Take a Stand

(Originally posted on the Catholic Women in Christ Blog on March 10, 2006)

Fr. Frank Pavone has informed us via his article on catholicexchange.com that March 10 is a day set aside by abortion promoters to encourage abortion providers to continue to offer their "services;" it's a day of praise for abortionists and their nurses, a day to applaud murderers.

In retaliation of this, I have decided to make March 10 a day when I can, in my free time, revisit the reasons why I am prolife and why abortion is wrong, and rekindle in my own soul the passion and sorrow that have lead me to a life of prolife activism.

My first step in this reflection was to read the article, then check out the Priests for Life website. On the website, Fr. Pavone aptly points out that "America will not reject abortion until America sees abortion." If you click the link, you will be taken to a page where you can view images of babies developing in the womb as well as graphic images of aborted babies from the first trimester to late-term.

I forced myself to look at every image of the aborted babies, and tears were streaming down my face. I felt very close to the wounded heart of God, because I could see the works of His hands torn to shreds in rivers of blood. I felt so drawn to His pain and told Him, "I am so sorry for what they have done to all of your masterpieces. How can you stand it, Lord?" All of those little, beautiful people, ripped to shreds...My heart just cried out to those children, "Why was this done to you? I would have loved you! I would have kept you!" I wanted to adopt them all.

It was good for me to look and to cry, and to be wrapped in the wounded Heart of God. I think many times we can forget the horror that plagues our world. 4,400 babies die every day from abortion, and since 1973, more lives have been lost from abortion than the combined number of fatalities of all modern wars. Yet sometimes, even we who "fight the good fight" with our prayers and our witness can forget the depth of the pain, horror, and injustice that is going on in our world so casually. Behind those abortion clinic doors, blood is being spilled. Hearts are being broken. Lives are being lost. Souls are being seared with guilt and anguish. Christ is being crucified, and the unborn with Him.

Before I was trained as a sidewalk counselor in college, Sam and I would go to pray every Saturday at the abortion mills in Pittsburgh. While praying the rosary, tears would just stream down my face. I could feel in my soul the spiritual battle that was being waged all around; there was a profound sense of evil and pain, and I could hear the babies' screams with my soul's ears. I cannot describe it in words, but it was such an intense experience every time that my body would be completely weary and utterly spent after a few hours, and I would go home and rest and sleep all day. I felt so embarrassed that this kept happening to me, and I wanted in my heart to have the strength and fortitude to be a sidewalk counselor, to be able to share the truth with women and men entering the mills. But to do this, I had to get past the tears.

So I prayed, and in a few weeks, I felt like that grace was given to me. Now when we would go to pray at the mill, a spirit of resolve and a desire to speak out filled my heart and soul, and I no longer cried or felt as intensely the raging battle. I knew God had helped me to move on to the next stage, so I was trained as a counselor along with my (then future) husband.

Everyone is called to serve in the prolife ministry, and each person has his own method of doing so. Some pray at the clinics, some counsel, many pray for the ministry in their own private prayers at home, and many write letters or volunteer at pregnancy care centers. Thank you for the way in which you serve God and His little children. You're great!

On March 10, when the pro-abortion side is having its day of "praise" for murderers, I encourage you to look into your own soul and become renewed in your own personal resolve to continue to fight this fight until it is over. God will not cease to bless you or your efforts.