PUTTING OUR FAITH TO THE TEST…
Here we are on day 15, and I have totally dropped the 40 Days for Life ball to take care of my ailing father. Thanks to Jen for carrying the weight of the daily blog for me, and thanks to all of you who have been praying for my dad! I am grateful to Jen and for all of you who are sacrificing every day to make our Lenten 40 Days for Life a success, that lives and souls may be saved from abortion! But as for me, I have not even been able to take a single shift on the sidewalk, or even write a single blog post. This is my first… and truthfully, my thoughts are so muddled right now, I have little hope that this will be a good one. But, here goes:
When my dad first got sick, about a month ago, my scheduled life came to a screeching halt. Since becoming Catholic in 2013, I have been blessed to have had the comfort and consolation of communion with Jesus at daily Mass, and most days I have had a scheduled prayer time…fitting my life responsibilities in and around my faith. But for the past month, that has all changed. Now my life responsibilities have the first place, and the practice of my faith seems to have taken a back seat. It seems that my faith has to be fit in when and if there is an opportunity. The same thing for my pro-life work. It has taken a back seat as well.
Although I tend to feel that I am “failing” God when I am too tired and sleepy to pray in the morning, after having had a sleepless night with my dad…and too stressed to think about fasting this Lent…I hope that I am doing what God wants of me at this moment. After all…what good is our faith if we never put it to the test? If I were to resign my dad to the care of a nursing home in order to go to daily Mass, holy hours and praying at Planned Parenthood, wouldn’t that be sort of like a surgeon who chose to take endless continuing education classes but never put his skills to use in the operating room? I mean, what good is our faith if it is only self-serving? If I use my faith just for myself, and not for others, I fear that I would be like the “white-washed tomb” that Jesus spoke of. I think that, as Christians, it is our responsibility to care for those who cannot care for themselves. Whether it is the vulnerable unborn child, or a frail elderly person. If we have the ability to help, but we don’t, we risk our faith becoming empty.
I am so overjoyed to see the fruit that our Pittsburgh 40 Days for Life has born. So many wonderful, selfless volunteers, bringing Christ’s love to the sidewalk in front of Planned Parenthood, has already resulted in possibly FIVE turn-aways…just in the first 15 days! Thanks to all of you for making 40 Days for Life a light in our city! Keep up the good work! God bless you!
-Nikki
SIDEWALK REPORTS
7:30-9 AM +++ Cathy, Peggy, and Mary
CATHY: Four women went inside. One told Mary she was getting birth control, but did accept one of her crocheted hearts with a yellow card. St. Joseph help all men take care of their children and support the moms.
9-11 AM +++ Elsie and Conrad
CONRAD: The Divine Redeemer 40 dayers were so prayerful this morning that the place seemed to light up especially with their holy pastor. Those seeking to enter planned parenthood had to experience this!!! Also I would encourage everyone to begin bringing our Lady of Guadalupe to the Sidewalk again. Sadly I have noticed her absence over the last few weeks . I have not seen Her in the photos. Very sad. She needs to be there. She wants to be there. She is the patroness of our 40 Days campaign. She is the patroness of the unborn.
ELSIE: On this feast day of Saint Joseph, several stalwart men from my parish (Divine Redeemer) went to the sidewalk to follow his example of protecting women & children. Earnestly praying the Rosary for an end to child-slaughter were Father Brian, Seminarian Chris, Jim, Nick, Keith, & Ron. They were joined in prayer by Sandy and Barb (a pro-life nurse). We were joined by Ginny, Janice, & Patty — lovely prayer-warriors from Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Glenshaw. Year-round faithfuls Conrad & Randy were there, the latter pacing in the road to display a positive sign showing the full humanity of our unborn brothers and sisters. It was a very sad & bloody morning, with many victims entering the death mill. We hope & pray that minds may be changed by our pro-life leaflets (offered to EVERYONE, entering, exiting, or passing by!) & hearts may be softened by the Holy Spirit!!
11AM-1 PM +++ Larry and Ed
LARRY: Patty, Janice, and Ginny were here from Our Lady of Perpetual Help. One guy came out of PP cussing up a storm and yelled something about a trans getting an operation. Shift started with a lot of folks from St. James in Sewickley. Susan and Maryanne from St. Joseph the Worker showed up at 12:30. Traffic in and out of PP was pretty active till Noon, when it slowed down considerably.
1-3 PM +++ Judy, Chris, and Kevin
CHRIS: I was joined today by three prayer warriors from St. Joseph the Worker Parish- Susan, Mary Anne, and Judy, our Sidewalk Advocate. We prayed the Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary, Chaplets of Divine Mercy, and the Loreto Litanies. Joining us were fellow Knights of Columbus Kevin and John, from Regina Coeli Parish, and Vince, from St. Jude Parish. Judy tirelessly offered potentially life-saving literature to all women passersby, with some accepting it. As we were about to begin praying our first Rosary, a man in his 20’s, Eric, approached us and signed in. We invited him to pray with us. He said, “Sure”. After the Rosary concluded, we talked a little bit. Turns out he’s Muslim… he asked why someone, during the Rosary, had been very angry toward us. I tried to explain why that is. He responded that he, a Muslim, praying with us Christians, was an example of people respecting each other and getting along. Amazing.
3-5 PM +++ Steve and Eileen
STEVE: Nice, warm afternoon- and pretty quiet. Only saw one client leaving with her little bag. Eileen noted about 50/50 on ” feedback” from the street, but I had five positive comments- along with a surly “reminder” that “you have a say since you don’t have a uterus!” Such is the “logic” of the culture of death…
Nikki, you are doing what you are supposed to be doing. That is your prayer.
Thanks Nikki for your always inspiring words even in the midst of your difficulties. I pray that God will open your fathers heart to accept Jesus’ free gift of salvation. Perhaps he is being given more time since it seems like he has come so close to death. You are absolutely doing what God wants by taking care of your father. Don’t worry about the 40 days vigil it will be here long after your father passes. May God bless and comfort you.