The Shepherd’s Prayer (1864)
Jozef Israels (1824 – 1911)
Museum of Art, Toledo, Ohio, USA.
© akg-images.
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Happy all those who fear Yahweh
and follow in his paths.
You will eat what your hands have worked for,
happiness and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife: a fruitful vine
on the inner walls of your house.
Your children (sons): around your table
like shoots around an olive tree.
Such are the blessings that fall
on the man who fears Yahweh.
Psalm 128 1-4
Jozef Israels’ shepherds – on a beautiful day, in a beautiful place, accompanied by their flock, dog and a bountiful meal – sit together in the middle of the day. Before eating, they bow their heads and thank God. In my middle years, daily life was full of details that ferociously demanded immediate attention. My days proceeded with breathtaking speed. Did I feel happy or prosperous when life felt like that? It brought me to my knees. Among the so many places a Catholic person looks, I found Psalm 128. I prayed, “Dear Father, ‘I want that.’”
IF WE TOOK A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR EACH PERSON LOST TO ABORTION,
WE WOULD BE SILENT FOR OVER 100 YEARS.
Father Frank Pavone, Rachel’s Vineyard https://www.rachelsvineyard.org/aboutus/index.aspx
God stretched my heart and enriched my prayer. He taught me to pray. “Dear Father, ‘I want that for all of my brothers and sisters caught in the hellacious grip of abortion!’”
The people arriving for appointments they schedule to have their child killed, look neither happy nor prosperous. Their search for prosperity is desperately off kilter. Perhaps abortion propaganda misleads them. Maybe they actually believe that having their child bloodied and dismembered is a good choice. After all we live in a country that boasts about abortion and where 600 billion tax dollars support the industry that kills our children.
When I pray for life with my brothers and sisters on the sidewalk downtown in front of the abortorium, time flies. It would never have occurred to me that I would stand outside in all weather and be grateful to be there … and so on and so forth. God baptizes and sends us. God lets us work in his vineyard.
-Barbara
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Music and dancing are simple pleasures men and women enjoy together. Musicians learn their instrument and read music. Dancers just do what comes naturally – except some dance more often – and do it better! Happy toe tapping times are sure to follow. Enjoy! Boogie Woogie Queen. The Lennerockers.
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DEE GATHERS OUR FUEL
CARMELITE NUNS OF LATROBE, PA
We are with you, fasting and praying for an end to abortion and infanticide. We are praying the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet for the conversion of government officials who promote abortion and infanticide. We are so sorry that our pro-life President Trump is not in the White House and that all his efforts to end abortion are being undone. We also mourn the loss of Rush Limbaugh who did so much for the cause. May God reward him. May God bless President Trump as he continues to protect our Right to Life as Americans. We thank all of you who pray at the Vigils at Planned Parenthood. May God protect you and sustain you with His love and Grace and reward you in this life and the next. We support you constantly with our fasting and prayers.
In Jesus, Mary, Joseph,
Your Carmelite Nuns
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OUR BELOVED SALLY AND AL
NOTES FROM THE SIDEWALK
JEN McD. 7-9 SHIFT MANAGER
A very wet morning, but we all agreed the rain was better than last week’s cold! Diane and Tom set up for the day and shared some sidewalk fellowship for a little while. Vince, Bill, George, Rich, and I prayed the Scriptural Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy. One older man stopped by to look at the resources, taking a fetal model and a development brochure with him when he left.
GEORGE, VINCE, RICH – EARLY SUNDAY MORNING WITNESSES
EARLY MORNING PRAYING IN THE RAIN
KEN B. 9-11 SHIFT MANAGER
It seems that every Gospel of every day emphasizes some aspect of our witness on Liberty Avenue. Yesterday’s reading was the call to love our enemies. While I don’t consider anyone an enemy there are many who oppose our vigil.
A woman passed by today and said, while continuing to walk, “There are others ways to make your point without harassing women.” I wanted to say, “Wait. We are here out of love to try and prevent harm, hurt, even death, and a life of misery.” But there is genius in this prayerful witness. Jesus spoke very few words in His agony and death on the cross.
I thank God for the gift of this ministry and for those who prayed with me this day. Pat, shift buddy Nikki, and the Knights, George and Rich.
Also, the witness of the Rosary Walk for Life for conversion and for peace in response to the message of Our Lady of Fatima.
SHIFT BUDDY NIKKI, FAITHFUL WITNESS BILL, SHIFT MANAGER KEN
PAT, SHIFT BUDDY NIKKI, KNIGHTS GEORGE AND RICH
ROSARY WALK FOR LIFE JOINS 40 DAYS FOR LIFE
RICH AND ROSEANN K. 11-1 SHIFT MANAGERS
We had such a nice presence on the sidewalk today. Thank you to all the wonderful prayer warriors from St. Michael the Archangel parish. Since we were not using the signup sheet because of the rain, sorry to say I cannot remember all their names. A couple of them were there for their first time but didn’t seem to mind the weather conditions. God Bless them all. Foot traffic was low today and we got in a few Rosaries and Divine Mercy Chaplets.
MARY, SHIFT MANAGERS RICH AND ROSEANN, KEN COMPLETING HIS EARLIER SHIFT
SAINT MICHAEL PARISH PRAYS – LEAD ALL SOULS TO HEAVEN!
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LINDSAY M 1-3 SHIFT MANAGER
Father’s lives matter: Today, as our lovely, prayerful, MUSICAL, fun group prayed for life on the sidewalk, I was struck by how differently men and women pray. I noticed the ladies gently rocking back and forth, subconsciously, in a very maternal way. I noticed the men, who contrasted the women by their stillness, with rock-solid, subconsciously protective postures. Not all women have been blessed with children, but I noticed even in myself that I tended to rock and sway, as if comforting a fussy infant. It’s just IN us, as women. Just like it is IN a man to stand tall and brave, protectively present in a quiet, humble way – much like St. Joseph. Fathers’ lives matter! Men and fatherhood are under serious attack by Satan and his secular pawns. Having men present at the 40 Days for Life Vigil and visible in the pro-life spiritual battle ground is inspirational, hopeful, and CRITICAL. Men ought to have a say in what happens to their own offspring or to their future nieces/nephews/cousins/siblings/grandchildren/children. Hopefully indifferent or pro-choice men who pass by will be positively impacted by seeing “a few good men” witness for life. And likewise, that women considering abortion or who are supportive of abortion will notice the gentle rocking and swaying of the women in prayer, and feel a maternal surge of protection before they make a destructive, devastating irreversible mistake. There is no witness greater than a religious, priest or pastor present at the vigil, surrounded by the faithful. So, thank you Fr. Jim Kurtz and parishioners from St. Francis of Assisi. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DIANE!
FATHER JIM KURTZ AND PARISHIONERS OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI PARISH
PRO-LIFE PARISHIONERS WITNESSING FOR THE LIVES OF THE BABIES
FATHER KURTZ, PARISHIONERS OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI PARISH,
DIANE AND HER SISTER ANITA AND HUSBAND TOM, CECELIA, AND PATTI AND HUSBAND DENNY
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JOE W. 3-5 SHIFT MANAGER
Joined today by my faithful shift buddies, Jim and Cathy, (pictured) and prayerful and passionate Judy (pictured) and Lisa. Such a delight to do battle with such beautiful Jesus Lovers.
Please pray for Chelsie and Dwain. They stopped by at the end of my shift to talk about life.
JUDY IS A FAITHFUL 40 DAYS WITNESS FOR LIFE
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And God saw that it was good.
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Amen Barbara!
Kim
Thank you, Kim!
Peace.
Beautiful thoughts, Lindsay!