With Lots of Caffeine and Love

Happy Saturday!
I've been up since 5:40 a.m. today, and it's been one of the best decisions ever. In fact, I'm kicking myself that I haven't done this in a while. I'm definitely running on lots of caffeine and love today...Why would I wake up at such a crazy early hour on a Saturday morning? After all, sleep is a wonderful thing. Enjoying a leisurely breakfast is a fantastic activity. Even though friends of mine sacrifice these things weekly, why should I do the same?
To stand at Calvary.
According to the great Msgr. Reilly (who I am convinced will be canonized someday!), when we travel to the abortion clinic, we do not go to judge, name-call, stare, or yell--but instead, to be with Mary and John at the foot of the Cross, as Jesus suffers in His passion. We are there to be with the babies as they die, to pray for them and their families, for healing and conversion of hearts. 

When we go to the clinic, we shouldn't just stand on the sidewalk and stare at the women as they walk in, or yell at them. Msgr. Reilly teaches a great way to be at the clinic prayerfully: standing (or kneeling) in small, inward-turned circles across the sidewalks. We really aren't supposed to turn and look at the women and the escorts; we aren't there to gawk. It's all up to God. In fact, when we are as focused as we should be, we can't tell how many women are going into the clinic or anything (the counselors tell us later). We are intercessors, praying for the healing of the women, the escorts, the abortionists, the fat
hers, the babies. We aren't there to forcefully push women away; we are there to love them and witness to the beauty of life--the counselors are the ones who walk, praying and talking with the women.

Basically, what I feel like sometimes...

Pretty much my whole freshman year, I was super-dedicated in this ministry. Every Saturday, usually on a couple hours of sleep, I'd get over to Pittsburgh with other students and pray at the clinic-wind, snow, heat, etc. Sophomore year got crazy, and I did it only a couple of times. This year, I'm sad to say that I only went to the clinic once or twice during the first semester. One of my high school religion teachers once told us the  meaning of BUSY: Being Under Satan's Yoke. Unfortunately, I have let myself become BUSY over time. And then I went today. Seriously, Jacob and I have busy schedules and lives, but I am so glad that we sacrificed to go today! And we are going to make a concerted effort to go more often.

Satan is not happy about abortion-clinic ministry, and we must persevere! 

Today, the clinic was, sadly, pretty busy. A counselor told us that quite a few younger women were going in. One of our counselors is a sweet, super nice senior girl. As she approached women, in an effort to talk with them, the abortion clinic escorts started to bang metal shovels on the ground and ice really loudly, trying to drown out the counselor's words. This particular counselor later mentioned to us that "I'm really not that scary!" Yet it seems that the escorts had some sort of fear--why else would they try to drown out her words? What were they afraid of?
The Truth.
The counselor wanted to bring forth the Truth and Love to these hurting women. The devil knows that, and he hates it! Hearing the banging and clattering of shovels while we prayed, it seems that the devil was frantically trying to stop our message. Whatever, we're not stopping anytime soon!

So the First Shift (FUS has shifts of students all day at the clinic) was a bit discouraging. We know that God reigns triumphant, but the devil was really kicking up with fury. Still, are we to lose hope? Should we worry?

Later, I got on my e-mail, and what do I see? An e-mail from Kansans for Life, titled "CONFIRMED SAVE." Even though we didn't see many fruits to our prayers and sacrifices early this morning, God was at work! Not only was He working in peoples' hearts, but He brought forth a miracle in Wichita, KS--a teenage girl deciding not to have an abortion! 

The Gospel for tomorrow (Sunday) is super fantastic, completely epic. Here's the final few lines:
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given you besides.
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Sufficient for a day is its own evil.

Yeah, he's cool.
And soon-to be canonized!!!!

We do not need to worry or be anxious when we see the many women go into the clinic. It's super sad, and we need to bring that heavy burden to Christ. But we must rejoice as well-He has won the victory, and His truth will reign! It is so vital to live in the present moment, to be attentive to God's blessings, and to trust Him! Definitely a life-long work in progress, but we need to keep trying. And we need to stand for life. Everyone needs to pray for those affected by abortion, and people need to get out there to the clinic. We need people to stand for life. We need people to pray with Mary and John at the foot of the Cross.

"The Gospel of life is for the whole of human society. To be actively pro-life is to contribute to the renewal of society through the promotion of the common good. It is impossible to further the common good without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all the other inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop."~Bl. John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae