be in danger of the fire of hell.
-- Matthew 5:22
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REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life
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Before the schoolyard bully beats up his victim, he
calls him names. This is a way to dehumanize the
victim, and therefore make it easier to justify
attacking him.
In this verse from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus
says that using dehumanizing language is sinful.
"Raca" was an Aramaic term of contempt. The respect
and love we are called to have for other human lives
is not limited to action alone; it also has to
manifest itself in language.
Professor William Brennan, in his book Dehumanizing
the Vulnerable: When Word Games Take Lives, traces
the dehumanizing language used to oppress various
groups of people in history, such as our African-
American brothers and sisters, or our Jewish brothers
and sisters in the Holocaust.
He then shows that the same kind of dehumanizing
language is used against the unborn, who have been
called "parasites," "tissue," and "medical waste,"
among other things.
What are we to do instead? We are to affirm one
another, including the unborn, with ennobling
language that inspires respect and love. The unborn
are precious children, they are our brothers and
sisters, they are the image of God. Let us multiply
the language of affirmation, as we hasten to the day
of their protection!
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PRAYER
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Lord, we ask your forgiveness for any times our words
have dehumanized our brothers and sisters.
We also ask you to send your grace to those who speak
and write in degrading terms about the children in
the womb. Convert those who do not see the dignity of
these children. Loosen the tongues of those who do
not know how to acknowledge the humanity and
sacredness of these tiny lives.
Keep us all aware of the power of language, and help
us to use it rightly in the cause of life and
justice. 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/fall2009day10print.pdf
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For Life,
David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life