November 2, 2009
It's now the day after the end of the fall 40 Days
for Life campaign.
Go ahead and take a deep breath -- you need it! It's
important to re-charge after 40 intense days of
prayer, fasting, vigil and outreach.
But you know what? Your efforts are working. So after
you catch your breath, please don't stop!
All the reports are still coming in, but as of now we
know of at least ...
... 534 babies -- and their moms -- spared from
abortion during this fall's campaign!
The credit belongs to God -- and YOU!
A report from Houston, Texas shows just how much the
abortion industry hates it when there are people on
the sidewalk praying and offering real alternatives
to women.
There's a pro-life pregnancy resource center around
the corner from the Planned Parenthood facility where
the Houston 40 Days for Life vigil was conducted. A
counselor met two women outside the abortion facility
recently -- and convinced them to go to the pro-life
center rather than entering Planned Parenthood.
The clinic escorts were furious.
The head escort told the women that if they didn't
move their cars out of the Planned Parenthood parking
lot, she would have them towed.
Our Houston team reports, "The chances of these two
women ever returning to Planned Parenthood are
probably pretty slim based on the behavior of the
escort. It is great when people are able to witness
for themselves some of Planned Parenthood's true
colors."
Planned Parenthood wasn't the only one whose true
colors were on display this fall. YOUR true colors
also shined brightly for all to see! And we have
pictures that tell the story.
Here's a photo taken outside of Planned Parenthood in
Phoenix, Arizona. The building's on a corner, so the
40 Days for Life vigil was able to almost surround
the place with prayer. Check it out at:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=496
St. Cloud, Minnesota conducted its first 40 Days for
Life campaign this fall. Here's where you can see a
picture of a faithful group praying outside Planned
Parenthood (photo courtesy of Sue Schulzetenberg of
The Visitor, the Catholic newspaper in St. Cloud):
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=496
Also along for their first 40 Days for Life campaign
this fall was the team in Kitchener, Ontario -- where
it started getting chilly as the days got shorter:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=496
"We continue to be a small group, but we are strong
and do our best to be a witness to those who come to
Planned Parenthood," said Michelle in Lufkin, Texas.
"We are confident that our prayers change lives even
when we do not know the outcome. We will continue to
pray in front of Planned Parenthood throughout the
year."
Here's where you can view a picture of Lufkin's 40
Days for Life vigil:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=496
Sandy in Toms River, New Jersey tells a story that
sums up 40 Days for Life and explains why your
presence at the abortion facility for 40 days -- and
beyond -- makes such an important difference.
A woman stopped her car at the vigil and told two
volunteers that what they were doing is not in vain.
"My daughter was impressed that you are out here in
the rain and cold and asked why," the woman
explained. "We had a good talk about standing up for
what you believe in and what abortion means. A few
days later my 16 year old told me she is pregnant and
wants to have the baby. I know that seeing you all
helped her to make the right decision, so thank you
for being here!"
The woman asked for prayers for her daughter. She
also asked that her story be shared with other
volunteers.
"We won't even know until we meet the Lord how many
more lives we have touched because of the continual
presence at the abortion clinic during these 40 Days
for Life," Sandy added. "What enormous graces we have
received!"
Over the coming days, I'll have more stories to share
from the conclusion of this 40 Days for Life -- and
I'll be sharing other ways you can speak out for
those who cannot speak for themselves.
Thanks again for all you've done, and may God bless
you richly for having answered His call.
Here's today's "bonus" devotional from Fr. Frank
Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life and
President of the National Pro-life Religious
Council...
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DAY 41 INTENTION
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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.
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SCRIPTURE
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On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of
hell will not prevail against it.
-- Matthew 16:18
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REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone
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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!
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PRAYER
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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.
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PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
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To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends:
http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2009day41print.pdf
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For Life,
David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life
P.S.- In a few hours, I'll be sending you a VERY
important e-mail message with an urgent action alert.
Please be on the lookout for it!