Save the Humans

I can remember being a freshman in high school, hearing the word “abortion,” and having no idea what it was. I was walking through the streets of Washington DC with hundreds of thousands of other people. They were chanting and waving signs and praying fervently. My toes were freezing and I would’ve sworn two of them had actually fallen off. As my boots trucked through the snow, I began to wonder how and why I was there.

I had signed up on this trip with my youth group because I’d never been to DC before and I wanted to explore. Needless to say, this experience wasn’t quite what I was expecting. I had pictured our tour group being, you know, under 200,000 people. If you asked me what I thought of Roe v. Wade, I would’ve told you I wasn’t into MMA. I didn’t know the lingo. I didn’t realize that this abortion crisis existed. However, I knew it was important because masses of people had all decided to walk in the snow with me.

Many of you may have just had a similar experience this January. You may have gone to DC for the annual march, participated in one in a city closer to you, or seen about it on social media. If you did, there’s a good chance you felt motivated to “get involved” and “make a difference.” That’s how I felt.

By the time I went home from my trip, I felt like my eyes had been opened. Eventually, this would become an issue I cared very deeply about. Over the next few years I gave speeches to my classmates on the topic, participated in prayer vigils, and even returned to DC to march again. At times, though, I wondered if I was even making a difference at all.

It can be easy to believe that we can’t make a difference. “Well, it’s up to the Supreme Court. There’s nothing I can do so I’ll do just that: nothing.”

Well, this is partially true. Unless one of you makes it onto the Supreme Court, you may not get an actual “vote” on this particular issue. But please don’t accept that you are powerless!

I know it seems like this issue is so huge and you are so small, but there are so many things you can do to make a difference. Listen to Blessed Mother Teresa’s advice:

“Don’t look for big things, just do small things with great love.”

Forty Days for Life is happening right now, and it is a movement that helps communities make impacts on this issue on a local level. You don’t have to travel all the way to DC to stand up for life. You can save lives right in the town you live in. Forty Days for Life has several ways to make a difference, and you’re capable of all of them.

The first one is to pray. Pray for all of the unborn babies. Pray for the women, men, and families that have been hurt from abortion. Pray for all those considering an abortion. Pray for all those who advocate for abortion and practice abortions. Pray as much as you can.

Forty Days for Life encourages all of it’s members to participate in prayer and fasting, which you should be used to by now since we’re in Lent! Offer things up for this special intention.

You could also take part in one of the Prayer Vigils. These peaceful, 24/7 prayers take place outside of abortion clinics, busy intersections, city halls, courthouses, etc. You can find out where these are being done near you at 40daysforlife.com.

This is a beautiful way to answer God’s call to pray without ceasing. However, as Christians we’re also called to act. Being contemplative and trusting in the power of prayer is crucial, but God is also asking us to be bold in our actions. We can only do this if we pray.

Blessed Mother Teresa once said, “I used to believe that prayer changes things. Now I know that prayer changes us and we change things.”

You can make a difference. Forty Days for Life empowers people to share the pro-life message with the world. You could use your social media sites, wear a bracelet, put a bumper sticker on your car, or put up a sign on your lawn. You could help distribute flyers and information to raise awareness. You could take part in some of the local displays that are set up in heavily trafficked areas in the hopes of starting peaceful dialogue with people who may not otherwise get the message.

These are all important, but none of them will matter if you don’t do them with love. During this annual 40 Days for Life, remember to be joyful. Let your own life show why life is a precious gift. Treat others with dignity and respect. Rely on God, the giver of all life, to change the hearts and the minds of the people you encounter. Be Christ to everyone. Introduce them to Jesus, and let Him do the hard work. Be a vessel. Be a saint. From one sinner to another, you can do it.

Be God’s.

Image by Elvert Barnes, CC 2.0, Logo Added

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