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Day 33 - October 24

Intention:

May we absorb the truth that God is paying attention to us, and to each human life, personally and individually.

Scripture:

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor.

-- Psalm 8:3-9

Reflection:

How often we ignore the phrase, "stop and smell the roses" and instead submit to the all too "urgent" task at hand. Is this tendency what keeps us, at least in part, from acknowledging that God's care for His sacred creation is paramount in His own mind?

The Psalmist speaks of God's handiwork: the heavens, the work of his "fingers," and then points to God's masterpiece - human life. He declares to us that God is mindful of us. God keeps His masterpiece in His thoughts.

God, the creator of the awe-inspiring heavens, is not distracted by the tasks before Him. He is not pulled away, as we might be, by thoughts of something "more important." God is paying attention to and attending to His crowning glory, His masterpiece of creation, which cannot be duplicated or replaced, which surpasses the beauty of all other created things - the human being.

There is no way to adequately describe how God feels about us as human beings. There are no words to fully portray His love, compassion or desire to be in communion with us. Perhaps, the closest we can come, is to contemplate the thoughts of a mother as she gazes for the first time at her newborn child. God cares for Life. We, as His followers, should take time to consider the life He has created and called upon us to love and protect.

Prayer:

Lord, you are the creator of all things. Guide my thoughts to consider your creation in all of its majesty, beauty and holiness. Guide my heart especially to your creation of precious human life. Help me to comprehend how essential life is in your own heart. Teach me to appreciate, love and protect all human life through your son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Fr. Terry Gensemer
National Director, Charismatic Episcopal Church for Life

Today’s email:

It’s truly amazing to watch things happen at 40 Days
for Life campaigns. After all ... you’re watching God
in action!

Here are just a few of the ways He is changing hearts
and minds in response to your faithful prayers.

CHICO, CALIFORNIA

40 Days for Life vigil participants were praying near
Planned Parenthood’s driveway when an agitated young
man approached one of the volunteers and said they had
no right to be on the sidewalk.

The young man was visibly angry. He said he had brought
his girlfriend to Planned Parenthood to “deal with her
pregnancy.” But when she saw people standing in prayer
on the sidewalk, she began to question the abortion.

“Just the presence of someone praying, even without
any interaction, gives women perhaps just an extra
second to question what they are about to do,” said
Mary in Chico.

CINCINNATI, OHIO

One of the 40 Days for Life vigil participants in
Cincinnati watched as a 14-year-old girl approached
Planned Parenthood. “Since the gate was closed,” said
this volunteer, “I asked what she was there for — and
she said a pregnancy test.”

The volunteer got on the phone and called the director
of a local pregnancy center, who then spoke to the girl
and arranged a meeting. It was learned that the young
girl was in foster care and was not able to contact her
mother. “She was scared,” the volunteer said.

By being present at Planned Parenthood, the vigil
participants were able to guide her away from the
abortion center and towards people who would offer real
help. “This is the first good story I have been a part
of,” the volunteer said, “so I wanted to share it.”

NAPLES, FLORIDA

A woman from a neighboring business stopped to talk to
prayer volunteers at Planned Parenthood in Naples,
telling them that her son’s girlfriend was pregnant.
Her son is 17 and the girl is 16.

The woman explained that she, the two teens and the
girl’s mother had been to two abortion facilities. But
for various reasons, the abortion did not take place
and the couple decided to keep the child.

After further discussion, it soon became clear that
the problem wasn’t the baby. This woman is a single
mother who can barely afford to make ends meet. She
has no idea how she would help the teens support the
baby. That’s when the vigil participants got busy.

One volunteer gave the woman information about free
pregnancy assistance. Another told her about a better
job opportunity that seemed almost perfect.

“The mother started to cry and gave the coordinator a
big hug,” said Jeanne in Naples. “God works in such a
wonderful way and leads us forward.”

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN

Bob was praying at the 40 Days for Life vigil in Ann
Arbor, holding a sign made by his grandsons. “I’ve been
holding this sign for well over a year,” he said. Its
simple message: “Choose life.”

He watched as a couple walked into the abortion center
— and left after about half an hour. As they walked
towards the parking lot, the man looked at Bob and said,
“We made the right choice. We chose life!”

“As they drove out of the parking lot, they gave me a
thumbs up and yelled ‘God bless you,’” said Bob.
“It’s almost impossible to describe how I felt. A
child’s life — and the lives of his mom and dad —
had been saved.”