Day 5: Thank you to All of our Prayer Warriors, Near and Far!

In a wonderful article in the National Catholic Register, Mary Healy writes:

Revival cannot be achieved by any human efforts, programs or strategies, no matter how sincere and energetic. After showing the prophet Ezekiel a valley full of dry bones, God explained that they were an image of Israel: spiritually lifeless, barren and hopeless. Then God commanded, “Prophesy, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people’.” God alone can put flesh on dry bones and breathe into his people the breath of divine life. 

Perhaps the best definition of “revival” in the sense used of Asbury today is from Bill Bright, the late founder of Campus Crusade for Christ: 

“Revival is a divine visitation, a sovereign work of God — in answer to sincere, prevailing prayer. During a revival God will: 

1. Grip His people with deep conviction, repentance, forgiveness, and deliverance from personal sins.

2. Fill His people with the Holy Spirit and manifest through them the fruit and graces of the Holy Spirit.

3. Fill the church and community with His presence and power.

4. Cause non-Christians to earnestly seek Him.

5. Ignite in His people, young and old, a passion to bring the lost to Christ at home and around the world.”

https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/what-does-eucharistic-revival-look-like

Look carefully at that incredible list of what happens in a true revival–exactly the things that need to happen in order to end abortion! I’ve been reflecting on the idea of “sincere, prevailing prayer” that Bright says will hasten such a revival. Those words make it clear that we are asking God for something that we want more than anything else–something that wins out over our desire for comfort, for approval, for sleep, even for safety. A 40 Days for Life campaign gives us ample opportunity for just that kind of prayer.

Despite all the darkness and despair in the world right now, there are a growing number of hopeful and encouraging signs that God is stirring the embers of faith in His people. PLEASE join us in prayer on the sidewalk and help fan those embers back into flames of LOVE so that abortion becomes unthinkable!

-Jen

THANK YOU to the Sisters of the Holy Spirit, who are praying for the success of this Lenten observance of 40 Days for Life: that babies would be saved, mothers helped, and participants be safe. Sr. Jolenta writes: Diane and I just finished our prayers for 40 Days. Since we can’t be at PP we both attended Mass at the Motherhouse chapel and stayed after to pray the Chaplet of Mercy and the rosary for the participants at PP sidewalk, especially for their safety. At Mass I led the petitions and did one for 40 Days participation. Bishop Waltersheid added his petition at the end for the success of 40 Days!

SIDEWALK REPORTS

7-9 AM +++ Jen and Vince

I am so blessed to be a part of the Sunday morning shift! A wonderful crew of volunteers who faithfully sacrifice sleep and warmth to be on the sidewalk early make it a very prayerful and peaceful experience. Thank you all for being there today!

Jen

9-11 AM +++ Ken and Pat

A brisk Sunday on the sidewalk that was a little noisier than usual. For some reason there were a handful of boom boxes and loud car stereos breaking up the normal peaceful Sunday on Liberty Avenue. Also had someone yelling at us from their car window. We couldn’t understand what they were saying so we took it as a positive affirmation. It is always nice to rejoin faithful friends on our first shift of the campaign. K of C members Rich and George, always starting out with Jen and Vince, stayed with Pat and I for the first part of our shift. We were joined in the second hour by Susan from Divine Grace parish. As always the faithful members of the downtown rosary walk, a sign of Hope for our Church and our nation, stopped to pray a decade of the rosary with us.

Ken

11 AM-1 PM +++ Rich and Sue

Thank you to Sunday afternoon regular, Rich, for coming even though his wife and sidewalk partner couldn’t be there today. Please pray for Roseann as she recovers from being sick! And thank you to Susan who kindly filled in for her. We have such an amazing team–God bless you all!

1-3 PM +++ Charlie and Andrew

Coming soon!

3-5 PM +++ Andy, Steve, and Denise

Coming soon!