Stories, Encouragement, and Report: Half Way!

Dear Friends,

We are now half way through the 40 Days; I encourage you to recommit yourself to this crucial cause. Ask yourself why you are a part of this effort. Is this God's will? Can one person make a difference? Yes, one man can. I have a few stories for you.

1. One man who had never prayed in front of Planned Parenthood before 2 weeks ago decided to commit an hour each morning from 6-7 to petition God. Later that week in the middle of the day, a man driving by in a pick-up truck slammed on his breaks (nearly causing an accident), parked on the side of the road, and approached the few women who were praying at that time. "I just wanted to let you know that I've seen a man praying out here on his knees every morning and it's making me ask myself what I think about abortion."

2. One woman said, "When we go to Planned Parenthood to pray, it's like leaving this world and stepping into the spiritual world." Surely, that place is a great stronghold of the devil. As St. Paul explained, "For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12

3. I saw a 3 year-old boy holding his mother's hand in the Church parking lot. I asked them what they were up to. "We're going to pray for the babies," the little boy explained. Some say that abortion is not for children to know about. In my experience, children are more upset about abortion than adults often are. They do not need to be told any details. They instinctively know life is beautiful and that any suppression of life is a bad thing. I frequently see small children who can barely talk at Church, who smile and point at my daughter in my arms and say, "Ba-by." Such an encounter is the essence of the pro-life position.

4. One person who is not a Christian told his spouse, "I am very impressed by the effort and commitment of those doing the 40 Days." See, you are making a difference!

5. One man who has been taking early morning times simply said, "It's awesome to be out there."

If you have offered your prayers and time, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you have not yet participated in the 40 Days, please do not think it is too late to start. Please do not feel that lack of action thus far means you shouldn't get involved now. Now is the perfect time!

We are now half way through. Ask yourself, "Can I do more for these little innocent ones? I encourage you to consecrate your efforts to the Lord. I beseech you in His Holy name to be sacrificial with your time. Will you stand in vigil and pray with me for 1, 2, or more hours this week? Please go to our sign-up page and fill in an empty spot (especially Tuesday and Wednesday). Ask a friend to come with you. May your prayers be powerful and effective. God bless you all!

"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." James 4:17

Mid-way rally report!

Scott Klusendorf addressed the small group of about 15 people who gathered on Saturday for our Midway Rally. His words sounded like a speech for an small army about to go into battle against an enormous enemy. We gathered like Gideon's army, the American soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy, or many of the other small forces that were totally outnumbered, overpowered, and out strengthened. We could have been demoralized. We could have been discouraged. We could have given up. Scott encouraged us with 3 important points:

1) "You are not alone." The fight against abortion can make you feel alone. But we are not alone. The pro-life forces are growing nationwide, whether we see them or not. He who seeks the Lord's will is never alone anyway: "What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us?" - Romans 8:31

2) "Surrender is not an option." Sometimes we may feel like giving up. Scott recently had the opportunity to speak with a British solider who survived D-Day. He told Scott that though Germany was devastating all of Europe, that era was one of the greatest in his life. Why would an old man who has been living in relative peace say this about a war-stricken time? "We knew what we stood for then," the man explained. Now the meaning of life is unclear. The difference between good and evil is blurred. In these dark times, there are 2 sides that we can be on. Silence and surrender always help the oppressor.

3) "Help is on the way." 90% of the first wave of soldiers who rushed the beaches of Normandy were killed. But those who survived did not give up. The reinforcements that arrived behind them joined them for victory. Without that victory, the results would have been devastating for the whole world. We pro-lifers now stand as part of a growing wave of soldiers against abortion. And the Calvary is on the horizon. Don't let up!

MIDWAY RALLY, Saturday 1:30pm

REMEMBER to set your calendars for the Midway Rally this Saturday!

Come together for prayer, worship, and encouragement led by our passionate and engaging nationally known guest speaker, Scott Klusendorf. This weekend marks the half-way point of the 40 Days For Life. We have already seen God's love impact our community in this anointed time. Let us not grow weary or complacent, but build up our momentum in fighting for the unborn, in caring for their mothers and fathers, in proclaiming the truth and the beauty all human life. I hope to see you Saturday. Please spread the word; the more involvement we have, the quicker we bring an end to abortion! God bless you.

What: Midway Rally
When: Saturday (10/10) from 1:30-2:30, finishing our time together with prayer at Planned Parenthood
Where: Word of Faith Church, on the corner Hydraulic & Lambs Road, right beside Albemarle High School (A map is available)

Photo from the Front

Message from our Cville Director

Dear Friends in Christ,

Life is God's most beautiful gift and abortion continues to reject the Lord's special creation - person's made in His Holy image. That is why we must not tire in praying and speaking up for the little ones who are most vulnerable in this culture of death. Help me proclaim the culture of life, the culture of Christ, the culture of authentic love that accepts and rejoices in every life - every child, every woman, every man.

Thank you all for your support thus far in the 40 Days. Each prayer is part of God's perfect plan. Each effort and sacrifice you make bears eternal fruit. We are almost half way through the 40 Days. Please recommit your efforts with the prayer below - recite it often, remembering that you may be the only thing between a child and his or her scheduled death. When you petition the Lord on behalf of these little one's, you make the greatest effort possible. This is an effort beyond human means, for we know that "nothing is impossible with God." You also listen to Jesus' command, "Let the children come to me."

Our Half-Way Rally is this Saturday (10/10) at 1:30 PM. Our guest speaker is Scott Klusendordorf, a nationally syndicated Christian speaker. We will also have prayer and a time of worship. The location is not yet confirmed, but I will let you know as soon as I find out. I know that this is not very far in advance, but if you are able to come, it will strengthen you, others, and our entire community in fighting for justice, peace, and truth. Please spread the word and stay tuned for more details.

If you have not had a chance to commit an hour at the vigil, choose a specific day and make it happen. Find someone to go with you and present your requests to God together recalling St. Paul's words, "...in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

My heart rejoices and my will is strengthened when I drive by Planned Parenthood and see others praying and bearing witness to the truth of the harm of abortion and sanctity of life. Of course, if you decide to stop by spontaneously that is wonderful and encouraged. But if you plan to cover a particular hour, please be sure to sign up online so that as we work to cover every hour, we know which ones are already taken care of. Tuesday and Wednesday still have many openings.

Praise God for helping us spread the word on CBS!

May God bless all of your efforts!

Fr. Frank Pavone says, "Prayer leads to action." Please pray with me:

Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life,
And for the lives of all my brothers and sisters.

I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion,
Yet I rejoice that you have conquered death
by the Resurrection of Your Son.

I am ready to do my part in ending abortion.
Today I commit myself
Never to be silent,
Never to be passive,
Never to be forgetful of the unborn.

I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement,
And never to stop defending life
Until all my brothers and sisters are protected,
And our nation once again becomes
A nation with liberty and justice
Not just for some, but for all.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen!

Fasting: Why and How?

Does fasting really accomplish anything? Didn’t Jesus rebuke people for fasting?

God made us with a body and a spirit. We are physical and spiritual beings. Jesus commanded us to worship “in spirit,” but does this mean our bodies are inconsequential to spiritual life? The Bible tells us the opposite. Those who receive the Holy Spirit become temples of God. That is, God comes to dwell in our bodies. For this reason, St. Paul tells us, “Glorify God in your body.” Jesus died for us not to free us from our bodies, but to free us in our bodies. St. Paul says, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies…”

Jesus’ perfect sacrifice involved both his body and his spirit. He laid down his flesh and submitted his spirit. Following Jesus’ example, St. Paul tells us to “present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, which is our spiritual act of worship.” Our bodily action is spiritual worship, according to St. Paul. This, of course, does not mean we can merely offer our bodies apart from our spirits, for we cannot divide the human person. Rather, it means we must offer our entire being to God – body and soul – just as Jesus Himself did. St. Paul even goes so far as to say that our “bodies are members of Christ.” We glorify or deny the Lord with our bodies.

Jesus gave instructions for those who fast. He did not state, “if you fast…” but “when you fast…” Jesus’ rebuke comes for those who fast for the wrong reasons. Jesus was not rebuking the outward action but the inward motivation of these people. We must fast not to be seen by men, but to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God.

Fasting is so important for Christians that we learn some prayers must be accompanied by fasting. In the Gospel we learn that the prayers of Apostles were not effective in one instance. Upon questioning Jesus, he told them, “Some demons can only be driven out by prayer and fasting.”

The Gospel also shows us that Jesus himself fasted. As our ultimate model in everything we do, we must not take his fasting lightly. As we strengthen our wills through sacrifices, we are able to strengthen our spirits as well.

How then should I fast? There are many ways to fast. You can have only bread and water for a day. You can fast from sun-up to sundown. You can skip a meal. You can make small sacrifices within a meal – give up butter, salt, cream in your coffee, or your favorite snack for the day. If your health is not great or fasting would prevent you from attending your needs, you can fast in other ways. Give up the Internet, TV, or your phone for a day. Sacrifice listening to the radio or chewing gum. The point in all these activities is not merely to do them, but to do them from the heart. If we make give up some sort of pleasure, such as eating, we make a prayer of body and spirit. Our difficulties, sacrifices, and sufferings can be joined to the prayer and perfect sacrifice of Christ, who offered himself to the Father in the Holy Spirit. Friday is a particularly powerful day to fast, as it is the day Jesus offered the ultimate sacrifice. Our sacrifices can have meaning because they are joined to the Ultimate meaning – Christ crucified and resurrected. With Jesus, who sacrificed his body, we can say, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”

Brief reminders regarding racism

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." -- Martin Luther King, Jr.

"When America was pro-choice on slavery and pro-choice on segregation, the choices of states, slave owners and segregationists ultimately had to be limited by law so that justice for the oppressed could finally prevail. Are we willing to stand up for the unborn today as our forebears stood up for us?" -- Josephite Fr. John Raphael, Clarian Herald, New Orleans (February 2009).

Mondays and Fridays are wonderfully full, but we're still in need for the rest of the week! Please pray for volunteers!