One of the joys of 40 Days for Life is seeing so many different Christians united to end abortion. As a Catholic from the bible belt of East Texas, I’ve often seen Evangelical and Protestant Christians on fire to save lives from abortion and help women in need.
During a 40 Days for Life campaign, we see that unity far and wide – whether it’s in a nice, warm church in Florida … or a bitterly cold sidewalk in British Columbia.
Port Charlotte, Florida
The unity theme was really evident in Port Charlotte, where I had an opportunity to speak at their kickoff event. People from various faith communities came together to hear inspirational speakers and launch the campaign. The Catholic, Protestant and Evangelical Christians who gathered in a Baptist church were fired up by Katie, the local leader.
Katie is a young mother of three. She and her husband, Matthew, are deeply involved at their church … but they stepped up to lead the Port Charlotte 40 Days for Life campaign. After the rally, we went out to visit the abortion facility where the local vigil is being held.
I heard that the abortionist is growing more and more irritated at the peaceful presence. He even stopped at the vigil on his day off to harass the volunteers praying!
Prince George, British Columbia
“God bless from the cold white north!” said Tony, who is leading the first-ever campaign in Prince George, a Canadian town that’s about a 10-hour drive north from Vancouver
“I’m sending pictures of the group of us braving the cold weather at the kickoff event,” he said. Joe, the first volunteer to arrive, showed up at 6 am and stayed for three hours. “The temperature was -23C,” Tony said. That’s about -10F. Other first-day prayer volunteers included the area’s Catholic bishop.
“I was amazed at the response of the passing cars,” Tony added. “Many honks of appreciation.”
A woman arrived, seemingly from out of nowhere, to offer hot chocolate to the people praying outside the local hospital. She also expressed her gratitude to the volunteers standing in the freezing cold to pray for an end to abortion.
“A worker indirectly involved with abortion at our hospital even asked if he could join us,” Tony said. “What a great experience 40 Days for Life is!”
Devotional for Day 5
March 9, 2014
Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director, Priests for Life
Intention: May God’s people understand that the Lazarus of the 21st Century is the un- born child, and respond accordingly.
Scripture: There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abra- ham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abra- ham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, “Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.” But Abraham replied, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.
“And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.” —Luke 16:19-31
Reflection: The rich man did not go to hell because he was rich. He went to hell because he ignored the other man. He thought that because Lazarus had less that he was worth less. He failed to recognize that Lazarus was his brother. Lazarus was waiting at the door of the rich man for scraps of food; the Lazarus of our day, the unborn child, is waiting at the door of the womb for birth itself. God does not only prohibit aborting the unborn; he prohibits ignoring them.
Prayer: Father, I thank you for the life that I possess, and for the birth that you granted me. I hear the cries of the Laz- arus of our day; I see them sitting at the door. Grant that I may never ignore them, and that through this 40 Days campaign, I may stir many others to pay attention to them as well. Through Christ our Lord, amen.