When I first stepped onto the sidewalk in front of Planned Parenthood back in 2009, I was a new Christian. I had never before participated in any sort of pro-life activism, and had never prayed in public before. As frightening as it was (and it was VERY frightening!!!) to drive into Pittsburgh, don a sign and stand in front of an abortion clinic…believe it or not, it was even MORE uncomfortable for me when I bowed my head and closed my eyes in a posture of prayer! Just knowing that people were walking by, looking at me while I prayed, was embarrassing to me!
As an Evangelical Christian, who had never seen a rosary before, and had never heard it prayed, I was very uncomfortable being around those who were praying. To me, they looked “different“. I was used to worship services at my church that were contemporary and “cool”. The pastors wore blue jeans, and so did I. The music was really good, and we worshipped the Lord with our whole body, voice, mind and soul. It was great!
But, standing on a busy city sidewalk with people who were NOT “cool”…who were wearing conservative clothing, holding plastic beads in their hands, with their eyes closed and mouths moving silently…that was embarrassing to me. Even when I started leading 40 Days for Life, knowing that we were supposed to be all about “praying to end abortion”…deep down, I thought that prayer was just an excuse for pro-life activism. It gave us an “excuse” to be there. The REAL reason was to WITNESS…to EDUCATE the public, and to plead with those who chose abortion…to try to save lives. I thought that graphic pictures of abortion victims would do it. Realistic fetal models would work. Offers of practical help…free ultrasounds and resources…would save lives. But looking like a dork in public? What good would that do?
If abortion were a purely political issue…then sure, we could solve the problem by using logic and activism. We could offer alternatives that are practical and make sense. But if you read this blog, you are most likely already aware that abortion is NOT a political issue…but is primarily SPIRITUAL at it’s root. To prove this fact, we need only pose the following scenario:
Imagine that you could save hundreds…even thousands…oh, what the heck…make that MILLIONS of lives, by sacrificing the life of a single human embryo? Wouldn’t reason dictate that it is the humanitarian thing to do? One little embryo doesn’t even have self-awareness yet! And even if he or she can feel the pain from the abortion…there is not the sufficient cognitive ability to be able to process or understand the pain. And think of all those MILLIONS of poor people who WILL suffer and die…if you don’t just sacrifice that one, tiny embryo!!!
In fact, let’s even take this a step further; imagine that it is YOUR child who will die if this tiny embryo isn’t killed? Would you be willing to accept the killing of a single embryo if it’s death would mean that your child could live? If we are pro-life Christians…we must fall to our knees, and through our tears say,
Our humanity lives and dies together. If we all must die, then we all must die…but we never sacrifice the one so that the many may live.
Jesus is the ONLY ONE who could do that for us…and He did it already! Because of THAT ONE SACRIFICE…we now have the courage and the fortitude to remain firm in our stance that EVERY LIFE IS PRECIOUS!
It boils down to this simple logic. Without GOD…without God’s LAW…without the recognition that ALL human life belongs to HIM…we do not have a leg to stand on with our pro-life arguments. We can reason, give facts and logic till we are blue in the face. We may even get the other side to acknowledge that, yes, it is a human life. They may even agree that it is tragic. But we cannot argue that it is never permissible to sacrifice a human life in order to benefit whatever is perceived to be the “greater good”…without God. We will lose every time.
So now I say, let’s be different! Let’s LOOK different! Let the world think we are dorks if they want to! At least they will recognize that we are playing by a different set of rules than the world! We are serving a different Master than they. And they are welcome to join us anytime! In fact, I noticed that, during our Sunday morning rosary walk downtown last Sunday, one man actually made the sign of the cross as he walked past us. A woman whispered “thank you” to us as she walked by. I said to Mary, who was walking beside me, “I feel like we are being SALT!” She agreed!
If you ever want to help us to “salt” our city on Sunday morning, we meet at St. Mary’s Church downtown at 9:30 am and get return to the church around 10:30. Jump in anytime!
YOUR PRAYERS are NEEDED on the sidewalk! We are struggling to maintain prayer coverage in front of Planned Parenthood on all abortion days. Next week we especially need help on Tuesday from 11:30-1:30 and 3:30-5:00. On Wednesday from 3:00-4:00 and on Friday (July 2nd) from 9:00 – 1:00. Also Saturday, July 3rd from 10:00-11:00 and from 2:00-3:00. Please contact me at nbruni@40daysforlifepgh.com if you can help!
I always appreciate your insight; it’s great to have that boost when I most need encouragement!
Wow, Nikki you described my beginning witnessing on the sidewalk perfectly. I still tell God not to listen to me grumbling. And may He help me to pray better