What Do You See?

After reciting the Chaplet of Mercy and Sorrowful Mysteries outside the local Planned Parenthood abortion mill this morning as part of the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil, one of the men in our group excitedly told us to look up in the sky. This is what we saw in two different locations:

Revisiting "Your Presence Makes A Difference"

My wife, I and four strangers spent an hour outside the local Planned Parenthood (PP) center one fall morning in 2010, witnessing to and praying for all those entering that building - staff and client alike. That had been only the fourth time over the past two years that we had participated in the Forty Days for Life prayer vigil in front of this place of deception and death.

The majority of the cars entering the facility’s driveway while we were there sped up immediately when they saw the signs and leaflets we carried and the rosaries in our hands.   Most avoided having any eye contact with us, perhaps in a last ditch effort to prevent their consciences from awakening them to the horror of what they were about to do. It was like we were lepers.

We continued to pray. We sang softly and sometimes off key.  We listened to God’s Word.  We encouraged each other and prayed that these women, their escorts and the facility’s staff would know that we were there out of love for them and as instruments of a loving and merciful Lord.  We trusted God would use our presence to make a difference in someone’s life that day.

We also watched as cars pulled out, driver and passengers again refusing for the most part to glance at us, anxious to get away from this place – that is with the exception of an obviously distraught young woman in the front passenger seat of a jeep. She used a crumpled tissue to capture the slow trickle of tears flowing from her eyes, receiving no apparent comfort or solace from her male companion.

She turned and looked right at me.  I was drawn to her watery eyes and immediately saw in them the anguish and pain I suspect I would have seen in the eyes of my crucified and suffering Lord had I been at the foot of His cross.  Silently and earnestly I starred deeply into her eyes, hoping that God would allow her to see in us, even now, the image of her forgiving, healing, loving and merciful Lord and His desire to give her new life.

We have been back on a number of occasions since that fall day in 2010. We’ve stood outside in rain and snow as well as in the bright sunshine - always praying to be conduits of God’s hope and love. We have had the joy of seeing women respond to the sidewalk counselors and choose life. We have cried as one of our leaders in tearful prayerful anguish gave a name to the baby one woman had just chosen to abort. Oh, how painfully close she came to saving that life!

We’ve been called morons, idiots, women haters and less publishable things. We have been thanked by those passing by for being there and cursed by others. We’ve watched in utter disbelief and pain as Dads or boyfriends brought their young children with them as their mother entered to abort a sibling they will never see or know. We have watched correctional officers escort a handcuffed pregnant inmate from the County jail for an abortion – our tax dollars at work.

We’ve been blessed to have a woman with young children pass by our prayerful line, thank us for being there, and tell us how the people in that building had twice tried to convince her to abort the two children by her side. It’s amazing how many individuals simply walking past this facility would either thank us for being there or stop and share words of encouragement and support. Their supportive gesture is in stark contrast to those shouting vile words at us from passing vehicles as they prominently thrust their middle fingers into the air.

Things have changed since our first visit to this place. For one thing, this facility formerly displayed a banner that pictured a female toddler covering her face with two open hands next to these insane words: “If you do not defend her freedom, she’ll never know she lost it". Talk about “fuzzy” thinking – killing those whose freedom you claim to be defending!

The sidewalk counselors are more numerous and increasingly more effective in their work of love. This PP facility has recognized their success and now employs “escorts” in an attempt to thwart the counselors’ effectiveness.

For the first time since Forty Days for Life has had a prayerful presence at this abortion clinic, PP has resorted to calling the police in an unconstitutional attempt to limit these same counselors from talking to women as they arrive. How surprised they must have been when we sought legal counsel and had our right to do so upheld.

But one thing has not changed – not enough of God’s people are coming to pray and give witness to His love. Where are you?

God is using us. We are having a positive impact. Women are choosing life and this particular facility may be losing money.  Other clinics have actually closed. Come. Pray. Your presence makes a difference.   

Be the eyes of Christ.

(This a revised and updated version of a previous post.)

And A Little Child Will Lead Them...

I joined more than a hundred others individuals in Syracuse, New York today in the annual March For Life. It was cold - an insignificant inconvenience in comparison to the innocent ones in our community and throughout this nation and the world who have lost their lives at the hands of an abortionist.

May our physical witness there today be a source of consolation to them and encouragement for more Catholics to become engaged in this essential battle to protect and save lives.

I stood in the back of the group as it assembled after the march to hear the words of local pro-life leaders that included, among others, a mother of eight, the local coordinators of Forty Days For Life, and this area's stridently pro-life and courageous Congresswoman, Ann Marie Buerkle. Thank God they are among us. Pray for these women and for who sacrifice and suffer much in their efforts to protect and save lives.

As inspiring and encouraging were the words of these women and of the prayers offered there today, it was the silent homily that occurred right in front of me but behind and outside the view of the assembled crowd that most touched my heart and left me filled with hope.

Two little girls about 4 and 6 years of age built a snow canvas on a nearby tree trunk. Both carefully and meticulously packed the snow as tightly as their little hands would allow them. Then with just as much attention and care, one of the girls carved out the image of the cross you see in the picture accompanying this post. She went back and repacked the snow around the now created cross to make sure the image would remain on this tree. She left but returned seconds later to get another look at her handiwork. After a brief pause, she waved good-bye to the image she had created and left the area with her family.

What prompted such a young child to create such a powerful image? Only God knows but I would like to think the Holy Spirit used this little angel to remind us older folk of these immutable truths - the price Jesus paid for our sins, the suffering each of us will experience (and hopefully learn to embrace) in this lifetime, the promise of God's forgiveness for those who seek it, and the gift of eternal life for those who come to love and serve Him.

With little angels like the one I saw today, success in the battle to defend the dignity of all human life must be closer than we think.

Your Presence Makes A Difference

My wife, I and four strangers spent an hour outside the local Planned Parenthood center [this morning], witnessing to and praying for all those entering that building – staff and client alike. This was only the fourth time over the past two years that I participated in the Forty Days for Life prayer vigil in front of this place of deception and death.

The majority of the cars entering the facility’s driveway while we were there sped up immediately when they saw the signs and leaflets we carried and the rosaries in our hands. Most avoided having any eye contact with us, perhaps in a last ditch effort to prevent their consciences from awakening them to the horror of what they were about to do. It was like we were lepers.

We continued to pray. We sang softly and sometimes off key. We listened to God’s Word. We encouraged each other and prayed that these women, their escorts and the facility’s staff would know that we were there out of love for them and as instruments of a loving and merciful Lord. We trusted God would use our presence to make a difference in someone’s life today.

We also watched as cars pulled out, driver and passengers again refusing for the most part to glance at us, anxious to get away from this place – that is with the exception of an obviously distraught young woman in the front passenger seat of a jeep. She used a crumpled tissue to capture the slow trickle of tears flowing from her eyes, receiving no apparent comfort or solace from her male companion.

She turned and looked right at me. I was drawn to her watery eyes and immediately saw in them the anguish and pain I suspect I would have seen in the eyes of my crucified and suffering Lord had I been at the foot of His cross. Silently and earnestly I starred deeply into her eyes, hoping that God would allow her to see in us, even now, the image of her forgiving, healing, loving and merciful Lord and His desire to give her new life.

Your presence makes a difference. Come. Pray. Be the eyes of Christ.

(The Integrated Life channel of Catholic Exchange.com published this reflection nearly a year ago. I hope it might serve to encourage all who read it now to come out, pray and stand up for life and for the Truth as part of Forty Days For Life's current Fall campaign. Visit their website to find a prayer vigil location near you. How tragic that the women for whom we will be praying have not likely looked at this - just be sure to subsitute "baby" every time you hear the word "fetus".