Like a Little Child
Edith Stien was born into a devout Jewish family in the most turbulent time of Germany’s history. At age 14 she declared herself an atheist and went on to study at the Göttingen School, eventually earning a PhD in Philosophy. Edith Stien was especially interested in phenomenology and truth. In 1922, she converted to Catholicism after reading St. Theresa of Avila’s Autobiography, which she called the absolute truth. Edith Stien later joined the Carmelite Order and was eventually killed by the Nazis. Following is famous quote by Edith Stien and is an excerpt from the Catholic University of America’s website, “God is truth. All who seek truth seek God, whether this is clear to them or not.” Stein also spoke about everything that enters a human mind forms a person and that “the most urgent duty” of an educator is “to open the child’s path to God.”
As I watch women enter Planned Parenthood, I think about Edith Stien’s observations, and consider the educational experience, cultural mores, family life, work history, and political provocation that formed a person who can destroy the helpless person living inside of her. I imagine Jesus watching, not only the women seeking abortion, but also the prayer warriors and sidewalk advocates, so diligently gathered at the entrance, as a last-minute effort to save the baby, and the baby’s family. We must be the ears, eyes, mouth, hands, and feet of Jesus, and respond with his love and care to bring his lost sheep back into the fold.
Much like the unborn babies at Planned Parenthood, Edith Stien was a totally innocent person who was slaughtered, during the holocaust. She was devoted to correcting the errors of education that separate faith and reason.
Let us pray that all educators seek the truth through God and work to return civilization from our current Godless and destructive episode. May God bless us, the women who seek abortion as a solution to their problem, and the workers at Planned Parenthood.
More on Edith Stien, St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross, at: https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_19981011_edith_stein_en.html
Larry
Keep reading for today’s sidewalk stories…
Bill & Tracy
Just us. Nothing to report. Staff, maybe two couples, and one angry (hurting?) driver this morning.
Linda & Beth
(From Beth) – So many helpers today. First Tracy, Bill, and Jackie had all the displays and equipment ready to go. Thanks also to Tracy s mom who stays with our resources so we can access them quickly when necessary . What a blessing. Linda and I were surprised by the members of the renewal team who power washed the side walk. They were very professional and everything smelled so much better. The horses and riders from the county police trotted by, keeping us safe. Sister came to say a rosary and Paulette and Mary brought more prayers and graces. Barb and Rose were already offering help to all who entered pp. Thanks, God, for all the helpers, just when they were so needed
Sheila & Barb
(from Sheila) Today, Mary had miraculous medals with an exorcism blessing from Fr. Rippinger on them.
So, it’s no coincidence that we noticed more angry passers-by than usual….calling us “fascists” and many other choice words.
The young guard has been very angry. This was a first – he took my picture as I was giving info to a couple inside the buffer zone. As Mary, Paulette and I were leaving after our shift, the guard was outside. Mary tried to offer him a medal, for the second time. She explained what it was, and he proceeded to hold his hand over his heart. But the whole time he made no eye contact. I said to him, “Please don’t let this place ruin your soul.”
Sandy, Kim & Mike
(from Sandy) The weather was quite pleasant today, but you couldn’t same the same for the atmosphere around PP. The noise from the work going on on Smithfield St. plus the dust which at times made it seem foggy added a new dimension to our Lenten sacrifice. In our first hour we (faithful Mike, Kim and Sandy) experienced more negativity than ever It wasn’t the fiery pit that Azariah found himself in as described in the book of Daniel- but we approached it in the same way- prayer, praise, asking forgiveness. Two of the more interesting exchanges were a young woman who just said, “I’m prochoice.” When I asked if she could stop and talk about what makes her believe it’s ok to kill a baby- she just brushed me off and said- well, I’m in the medical field. Another woman said, “no thanks,- isn’t there something more important you could be doing?” I just told her that saving lives is one of the most important things I can do.. Then just as we were getting ready to leave from across the street- someone yelled “You are evil.” I responded that killing babies is evil. As I turned away she said I was going to hell. We know that just as Jesus said from the Cross- “Forgive them, Father, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And so we say the same thing. But the Lord, in his mercy, allowed a few rays of light to shine on this cloudy day. Two different women accepted literature and said they always take it and then leave it somewhere. I thanked them for joining us in our work. Then there was a poignant situation when I approached a young woman near the door and told her about the help we offer. I looked at her face and told her she seemed worried or sad about something. When I asked if she was going in she said, no, but she hears people say, keep the baby, but then they don’t seem to care after the baby is born. I assured her that that was not the way it should be and that we are happy to walk along with them before and afterward no matter what they need. At that point she said she’d take the literature. May the Lord continue to walk with her whatever her journey is.
Bill & John
(from John) Ken, Bill, John and John today. I always hate coming down here. It is a dreadful place. Some one last week put took a picture of the hearse truck that takes discarded babies away. It brought great sadness to my heart. When we came it was like a dust storm with construction next door. As soon as I came we saw a person with a an image of Our blessed Lady on it. A sign for encouragement to keep up the fight. We had some passer by people giving us encouragement. Only a couple of women came out. Let’s pray to Jesus for the protection of all children in danger of abortion now. For the sake of His sorrowful passion…
Obviously, we are ALL – Phenomenologists- Phenomenology is the study of structures of consciousness as experienced from the first-person point of view. The central structure of an experience is its intentionality, its being directed toward something, as it is an experience of or about some object. An experience is directed toward an object by virtue of its content or meaning (which represents the object) together with appropriate enabling conditions.
Sad to read depressing reports but totally understandable being in that dreadful place. There is a manifestation of evil there, exacerbated by the presence of the medals blessed with exorcism prayer. I would like to believe the evil is more evident because the enemy knows he is losing. Keep up the good fight, prayer warriors and brave witnesses. God is with us!
Yesterday’s last shift had a feeling that things were not right. Dust was in the air from the roof work next door. School kids were passing by oblivious to us as though we were like the stone statues framinng the building half a block away. Suddenly there was a loud bang like a gunshot. We all looked to the street where a hot-rodder was intentionally back-firing every few yads or so. I kept thinking that that it was so real, like the unlikeiy nightmare that I’d thought could happen since I first started coming. Things settled down as we prayed the rosary, and a gentleman walking past said, “Keep doing what you’re doing,” several timees, looking straight ahead. That made all the difference to me. God was still in charge. Evil would not win.
The exorcist, Fr. Ripperger, was mentioned in today’s comments. This link is for an excellent program interviewing him. Very good information on the battles we are fighting with this demonic world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2p_cfipbEw