40 Days for Life, February 17 -- March 29, 2010, Come and Pray to Stop Abortion in the World

40 Days for Life in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

40 Days for Life is a community-based campaign that draws attention to the evil of abortion through the use of a three-point program:

Prayer and fasting
Constant vigil
Community outreach

40 Days for Life takes a determined, peaceful approach to showing local communities the consequences of abortion in their own neighborhoods, for their own friends and families. It puts into action a desire to cooperate with God in the carrying out of His plan for the end of abortion in America.

The 40-day campaign tracks Biblical history, where God used 40-day periods to transform individuals, communities ... and the entire world. From Noah in the flood to Moses on the mountain to the disciples after Christ's resurrection, it is clear that God sees the transformative value of His people accepting and meeting a 40-day challenge.

Vision and mission

40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life campaign with a vision to access God’s power through prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil to end abortion in America.

The mission of the campaign is to bring together the body of Christ in a spirit of unity during a focused 40 day campaign of prayer, fasting, and peaceful activism, with the purpose of repentance, to seek God’s favor to turn hearts and minds from a culture of death to a culture of life, thus bringing an end to abortion in America.

Prayer and fasting:

Christ told us some demons can only be driven out by prayer and fasting. The two go hand in hand. Prayer keeps us rooted in the fact that it is our desire to carry out God's will. Fasting is a sacrifice that helps us reach beyond our own limitations with God's help.

Fasting is not a Christian diet; it is a form of physical prayer. You can fast from food, TV, alcohol ... anything that separates you from God.

Constant vigil:

40 Days for Life in San Fernando, California

The most visible component of 40 Days for Life is a constant prayer vigil outside a place where children are aborted. It is the hope that the vigil can be maintained 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

It is a prayerful witness to the clinic's patients and employees, and to the entire community, that evil is in our midst and that with God's help, it will be defeated.

Community outreach:

During 40 Days for Life, the pro-life message is proactively taken to the community through focused, grassroots educational efforts. People are given the opportunity to visibly show their support for 40 Days for Life.

A door-to-door petition and education drive reaches out. Informational flyers can raise awareness about abortion. Church involvement, media contact and campus outreach also contribute.

March 20, 2010

Day 32 - March 20

Intention:

May we come to know that divine life, in relationship, creates human life.

Scripture:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

--John 1:1-3

Reflection:

"In the beginning" was God. Always, before all times, there was God. This particular God -- the God of the Bible, the God of St. John's Gospel -- is different from all other gods. This God is alive and full of life. This God is not the picture of deadness and death, aloneness and isolation. This God is the picture of life, relationship, and unity. For within this God, within this one God, there are three divine persons who live, who love, and who work -- together. This is the glorious mystery of the Trinity. The Trinity means divine life. The Trinity means three, living Persons -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- who relate to each other. The Trinity means mutual love and service among three Persons.

The Word was always with God the Father. This Word was, is, and will be the Trinity's second person. The Word is also the Son of God or, as revealed in time, Jesus Christ. God the Father and God the Son live, love, and work for each other. As one, they create "all things" together: the Father creates all things, including all human life, through the Son.

So the Father, through the Son, creates all human lives. The little one swimming in his mother's womb, the infant smiling in his father's arms, the child crying in pain in a hospital bed, the energetic teen running another mile, the old man gasping for his last breath -- all were created, at their beginning, by the Father through the Son. No exceptions. Divine life creates human life.

Prayer:

O God, may we always be quick to call you Father. And when we call you father, let your Spirit remind us that we, and all people, from their beginning to their last day, are your children. We praise you, Father, that you sent your Son to reveal to the world that all people are His brothers and sisters, that all people are your children. Through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Rev. Paul Stallsworth
President, Lifewatch (United Methodist Church)

Info about new Planned Parenthood Clinics. Pray to shut them down before they even open up!

Planned Parenthood often receives special focus during
a 40 Days for Life campaign.

It is the largest abortion chain in the United States,
and, according to its most recent annual report, it
performed 305,310 abortions during a 12-month period.

During this 40 Days for Life campaign alone, vigils are
being conducted at 76 Planned Parenthood locations.

Two of those sites are in Houston, Texas. One is an
office building that’s being refurbished into one of
the largest abortion centers in the Western Hemisphere.

No abortions have been performed there yet — but
already, a baby has been saved.

Fr. Carlos in Houston tells of a 17-year-old who showed
up recently, telling vigil participants she was there
for an abortion. “She didn’t realize the clinic was not
open ‘for business’ yet,” he said.

Her boyfriend was pressuring her into an abortion.

“She was going to go through with it,” Fr. Carlos said,
“because she didn’t know what else to do.”

The Gabriel Project quickly rounded up support for this
young mother and her child.

Members of a local church have already placed a
billboard near the new Planned Parenthood mega-center.
It reads, “Take my hand, not my life.”

Click here to see the billboard:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=784

The second 40 Days for Life location in Houston is a
Planned Parenthood abortion center. It was there that
Mikel Fair, a local video director, said he was
inspired to put together a short feature on the
40 Days for Life campaign.

“It was a rewarding experience,” he said, “and I hope
that this video will encourage other pro-lifers like
myself to take a peaceful stand against abortion
centers throughout the world, in a kind and loving
way through prayer.”

Click here to see Mikel’s video.

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=784

There’s a 40 Days for Life vigil going on at another
reported Planned Parenthood construction site in
Virginia Beach, Virginia. The local newspaper reported
on this campaign’s midpoint rally.

“Planned Parenthood makes teens believe that sex is
recreational,” local volunteer Charles Gorski said.
“They’re basically saying if you get pregnant by
accident, just take care of it by killing your baby.”

Click here to read the full story:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=784

The 40 Days for Life vigil in Canton, Ohio is at a
Planned Parenthood center that does not perform
surgical abortions. And that raises many questions.

A young woman, who was waiting outside the building,
asked the prayer volunteers, “How much do you guys
get paid to stand out here?”

“We do not get paid,” the vigil participant answered.
“We stand out here in the cold and snow to saves the
lives of unborn babies.”

The woman responded, “They don’t do that here, do they?”

“This Planned Parenthood refers, suggests and counsels
women to abort their baby,” the volunteer explained,
“and a portion of every dollar spent for services in
this facility helps to kill the unborn.”

“She was shocked and disgusted,” said Linda in Canton.
“She thanked us and went back to the building to wait.
A seed was planted.”

Click here to see a picture of the vigil in Canton:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=784

Day 33 - March 21

Intention:

Let us affirm the unborn by our language.

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

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!

Prayer:

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.

Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life and President, National Pro-life Religious Council

Keep praying!

Vigil participants have seen firsthand what “choice”
is all about. They recently met a woman who was
arriving for an abortion appointment — in tears.

She already had a 15-month-old baby. She and her
husband were having financial problems. She’d had
mental health issues after the birth of her last
child and “could not handle another baby.”

As the group was assuring her that all the necessary
resources would be available, she admitted she didn’t
want to have the abortion. But as she started to walk
toward the parking lot, one of the abortion center
workers intercepted her and steered her towards the
building.

Vigil participants prayed even more intensely, some
even dropping to their knees.

One of the prayer volunteers then found the woman
behind the abortion center. She assured him that she
was just calling her husband to have him pick her up.

She said, “Those people in there do not care about me.
They only care about my money and taking my baby from
me.” She said she would be back to show the abortion
center workers her new baby — and to join the vigil.

As a testimony to the fact that 40 Days for Life is
making a huge impact in Toms River, vigil participants
have recently been joined by two women with “keep
abortion legal” signs.

Vigil participants have seen firsthand what “choice”
is all about. They recently met a woman who was
arriving for an abortion appointment — in tears.

She already had a 15-month-old baby. She and her
husband were having financial problems. She’d had
mental health issues after the birth of her last
child and “could not handle another baby.”

Vigil participants prayed even more intensely, some
even dropping to their knees.

One of the prayer volunteers then found the woman
behind the abortion center. She assured him that she
was just calling her husband to have him pick her up.

As a testimony to the fact that 40 Days for Life is
making a huge impact in Toms River, vigil participants
have recently been joined by two women with “keep
abortion legal” signs.

“It is so difficult to understand how they could
possibly rationalize and justify the taking of a
totally defenseless life, let alone promote this
killing so passionately,” Sandy noted.

“It becomes even more apparent the spiritual battle
we are up against.”

It’s also telling that these two have only been on the
sidewalk on warmer, sunny days. “Not surprisingly,”
said Sandy, “they decided not to join us on a cold and
rainy day while at least 30 people sacrificed their
comfort for the cause of life.”

Yes, it’s a sacrifice. It’s hard. But it’s important.
It’s necessary. And it works! Thank you for all you’re
doing in response to God’s call.

March 22, 2010

Day 34 - March 22

Intention:

We pray for the conversion of abortionists and all abortion advocates.

Scripture:

"Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow."

-- Isaiah 1:16-17

Reflection:

God is just.

Inscribed around the inside of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC, are the immortal words of Thomas Jefferson: "I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just." If the deist, Jefferson, knew in the depths of his being that God is just, how much more ought we Christians to reflect on this profound truth? The justice of God, like his holiness and his purity, encourages us to seek justice for all people. It is the evil deeds and wrong, selfish attitudes of our modern society that have led to the cavalier acceptance of abortion and euthanasia. But, as Jefferson also said, "his justice will not sleep forever."

God is calling us today to seek justice, to encourage the oppressed, and to defend the orphans and widows of our society. It is a noble calling! It is one which every true believer, every God-fearing man and woman, should heed with no hesitation and no reluctance. To follow the God of justice and truth is to stand unequivocally for the right to life of everyone, especially the unborn, the physically disabled, and the terminally ill. God's word through the prophet Isaiah is as relevant in today's 21st century world as it was in Isaiah's 8th century BC world. May God's grace help us to defend the unborn's right to life as well as that of the already born.

Prayer:

O God, our heavenly Father, give us courage and wisdom as we seek to eradicate the evil in our society. Help us to realize that your divine Spirit alone can change hearts and minds so that all your human creatures may enjoy the fullness of life you intended for them. I pray this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.

Rev. Ben Sheldon
President Emeritus, Presbyterians Pro-life and National Pro-life Religious Council

Today’s email:

As the dust settles following the devastating
U.S. House vote that imposed abortion coverage and
government funding of abortion under the guise of
health care, many people are feeling a sense of
despair today.

But Jeremiah 29:11 clearly instructs us: “For I know
the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are
plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future
and a hope.”

Even in the midst of this darkness, God has given us
more than 2,500 reasons to have great hope. And that
hope is because of YOU.

This past week, 40 Days for Life reached a milestone.
In this, the sixth coordinated, simultaneous 40-day
campaign of prayer and fasting, constant vigil and
community outreach, we now know of ...

... more than 2,500 babies ...

... saved from abortion during these campaigns.

The exact total is currently 2,536. We’re aware of
numerous sets of twins — and at least one set of
triplets — included in that count.

Not only have 2,536 babies been spared from abortion,
but the impact was also felt on each of their mothers
and fathers.

So that’s roughly 7,500 lives directly impacted by your
prayers and the mercy of Almighty God!

Add to that grandparents, siblings, friends — it’s
staggering to think about the number of people
positively affected each time a mother chooses life.

And for this campaign alone, the total stands at ...

... 368 babies saved ... that we know of.

Of course, only God knows the true total.

The 40 Days for Life campaigns in New York City have
reported more than 20 turnarounds this campaign. The
good news is that prayer is effective; the challenge
is that New York is the abortion capital of the
United States.

The 40 Days for Life campaign in Queens is being
conducted in an area the prayer volunteers call
“abortion row.”

Click here for a photo of a typical day at the vigil
in Queens:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=839

It may look at first glance like these people are
praying outside a donut shop — but that’s not the
case. The donut shop just has the misfortune of being
right between two abortion facility entrances.

To the left, there’s Women’s Health Care. To the right,
Jackson Heights Women’s Medical. Because of the
neighborhood they’re in, both businesses have signs
in Spanish.

The prayer volunteers are often hassled for being
there. But they know that’s where they have to be in
order to make a difference.

We’re often told that it’s useless to stand outside
the abortion center because women arriving for
appointments have already firmly decided that abortion
is the right “choice.”

Time after time, that abortion industry maxim is
proven wrong.

In Southfield, Michigan, 40 Days for Life vigil
participants met a woman who was walking into the
abortion facility. They spoke to her briefly, and
learned that abortion was the “choice” of her mother
and boyfriend — she was being pressured into it.

As she walked into the building, one of the
volunteers told her that free help was available
just up the street at a pro-life pregnancy center.

That apparently struck a chord.

She recalled that this pro-life center had helped a
friend of hers. So while she was in the waiting room
at the abortion facility, she called her friend. The
friend soon arrived, walked into the building — and
the two women then left together to go to the
pro-life resource center.

The young woman then called her mother to explain why
she was refusing to abort her child.

As one of the Southfield volunteers said, “Praise God
for using us and this incredible live-saving team he
has put together in our community!”

March 23, 2010

Day 35 - March 23

Intention:

Pray that all believers participating in 40 Days for Life will make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3).

Scripture:

And the glory which You gave Me, I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

-- John 17:22-23

Reflection:

Christ prayed that all those who would believe in Him would be united in single purpose and spirit, just as He and the Father were united.

I find it convicting to consider that those who would run to Jesus with their sins, seeking forgiveness, and falling in love with the Savior, often run from Christians today. Is it because they see division and dissension instead of unity and peace?

No doubt Christ is pleased to see the body unified and praying together during these 40 days. This is exactly what we see when we read about the beginnings of the church. Both the unity and the prayer are conspicuous, along with the results of unified prayer.

Acts 2:46-47 tells us, "So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."

No doubt the enemy is disheartened to see the unity in prayer, fasting and peaceful vigil, and he will continuously try to disrupt the bond of peace among brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us guard our hearts and minds, exhibiting the love of Christ that He so graciously gives us, so that those watching will see the love among us and know that He must love them too!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, give us grace in every situation to work toward unity. With humility, gentleness, and patience, may we endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There are hurting men and women Lord at the crossroads of life and death who are looking for love and peace in their lives. May they see Christ in us and be drawn to the abundant life that only He can give. It is in Christ's precious name that we pray, Amen.

Carmen Pate
Co-host, "Point of View" Talk Show

Today’s email:

As this 40 Days for Life campaign continues, the need
for prayer for an end to abortion grows clearer each
day — as does the need to pray for healing for those
whose lives have been turned upside down because of
their experiences with the pain caused by abortion.

Lynda said that through her efforts with 40 Days for
Life, she often meets both women and men “who come to
confess an earlier and much regretted decision to have
an abortion.”

She had one person tell her, “I always wonder what my
daughter’s sister would look like.”

“It’s so sad,” she said. “There are so many broken
hearts; so much emptiness. There was a person who came
to me in tears saying how sorry she was about her
decision so many years ago. We must continue to pray.”

Nancy’s story is typical of what many 40 Days for Life
vigil participants are hearing.

“I was pregnant — but not by the man I had lived with
for the previous years,” she said. An older friend —
whom she considered wiser and more experienced —
recommended abortion. “No one spoke for the life of
my preborn.”

Nancy is one of the millions who regret their
abortions. Thankfully, she found healing in Christ.

The message that healing is indeed possible is part
of the 40 Days for Life witness at many of the vigils.

There’s a photo of the 40 Days for Life vigil in
Everett, Washington that illustrates that. Prayer
volunteers are carrying signs from the Silent No More
Awareness Campaign (http://www.silentnomoreawareness.org)
that read, “Women do regret abortion” and “Men regret
lost fatherhood.”

To see the picture, go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=846

“Praying in front of Planned Parenthood has drawn me
closer to the cross than I’ve ever been before in my
life,” wrote Julie. “Twenty years ago, I had an abortion.
I never knew the power of prayer until now.”

For years, she said, the pain, shame and all that goes
with it had been buried deep within her. “This year,
God called me to 40 Days for Life and I was listening.”

She broke down while praying at the vigil. Two days
later, “I made a complete confession and turned my
life over to God, completely.

“I know I still have a long way to go in healing,”
Julie said, “but I can’t express what it feels like
to be forgiven. Thank you for your encouragement and
thanks to all of the participants of 40 Days for Life.
I could not have done this alone.”

“I was in the same situation some 30 years ago,”
explained Alicia. “I was filled with such unimaginable
guilt.” It took years for her to finally listen to God
and actually accept His forgiveness — and forgive
herself.

“I thank God that this beautiful ministry exists,” she
said, “and will continue until the end of abortion
comes to pass.”

March 24, 2010

Day 36 - March 24

Intention:

That those who have forgotten their purpose may discover it in God and therefore have the courage to choose life.

Scripture:

These all wait for you, that you may give them their food in due season, what you give them they gather in; you open your hand they are filled with good. You hide your face, they are troubled; you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. You send forth your Spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the earth.

-- Psalm 104:27-30

Reflection:

"I am a feather on the breath of God."

As the quote above portrays, we are upheld by the power and purpose of God. Our very existence on earth, from our body's first breath to its last, when we leave it to return home, is our Father's choice and happens only by His willing to do so.

He who created the universe also created that which is "me." I do not "have" a soul - I AM a soul, as well as a body. My entire purpose in this life is to find my way back to my Creator.

Prayer:

Beloved Father, remind us today that there is no truth but you. Do not let us fall prey to the evil one's lie that we may choose death. Remind us right now that you, who created all life, are in control of all life, and let us know right now that you who created all life, are in control of all life, and let us choose life always.

Father, please let us hear your voice more today than yesterday. Keep lighting the pathway home, for us and for all who participate in this 40 Days for Life campaign. Father, we're on our way. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.

Vera Faith Lord
Director, Alpha/Omega Life Ministry
Representative of the Orthodox Church to the National Pro-life Religious Council

Today’s email:

Looking for some good news to start your day? Here
are a few stories that show how prayer often makes a
difference ... in little ways. But small victories
really do add up when you take a look at the big
picture of what’s going on in 167 communities!

The 40 Days for Life vigil in Spring Valley, New York,
takes place outside a Planned Parenthood facility that
is open one Saturday each month.

“They were supposed to be open from 9 am until 1 pm
this past Saturday,” said Eileen in Spring Valley,
“and they were booked with appointments.”

However, vigil participants could not get to Planned
Parenthood. In fact, NO ONE could get to Planned
Parenthood.

The roads were blocked off because of a gas leak and
fire in the area, and the police said it just wasn’t
safe to be in the neighborhood.

So the volunteers relocated their prayer vigil to the
district office of their U.S. congressman.

Click here to see a photo of the Spring Valley vigil:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=860

Clear across the country in San Marcos, California,
the 40 Days for Life team thinks they may have
witnessed a record for longest distance traveled to
a vigil — 2,423 miles.

A team of students from Franciscan University in
Steubenville, Ohio was on a mission trip to California.

“They came to speak to youth groups, work at soup
kitchens and volunteer in different ways, but had
also a desire to pray in front of a local abortion
clinic,” said Gene in San Marcos. “They found out
about the 40 Days for Life campaign and decided to
join in.”

Click here to see photos of the Steubenville students
in San Marcos:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=860

The 40 Days for Life outreach in Birmingham, Alabama
seems to have had an impact on Planned Parenthood’s
bottom line.

Just last week, vigil participants learned that
Planned Parenthood had laid off two staffers who
often served as client escorts — and the accountant
who’d worked there for 17 years. The three employees
were given only two days’ notice that their jobs
were ending.

“The accountant said that she spoke to our volunteer
because we had always been nice to her,” said Judy.
“She asked for our prayers and any help we could give
her in obtaining new employment.” And the Birmingham
team is doing just that — praying, and circulating
the woman’s resume and looking for job leads.

“She seemed a little shaken and nervous losing her job
with such short notice,” said Gwen, another prayer
volunteer, “but she also said she didn’t really want
to work there either.”

“This lesson has taught me that the employees of
Planned Parenthood are not the enemy,” said Judy.
“These people are God’s children and deserve our
prayers for their conversion to the culture of life.”

Gwen added, “As long as we are reaching out in love,
then God will do the rest.”

Amen!

March 25, 2010

Day 37 - March 25

Intention:

We are the defenders of true freedom. May our witness unveil the deception of the "pro-choice" slogan.

Scripture:

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

--2 Corinthians 3:17

Reflection:

Norma McCorvey (the former Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade) used to work at an abortion mill named "A Choice for Women." She now realizes what a cruel irony that title was. She saw first hand, just as pregnancy resource center counselors see, that women don't get abortions because of freedom of choice, but rather because they feel they have no freedom and no choice. They feel trapped, abandoned, desperate and afraid, and have been led to believe that abortion is their only option.

As Frederica Mathewes-Green has written, no want wants an abortion like she wants a Porsche or an ice cream; rather, she wants it like an animal caught in a trap wants to gnaw off its own leg.

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." That doesn't mean that the Spirit allows us to do whatever we want or to decide for ourselves what's right and wrong.

Rather, it means that the Spirit gives us the freedom to do what is right, the power to choose what is good, when we see it before us and yet feel pulled in the opposite direction. Liberty means that we no longer have to feel doomed to do what we know is wrong.

We are the people of the Spirit of the Lord, and when we take action on behalf of life, especially by being present at abortion mills, we are acting on behalf of true freedom, and imparting to those who are in bondage the power to do what is right.

Prayer:

Come, Holy Spirit. You are the Spirit of freedom, the source of all that is good, the power to do what is right. Fill us, and fill those who are in bondage today, feeling doomed to do what is wrong. Set them free, and help us to hasten them on the road to freedom, where your grace overcomes every temptation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life and President, National Pro-life Religious Council

Today’s email:

The phrase “defenders of true freedom” comes from
today’s devotional. Those words in a nutshell describe
the people who have taken a leap of faith, during this
40 Days for Life campaign, to pray and fast for an end
to abortion.

The 40 Days for Life team in Madison, Wisconsin stands
witness in front of the Madison Surgery Center, where
late-term abortions were scheduled to begin in January
of last year.

“For 14 months, our vigils have held them off,” said
Steve Karlen, the 40 Days for Life coordinator in
Madison. This center had been projected to do about
125 late-term abortions a year.

Steve said an enthusiastic community overcame the
challenges “of a very hostile anti-life college campus
at the end of a very cold winter.” Rather than just
one or two vigil participants, it was not uncommon to
see eight or twelve out at a time.

Organizers hoped to have 25-to-30 people attending a
recent prayer service. “Instead,” said Steve, “we had
nearly 200 people pack the sidewalks to pray.”

Click here to see a photo of the prayer service:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=868

It’s a small picture, but it will give you some idea
of the size of the crowd on the sidewalk in front of
that medical building!

In St. Cloud, Minnesota, 21 members of a homeschooling
group — including 16 children — rode a bus from
their home in Springfield to pray and sing at the
vigil site. Springfield is more than two and half
hours away from St. Cloud.

Click here to see a photo of the group:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=868

But this is not the only way they participate in
40 Days for Life. They’ve been holding a weekly prayer
hour in the Springfield town square, each led by
members of a different local church.

“It just goes to show what people can do in their own
town with community outreach,” said Judy in St. Cloud.

In Lake Havasu City, Arizona, the 40 Days for Life
team sponsored a rally with food, music and guest
speakers — they called it Tailgate4Life. Not only
did they build interest in the local campaign, but
they also raised money for local pro-life projects —
and made an individual impact on at least one person.

Fatima said that one prayer volunteer was overjoyed
that her husband was standing with her in prayer.

“Married for over 50 years, she shared that the
tailgate rally was the first time that her husband
said yes to active participation,” she said. “Although
he believes in the sanctity of life, this year was the
first year he opted to move from the couch. Praise God!”

There’s still time to get off the couch! If you haven’t
prayed at a 40 Days for Life vigil yet, this weekend
marks the perfect time.

Click here to find the location nearest you:

http://40daysforlife.com/location.cfm

Yes to Life Still Works

March 25th, 2010 by Mary Kochan

Today is the Feast of the Annunciation.

For many of us this has been a very retrospective and introspective week. The cause of life — the fight to make ours a country that values the unborn, the aged, the infirm – seems to have been hit a body blow.

Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards wasted no time before gloating with her supporters over the millions of dollars that would flow into their coffers by means of the Healthcare legislation passed Sunday. And we know that millions for Planned Parenthood means millions for every other anti-family, anti-life, anti-marriage, and anti-chastity group out there.

But today is the Feast of the Annunciation and it is worth considering the simplicity and worldly poverty of Mary. Arrayed against her, against the coming of the Messiah, was every earthly power intent upon maintaining domination.

Why do the nations conspire,
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD and his anointed, saying,
“Let us burst their bonds asunder,
and cast their cords from us”
…
I will tell of the decree of the LORD:
He said to me, “You are my son,
today I have begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron,
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Psalm 2: 1-3, 7-9).

All Mary did was say yes to life. And it was the defeat of all earthly power.

It’s hard to see when we suffer political defeat, when we are betrayed by false friends, when the work of years seems to evaporate before our eyes. But yes to life still works. Even this week babies were being saved by the steadfast witness of 40 Days to Life.

The future, we must remember, belongs to those who show up. Saying yes to life is a territorial imperative in the battle we are waging here on earth. But regardless of the setbacks, we can be encouraged.

Because today is the Feast of the Annunciation.

Today is the beginning of our salvation. Today is the beginning of the end of sin – including the sin of abortion. Today is the day when yes to life was yes to Life. And so it always is.

And in the end, yes wins.

Mary Kochan, Senior Editor of Catholic Exchange, writes from Douglasville, Georgia.

March 26, 2010

Day 38 - March 26

Intention:

Pray that we become vessels of hope to all around us, especially to those who minister in the pro-life movement.

Scripture:

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!"

-- Luke 24:1-5

Reflection:

This meditation, based on a sermon I once heard, is adapted for pro-life concerns.

It's Friday. Jesus is on the cross. He has been killed by his enemies; he is off the scene. But that's because it's Friday. Sunday's comin'!

It's Friday. Abortionists continue their work 3,300 times a day, tearing off the arms and legs of little babies and crushing their heads. But that's because it's Friday. Sunday's comin'! It's Friday. Pro-abortion groups receive blood money from billionaires who are as deceived as they are. But that's because it's Friday. Sunday's comin'!

It's Friday. Liars attempt to speak for all women and hide the pain of abortion, and ignore the evidence of how it harms women, and call abortion a blessing. But that's because it's Friday. Sunday's comin'! It's Friday. People of hardened hearts guard the clinics and usher desperate women in to have their abortions, while keeping them from the pro-life people who want to give them hope. But that's because it's Friday. Sunday's comin'!

Hope does not mean that we ignore or minimize the evils around us. It means, rather, that we see the whole picture, which is that evil is conquered because of what happened one Sunday morning. The power of sin and death has been broken by the Resurrection of Christ. We are called to proclaim, celebrate, and serve that victory, waiting in joyful hope for Christ's return and the full flowering of the Culture of Life! Indeed, Sunday's comin'!

Prayer:

Lord, fill your people with new hope. Make us vessels of hope to all around us, especially to those who minister in the pro-life movement, that as we engage in the difficult work ahead, we may experience the peace and joy that come only from you and that nobody can take away from us. We ask this through Christ our Lord, amen.

Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life and President, National Pro-life Religious Council

Today’s email — your praying has an impact!

I’m sending you this message from the Akron, Ohio
airport where I’m about to board a 6 AM flight to
Washington, D.C. Over the last few days, I’ve been
blessed to visit 40 Days for Life locations from
Indianapolis, Indiana, to Painesville, Cleveland,
Akron, and Canton, Ohio.

Everywhere I go, people ask the question: “Are our
prayers really making a difference?”

The answer, I am convinced, is often: “Yes, they most
certainly are — and in ways you may never know. So
just have faith that God is at work — somewhere!”

That answer was confirmed recently by a taxi driver
in Providence, Rhode Island.

Joanne said the driver pulled his cab over to the
area where 40 Days for Life vigil participants were
praying outside a Providence abortion center.

“Let me tell you a story,” he said. “You make a
difference, you know.”

The driver went on to explain that he’d been seeing
people praying outside the facility for a few years.
“Sometimes there’s just one,” he said. “I don’t like
that, when one of you is left alone.”

It made this man think. “I asked myself why anyone
would come out in the rain, the snow, the heat, the
night, the morning — even when you’re alone, and even
when people were mean to you. I figured what you were
doing meant something big. Why else would you do it?”

The regular prayer presence, and the sign he often saw
with a scripture passage — “Before I formed you in the
womb, I knew you” — made a deep impression.

“What you do, standing and praying and holding that
sign, standing no matter what — that is enough,” he
said.

“It speaks for itself. That’s the message. It’s true.”

But that’s only the beginning of the story.

“When my daughter called from down South to tell me
she was pregnant,” said the taxi drive, “I thought of
you. And I never said ‘abortion’ to her. I just helped.
Now I’m the grandfather of a two-year old. That baby
is so important — no matter what.”

He then related a more recent phone call, from his
younger daughter. “She has lots of difficulties and
worries,” he said, “illness, financial problems,
abandonment, everything. She told me she was pregnant.

“I thought of you people. Again, I knew. I didn’t say
‘abortion.’ She’s seven weeks pregnant. She’s going
to make it. We’ll work it out.”

This man, who was unknown to any of the vigil
participants, just appeared to say that what you’re
doing has an impact — so don’t ever wonder if the
effort is worth it.

“We see you, we think about what you’re doing and why,
and look what happens,” the driver said. “It’s a good
thing, what you do.”

“O, my soul, bless the Lord!” said Joanne. The taxi
driver’s message was, she said, “a love letter from
heaven. Rejoice, for here is proof that even in our
darkest days, God is working wonders in answer to
our prayers!’

Keep praying!

March 27, 2010

Day 39 - March 27

Intention:

Pray that volunteers will replace exhaustion or discouragement with rejoicing over the miracles we have seen thus far, and enthusiastic service as God takes us on to victory!

Scripture:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

-- 1 Peter 1:6-7

Reflection:

We have reason to rejoice when we consider the many babies whose lives have been saved during the 40 Days for Life campaign. Add to those lives, the women and men who have been spared from a devastating decision and now have opportunity to make a plan for their baby that is both life affirming and God honoring.

Whether directly, or indirectly, you have contributed to these testimonies of praise with your sacrificial service. Perhaps you have been grieved by various trials during your commitment to 40 days. The attacks of the enemy come in many forms -- difficulties in relationships, finances, health. Or maybe you are physically and mentally exhausted and have been marking off the days on your calendar, eagerly waiting for Day 40.

Consider these trials in light of God's plan for you. The Apostle Paul understood the big picture when he said in Romans 8:18, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." This is our Hope and our victory. Let us rejoice in the opportunity to give that Hope to others in our path.

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, We sing to You a new song, for You have done marvelous things. Forgive us when we allow circumstances to defeat us. You give power to the faint and You increase strength in those who have no might. We rest in You dear Lord, and ask You to empower us again for Your service as You work out Your plan for us and through us. May You receive glory through our victory in Christ, in whose name we pray, amen.

Carmen Pate
Co-host, "Point of View" Talk Show

Today’s email is a “WOW!” email:

Here we are, approaching the end of another 40 Days
for Life campaign. But do keep in mind that someone,
somewhere will hear about 40 Days for Life — for the
first time ever — TODAY!

Every day, someone new is inspired to pray for an end
to abortion. Ever day, someone new answers the call to
go the abortion center and join the peaceful vigil.

Until she took part in the current 40 Days for Life
campaign, Rhonda had never done anything like this
before.

“I went to the vigil for the first time this year,”
she said. “We were so nervous trying to find the place
and wondering what it would be like. I kept thinking
how much more scary it would be to be going there for
an abortion.”

Rhonda overcame her fears and answered God’s call.
And so can you!

Sheila knew she was exactly where she was supposed to
be, doing exactly what God wanted her to do, when a
woman stopped at a traffic light and started to yell
at her.

At the time, Sheila was praying outside a Planned
Parenthood abortion center, holding a sign reading
“Pray to end abortion.”

“Keep church and state separated, and leave your
prayers inside your church,” the driver shouted.
“Go home!”

Sheila looked up, and the woman kept yelling.

“She was really angry and I just kept on praying,”
Sheila said. “I was really struck with how important
it is to not go away and just ‘pray in our churches.’
Our Lord always went to where the people were. I was
renewed with energy, strength, courage, and
perseverance.”

“If you don’t think 40 Days for Life works, this
should be proof,” said one of the 40 Days for Life
team members in Fort Pierce, Florida.

This volunteer has been a sidewalk counselor for
eleven years, but can’t remember an instance where,
three Saturdays in a row, women changed their minds
about abortion.

“We’re not doing anything different as sidewalk
counselors,” the vigil participant said, “but during
40 Days for Life, there is more prayer going on, and
this is the fruit of your prayer. Thank you and
keep it up!”

Judy in California tells of a co-worker who learned
she was pregnant. This young woman was separated from
her husband, and this was not his child. Abortion
seemed the only answer.

She was then told that the baby had Down syndrome
and abortion was advised.

But then one morning, she stopped at the fast-food
restaurant next to the abortion center and noticed
people praying — it was Day 1 of this 40 Days for
Life campaign. One of the people praying was Judy.

“She knew right then that there was no way she could
throw this baby away,” Judy said.

Just a few days ago, a specialist told the woman heard
that the baby looks fine. “She’s having a girl,” said
Judy.

“Praise God and thanks to all who are out there day
after day praying,” she said. “You all have a part in
this miracle.”

Day 40 - March 28

Intention:

Let us keep our eyes fixed on the New Jerusalem, where death will be no more.

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

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.

Prayer:

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.

Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life and President, National Pro-life Religious Council

A final email with a follow-up reflection and email tomorrow, I’m sure.

It’s Day 40!

It’s hard to believe that today is the final day of
this 40 Days for Life campaign.

I was in Chicago yesterday and today my family is
joining me in Jacksonville, Florida for a 40 Days for
Life concluding rally.

Like you, we’ve been running really hard toward the
finish line of this campaign — knowing the urgency of
the abortion crisis in America right now.

And, like you, at times we’ve been exhausted on this
journey we’ve gone on together over these 40 days.

Yet we are amazed as more and more people are saying,
“We have to keep going!”

It’s easy to understand why people are overflowing
with such enthusiasm when you hear all the reports of
God’s blessings pouring in from across the country —
and around the world — during this intense time of
prayer and fasting.

Here’s a typical example of how hearts and minds
are changing.

A young woman often drove by the 40 Days for Life
vigil in Great Falls, Montana, offering a friendly
toot on the horn and giving the vigil participants
a thumbs-up.

Recently, she stopped to thank the prayer volunteers
for being there. Nine years ago, she had driven by the
same abortion center when people were praying.

She had honked her horn then, too — but it wasn’t a
friendly honk. She was very angry, she said — so
angry she nearly hit the car in front of her.

She was angry because nine years ago, she had an
abortion.

“I gave her a hug and told her she should join us, as
we were just Christians trying to make a difference,”
said Bea in Great Falls. “She said she’s changed her
life and has given it all to Christ. Praise God!”

“One of the powerful things that has happened because
of 40 Days for Life is the members of the Body of
Christ, no matter our denomination, coming together to
pray for our brothers and sisters — born and unborn,”
said Sylvia in Los Angeles County.

“We need all of the children of God coming together,
praying together, fasting together, and helping those
in need of healing and those who have chosen life for
their babies,” she said. “With God, all things ARE
possible — including the end to abortion and the
horror that comes with it.”

These thoughts reminded me of one of my favorite
40 Days for Life pictures. It’s a photo of the National
Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak, Michigan.

There’s a 40 Days for Life banner at the front of the
church. But the stunning thing about the photo is the
church tower — a massive stone structure reaching far
into the sky with the image of Christ on the cross
carved into it. The tower stands in stark contrast to
the dark, threatening clouds that are swirling around
in the sky.

To see the picture, go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=893

The church — not the building, but the church, the
Body of Christ — is standing firm against the turmoil
and the darkness in our world. And that is exactly what
you’re doing through 40 Days for Life.

“I may be the only Bible some of these folks will ever
read,” said Margie in Sacramento.

“We are a sign of contradiction,” she said. “We are the
gospel — the good news taken out into the world.
Hopefully, it becomes an exercise in humility and hope.
Most of all, my patience grows and my heart fills with
the love of all I meet. This is the time we are given.
Let us rejoice to be of service to our King.”

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