Morning Reading: Luke 4.38-41 NLT – healing

Reading: Luke 4.38-41 NLT

After leaving the synagogue that day, Jesus went to Simon’s home, where he found Simon’s mother-in-law very sick with a high fever. “Please heal her,” everyone begged. Standing at her bedside, he rebuked the fever, and it left her. And she got up at once and prepared a meal for them.

healing rainAs the sun went down that evening, people throughout the village brought sick family members to Jesus. No matter what their diseases were, the touch of his hand healed every one. Many were possessed by demons; and the demons came out at his command, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But because they knew he was the Messiah, he rebuked them and refused to let them speak.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, giver of life and health: Comfort and relieve your sick servants, and give your power of healing to those who minister to their needs, that those for whom our prayers are offered may be strengthened in their weakness and have confidence in your loving care; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Spiritual Song: “Healing Rain” – Michael W Smith (YouTube)

Re-post: Preaching on Abortion- Fr. Frank Pavone

Preaching on Abortion

Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director of Priests for Life

10/13/1997

Because of my full-time position as National Director of Priests for Life, I have preached on abortion every day since 1993 in every state of the country. I have carefully watched the reaction of God’s people, and have attentively listened to their comments.

The two remarks that best summarize the response of the people to a clear and compassionate homily on abortion are “Thank you” and “We need to hear more of this.”

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I cannot count the letters and emails that come into our Priests for Life office from people who want to hear their priest preach more about this topic. These letters come from attorneys, doctors, police officers, judges–in fact, from people of every profession and walk of life. They even come from children.

Priests for Life conducts training seminars for clergy to help them discover their own fears and hesitations about preaching on abortion. One of our publications is Fathers, Let’s Face our Fears about Abortion, and identifies twenty-two of the most common fears.

One of them is the fear of hurting those in the congregation who have had abortions. Yet this fear overlooks the fact that silence hurts them more.
Continue reading “Re-post: Preaching on Abortion- Fr. Frank Pavone”