Shine Through Me
Cardinal John Henry Newman composed a beautiful prayer which Mother Teresa of Calcutta adapted for use by the Missionaries of Charity. I’m cheating a little this time and borrowing someone else’s reflections because they are so appropriate for the work we do out on Liberty Avenue, or actually, ANYWHERE we go!
Dear Jesus, help me spread Thy fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Thy spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of Thine. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Thy presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus. Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be a light to others. Amen.
May Our Dear Lord continue to bless us all throughout this 40Days Season!
-Tracy
SIDEWALK REPORTS
7:30-9 AM +++ Joe and Marie
JOE: Kicking off the vigil with a rarity – a balmy Saturday morning in March and blessings-a-blooming today. We were scheduled to be short-handed today, but Marie, Donna, and Steve, and Bill ensured that there was ample coverage – Thanks folks! Early on, we were also joined by Rainelle and Will who held signs throughout the shift. Today is Bill H’s birthday – another blessing! Oh, and did I mention that 933 was sort of closed today? Only the guard and a few workers entered early, no escorts, but oddly, beginning after 8:00 a coven of “mature” women driving fancy gas powered automobiles (BMW’s, Audi’s, Porche’s) entered the building. Hopefully and prayerfully they’re planning for their DE-FUNding! Anyway, minimal and some usual distractions, the guard talking with the police, a drive-by telling-us we were number-one,… and much prayer for the cause… Rosaries, Divine Mercy Chaplets…
9-11 AM +++ Sue and Mary
SUE: It was good to pray on the sidewalk with so many people. Mary, Steve and Bill were there. Than we had Jen from NY who has prayed many years at the Manhattan pp come to stand with us for a while. She was in town for a conference. Liam from Franciscan Students for Life also showed up. At the end, a group of seminarians from St Vincent’s came to pray the Rosary. There did not appear to be abortions being done today and no escorts. However, women who did not seem abortion bound did enter earlier in the morning. Our prayer was that in the name of Jesus, whatever plans they are making would be disrupted.
11 AM-1 PM +++ Dean and Chris
DEAN: They were conducting a staff meeting at P.P. today. The good news is that no abortions were scheduled.
1-3 PM +++ Kathy and Michele
KATHY: Many Blessings! Warm weather! Prayer warriors from Robinson, prayed 2 hours straight! Their prayers had many people stop and take literature from us. Earlier shift reported, ”No clients today! People in suits and dress clothes ,they speculated planning”.
Wind blew black box of supplies into street: Bonnie at Little Lamb, reorganized! Thank you!
Lady stopped, “ I had my son because you were here praying!”
3-5 PM +++ Billy and Jeff
Happy Saturday all. Jeff and I are here and Planned Parenthood is closed today and it’s a very lovely day weather wise. One guy walked passed me and said no abortions and that he loved us for being here. We did have more traffic walking by us today. One girl said she liked my sign. A few negative comments but the majority of the time down here was peaceful. God bless
Tracy that prayer ” Shine thru me” is one of St Mother Teresa’s prayers put to song by Danielle Rose on her “I thirst” CD. Danielle Rose worked with Mother Teresa’s Sisters of Charity to discern her vocation which turned out to be a music ministry. Her family also adopted a young girl from India. Her music is beautiful and inspiring. Thanks for all you do. My parish was st Catherine of Siena in Beechview now is St Teresa of Kolkata (Calcutta was changed to Kolkata in 2001.