Thank you to everyone who participated in the 54-day Novena fighting like heaven for life. Thank you to Ashleigh Cooper who was our parish captain for this endeavor. I am very proud of so many who participated through praying, taking the road signs, and talking with others.
Like many I have talked with, it was very disheartening that proposal 3 passed earlier this week and enshrined abortion, along with a whole slew of other realities in our state constitution.
How do we respond to such a blow against the culture of life? It reminded me of what St. Paul wrote in his 2nd letter to the Church in Corinth (4:6-9): “For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to bring to light the knowledge of the glory of God on the face of [Jesus] Christ. But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed”.
We share in the experience Paul wrote of. Importantly though, we are not constrained, we are not driven to despair, we are not abandoned, we are not destroyed. Christ’s light still shines on us and in us. In the end our job hasn’t ended and these core foundational truths still remain. We still love babies and moms and dads and we will continue to fight like heaven. In a world where people will need to hear that there is another way we will be there. More than ever, we need to be there to point out another way, that choosing life is always possible.
These 54 days have not been a waste. Grace is never wasted. At times like this I am reminded of the fact that Good Friday looked like a waste and a failure. But in reality, it was the most effective act of salvation. Grace is never wasted; prayers are never wasted. Lord, may we see the fruit of these 54 days.
We will support Helping Hands pregnancy resource center. We will support our food pantries in both of our communities. We want people who have been affected from having had, or participated in an abortion, to know the love and mercy of God. One of the best resources for helping people heal is Rachel’s Vineyard ministry. Please visit this link for more information: https://www.rachelsvineyard.org/. Pray and fight like Heaven. This prayer is still great to pray:
Almighty ever-living God, you bestow the gift of life as you form each of us in our mother’s womb. Look on our nation, state, and community and awaken in every heart reverence for life. Protect our state from unjust laws. In your Name, bring to defeat every attack against the sacredness of life. Safeguard the rights of parents, whom you have entrusted with the care and formation of their children. Help all who believe in Jesus to proclaim the Gospel of Life to their neighbors. Dispel every anxiety and fear. Strengthen the bond between parents and their unborn child. May mothers and fathers accept and nurture the gift of life made in your image and likeness. Our Lady, Queen of the Family, pray for us! St. Michael the Archangel, pray for us! St. Joseph, Protector of the Unborn, pray for us!
I will be taking a few days of vacation this week (Tue-Thurs). I will be with my brother Fr. Gary and a few priest friends for the opening of deer season.
God Bless,
Fr. Todd
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