Day 35: Thanks to First Evangelical Free Church, Elk County Right to Life, Divine Mercy Parish, St. Matthew Parish, and more!

Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the Hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence.

1 Peter 3:15

That quote in 1Peter defines you in 40 Days for Life. You are gentle and reverent, and you have great Hope. What is the cause of your Hope in this battle for life, and why do I find that all the church groups, the volunteers, the sidewalk advocates, the bloggers, the shift managers, and especially the organizing team, absolutely everyone I have met on the sidewalk, have a contagious Hope for this apostolic ministry for life? No matter the political climate, the negative comments or the unfavorable weather, Hope shines like a brilliant light in the darkness of abortion on Liberty Avenue. As I thought about this, I considered that the Hope comes from three sources, although most probably there are many more that I haven’t considered. At the very first, of course, is our Hope in Jesus Christ and the salvific message of the gospel of life. Second is the theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Love that are a gift from God at our Baptism, and nurtured and cultivated through Mass and the Sacraments, and are in the very fabric of the spirituality of each of the prolife faithful. And third is the insurmountable proof in the reports and statistics and victories of our prolife efforts.

For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a Hope.

Jer 29:11

Living the Beatitudes, being the salt of life and a light shining in the darkness come with a promise from Our Lord. God will bring the victory if only we answer yes to His call to serve the unborn and the moms as so many of you have. He will fight the fight and His right arm will bring victory. CCC 1820 “Christian Hope unfolds from the beginning of Jesus’ preaching in the proclamation of the Beatitudes.” The Beatitudes raise our Hope toward heaven as the new Promised Land. You become poor for the mothers and babies, mourn for them, you are gentle and merciful for them, you are peacemakers, you are pure in your Hope for their lives, and yes, you are persecuted and suffer.

So faith, Hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1Cor. 13:13

Catechism of the Catholic Church 1817 “Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.” This is why we take action and why we endure all the hardships. It is an unselfish Hope for the salvation of all who work or enter that dark place.

For the Lord your God is He that goes with you, to fight with you against your enemies, to give you the victory.

Deuteronomy 20:4

There have been countless reports on these pages, over all the campaigns, of people who have stopped to thank us for our presence, along with relating what giving life, especially in a difficult pregnancy, has meant to them. What joy and goodness that life has brought to so many, and they thank God and thank us for being there. As you are witnessing to all that pass, giving encouragement, love, a smile, joy in the face of contradiction, the Hope shows through and endures. These are the small victories that are a measurement of the progress in defending life. Already 40 Days for Life national campaign is reporting 285 lives saved since February 22nd of this campaign. And perhaps someday Our Lord will reveal to us how many turned away, how many lives were saved, how many hearts were converted due to your efforts. Truly you are a lighted candle of Hope in the darkness. Over all the campaigns 22,855 lives saved, 247 abortion workers quit, 136 abortion centers closed. This, too, is a cause for our Hope.

-Ken

Reports:

7-9: Tracy

  Christ multiplied the loaves! Bill and I expected to be by ourselves. Eight lovely souls joined us to advocate and pray: Jackie, Anthony, Hank, Pete, David, Bill H., Darrah and her daughter, Anajean!
   Many prayers were lifted up and many rosaries were recited.
   Mostly workers entered PP and only a few young ladies. I don’t think any accepted our literature/help although we had plenty of boots on the ground offering it.

9-11: Beth

Thanks to our two groups of pro-lifers who flooded the cold, dreary and busy sidewalk with prayers and smiles. It was a typical Tuesday morning with clients not stopping to talk, but we didn’t stop praying that maybe they would.  The First Evangelical Free Church of McKeesport sent people in shifts all morning including Bill and Dean among other members.  From two and half hours away, the Right to Life group from Elk County made the trip. Lauren, Amy, Gretchen, Janet,  Mary B., joined Glenn,  Linda, and Claudia as I made a late appearance.  PP must be planning a staff development because lots of “stuff” was delivered. We offered help to those entering and leaving. Praying and hoping, and hope doesn’t disappoint.

11-1: Sheila

It was a normal day on the sidewalk. Not much to report except that we were joined by a group of lovely, faithful women from Elk County Right to life.

1-3: Kim

Report to follow.

3-5: John

Saint Anne, Saint Matthew and Saint Philip parish. John, Bill, Bob, Virginia and John. Adoption the better option! It was a nice day weather-wise at a evil place. A woman walked by with a satanic sweatshirt when we were praying the Rosary. We prayed the Chaplet and Stations also. It was less traffic exiting and entering the clinic. May God bless you and keep you close to His Sacred Heart and Her Immaculate Heart.