Tag: abortion

Holy Innocents, Martyrs, 28 December – Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:13-18 ~ silent no more

Holy Innocents, Martyrs

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Opening Sentence

Let us adore the new-born Christ: today he has given the Holy Innocents the martyrs’ crown.

Hymn: “All Glory, Laud, and Honor”

Morning Reading: Jeremiah 31:15 NLT

This is what the Lord says: “A cry is heard in Ramah— deep anguish and bitter weeping. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted— for her children are gone.”

Morning Reading: Matthew 2:13-18 NLT

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The Triumph of the Innocents William Holman Hunt, 1883-4 The Tate Museum

After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”

Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: “A cry was heard in Ramah— weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.”

Morning Prayer

Lord Jesus, even at Your birth, You met with the hatred of men, and children were the first to suffer for Your sake. We proclaim our trust in You:

+ As You were persecuted, so will be Your brothers. Lord Jesus, we look to You for help.
+ You committed no sin: yet You, like us, were called to suffer. Help us to take up our cross and follow You.
+ The Holy Innocents were Your silent witnesses: may we proclaim You to others by word and deed. Speak, Lord, to us and through us.
+ As a child You were persecuted and driven into exile: save all the children of men, in exile or under persecution. Save, too, the children as yet unborn.

Lord God, the Holy Innocents bore witness to You not by speaking but by dying. Grant that the faith we proclaim in words may be borne out by deeds. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Hymn: “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name “ – Michael W Smith

Canticle

Now then, you kings, act wisely! Be warned, you rulers of the earth! Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities— for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him! (Psalms 2:10-12 NLT)

Blessing

“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”  (Jude 24-25)

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

9 Things You Should Know About Down Syndrome ~ Reblog | The Gospel Coalition

9 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT DOWN SYNDROME
Joe Carter, OCT 07, 2014

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. Here are nine things you should know about the condition.

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1. Down syndrome occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21. This additional genetic material alters the course of development and causes the characteristics associated with Down syndrome.

2. Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring chromosomal condition. The Centers for Disease Control in 2011 estimated the frequency of Down syndrome in the U.S. is 1 in 691 live births

3. Down syndrome is named after the English doctor, John Langdon Down, who was the first to categorize the common features of people with the condition.

4. A few of the common physical traits of Down syndrome are low muscle tone, small stature, an upward slant to the eyes, and a single deep crease across the center of the palm. Every person with Down syndrome is a unique individual and may possess these characteristics to different degrees or not at all.

5. People with Down syndrome are significantly predisposed to certain medical conditions including congenital heart defects, sleep apnea, and Alzheimer’s disease. There is also evidence of an increased risk of celiac disease, autism, childhood leukemia, and seizures. It is rare for a person with Down syndrome to have a solid tumor cancer or cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke.

6. Life expectancy for people with Down syndrome has increased dramatically in recent decades – from 25 in 1983 to 60 today. The dramatic increase to 60 years is largely due to the end of the practice of institutionalizing people with Down syndrome.

7. All people with Down syndrome experience cognitive delays, but the effect is usually mild to moderate and is not indicative of the many strengths and talents that each individual possesses.

8. Approximately 67 percent of prenatal diagnoses for Down syndrome result in an abortion, according to estimated pregnancy termination rates from 1995-2011.

9. Mothers of individuals with Down syndrome typically exhibit better psychological well-being profiles in comparison to mothers of individuals with other intellectual and developmental disabilities. There is extensive evidence that mothers of young children with Down syndrome experience lower levels of stress, more extensive and satisfying networks of social support, less pessimism about their children’s future, and they perceive their children to have less difficult temperaments. A major study also found that divorce rates were lower (7.6 percent) for families of children with Down syndrome as compared to 10.8 percent in the population group with non-disabled children and 11.25 percent for families of children with other congenital birth defects.

See also: Down Syndrome Resources For New and Expecting Parents

[Image credit: Noah’s Dad] 

Joe Carter is an editor for The Gospel Coalition and the co-author of How to Argue Like Jesus: Learning Persuasion from History’s Greatest Communicator. You can follow him on Twitter.

19 Beautiful Reminders Why Americans March for Life Today – Reblog

Today, tens of thousands of people from around the country will gather in Washington to brave the cold for a cause they believe in. Some are marching for the first time, and others have been traveling to the nation’s capital since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973. For the 41st year, they’ll meet again for the same reason — the sanctity of life.

We’re also celebrating life today, and we hope you will, too. Here are 19 moving reminders of the beauty of new life:

>>> Learn more: “How to Speak Up for Life,” produced by Heritage in collaboration with Alliance Defending Freedom, Americans United for Life, Concerned Women for America, Focus on the Family, March for Life Education and Defense Fund, and the Susan B. Anthony List Education Fund

Pro-Life Strong in New York

roe v wadeNever give up. Never, ever, give up. Because, in the end, God wins!

Biltrix's avatarBiltrix

“Just two days after Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, voiced his opinion that those who value a “right to life” have no place in the state, Cardinal Dolan made clear faithful Catholics in New York will continue to join with ecumenical allies in making the state more hospitable to the unborn, helping mothers and fathers to love and provide for their children.” — National Review Online

On Sunday, January 19, Cardinal Timothy Dolan celebrated the Archdiocese’s Pro-Life Mass with over 2,000 present at St. Patrick’s Cathedral to begin what the Cardinal referred to as “Pro-Life week.”

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