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We made it!

Day 40 reminds me of Augustine’s famous advice: “Pray
as though everything depends on God; work as though
everything depends on you.”

You have done just that. We’ve seen faithful
volunteers in 258 cities pray, fast, do community
outreach and hold peaceful vigils in front of 258
of the most hopeless places in our world.

Your prayers have brought one thing in particular to
the public right-of-way ... HOPE.

Hope is what the abortion industry is afraid of. Hope
is what makes women scheduled to have abortions turn
around. Hope is what leads abortion workers out of
that industry. Hope is what transforms our world.

It is amazing what can happen when you go to the
sidewalks and let the love of Christ be present in
places that thrive on hopelessness.

This could not be done without your faith, courage
and selflessness.

Let me be the first to say thank you for your efforts
these past 40 days. Your prayers sent a clear message.
Here’s a great example from this campaign.

AUBURN HILLS, MICHIGAN

When Seth Peters heard that Planned Parenthood was
planning a 17,000 square foot abortion center in
Auburn Hills, “minutes away from my parents’ house,
where I had been lovingly raised and where I still
call home, I was heartbroken and angry.”

He signed up to bring a 40 Days for Life vigil to the
proposed location — joining other community voices
speaking out against the abortion chain’s plans. He
received support from many local sources.

Adjacent property owners had previously filed suit,
noting that deed restrictions would not permit an
abortion facility there. Planned Parenthood may be
tied up in court — but not about to give up.

“Planned Parenthood is hungry for this site,” Seth
said, noting that it sits near a low-income
neighborhood, a college campus and a wealthy suburb
— all prime targets for abortion.

He pushed ahead with vigil plans, even though a number
of people didn’t see the need for prayer at a place
where abortions are not currently taking place. “That
is unfortunate,” he said, “because it’s a bit like
waiting until the hurricane hits before you board up
your windows.”

Planned Parenthood got tired of waiting. They bought
an empty medical building in nearby Ferndale and plan
to open an office there tomorrow. That facility will
not offer abortions, but will refer women to other
locations that do.

“You can see how effective prayerful vigilance has
been thus far in keeping Planned Parenthood at bay
in Auburn Hills,” Seth said. “The fact that they have
shifted to Ferndale can be considered a victory.”

At the very least, he said, “this campaign was about
planting seeds and praying that abortion will end at
this Auburn Hills location before it ever has a chance
to begin.”

Clearly, there’s a lot of work to be done ... and a lot
of praying to be done. But I know that with God’s help,
we are witnessing the beginning of the end of abortion.

Day 41 - April 2

Intention:

Pray that the witness of 40 Days for Life bears abundant fruit, and that we begin again each day to storm the gates of hell until God welcomes us into the gates of heaven.

Scripture:

On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

-- Matthew 16:18

Reflection:

When we read this verse, we usually think that the Lord is promising that the church, which is His Body, will withstand all the attacks launched against it. Of course, that is true. But when we think about it more carefully, we realize that in a battle, the gates do not run out into the battlefield to attack the enemy. Rather, they stand still to defend the city from the enemy attacking it. So when the Lord says that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church, who is doing the attacking? It is the church storming the gates!

The church, all of God's people in Christ, is called to take the offensive, to run into enemy territory, and to gain ground for Jesus Christ. We do not wait for an invitation; we already have a command. We prepare, but we do not wait for circumstances to be perfect; we already have one who has gone before us.

During these 40 days, we have stormed the gates. We have taken the offensive. We have pushed forward the boundaries of the kingdom. And we must keep doing so, in numerous ways. Indeed, the gates of hell will not prevail. The gates of falsehood will flee in the presence of truth. The gates of sin will melt in the presence of grace. The gates of death will fall in the presence of the church, the People of Life!

Prayer:

Father, we praise you. We have heard the voice of your Son, and therefore we can make our voices heard. We have done battle with the power of evil, and therefore we can have compassion on those still within its grip. We have been freed from the kingdom of darkness, and therefore we can bear witness to your Kingdom of Light. May the witness of all your people through these 40 Days for Life bear abundant fruit, and may we begin again each day to storm the gates of hell until You welcome us into the gates of heaven. We pray in the victorious name of Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.

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