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
For many of you participating in 40 Days for Life,
there are times when, in worldly terms, it seems like
a thankless activity.
When we speak of the 5,200+ babies God has spared from
abortion during 40 Days for Life vigils, we usually add,
“that we know of.” There are instances where no one but
God knows the rest of the story.
Did a woman indeed reject abortion? Or did she just
go home, only to return another day ... or perhaps to
another abortion center?
Did she drive by, see you praying and keep going?
You may have helped saves lives you’ll never know about.
All you can do is pray ... and have faith that God’s
voice will get through. Mother Teresa said, “We are not
called to be successful. We are called to be faithful.”
One of the prayer volunteers in Michigan saw a couple
outside the abortion center one morning.
The man was loud and emotional, moving his arms as he
spoke. The woman was crying, wiping her eyes as she
tried to respond to him. The volunteer wondered if
perhaps the man was trying to talk the woman into
“something she was not in agreement with.”
The vigil participants — one of whom was kneeling —
prayed for the couple. Their animated discussion
continued for about 15 minutes. The couple got into a
car, kept talking for a while, and finally drove away.
No one knows what happened next — but at least this
day, the man and woman did not enter the abortion
facility. One of the volunteers did wonder if “praying
on our knees, in front of people going in for an
abortion, is the secret weapon that God wants us to use.”
As a volunteer arrived to pick up signs at the 40 Days
for Life vigil, a car with a young couple slowed down
as they approached the driveway.
“They looked at us,” said a vigil participant, “saw our
signs and continued past.” They turned around, drove by
again and then left without entering the abortion site.
“Please pray,” said the volunteer, “that if this was in
fact a couple considering abortion, that the Lord will
move their hearts to spare the life of their innocent
child, whom they will one day grow to love and cherish,
if they only give him or her a chance.”
Therese watched and prayed as a couple with a young
daughter entered Planned Parenthood — and stayed
inside for nearly an hour.
“We were praying for them and for all of the souls
entering the doors of Planned Parenthood,” she said.
As the family left the building, one of the counselors
offered them some literature, which they accepted.
“They seemed very interested and appreciative of what
he had to share,” Therese said. “It was evident to us
that the Holy Spirit was at work there on that sidewalk
right alongside us.”