Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children: 22 Jan – Is 49:1, 3, 5-6, 13-15; Ps 139: 1-3, 13-15; Mt 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

January 22 marks the 42nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal throughout the U.S. Since that tragic decision, more than 56 million children’s lives have been lost to abortion, and many suffer that loss – often in silence. Join thousands of Christians across the country to pray for a “culture of life!”

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

Opening sentences:

O God, source of all life and goodness, You fashion human lives in Your image and likeness, and through Your love, give each human life dignity, sanctity and priceless worth; awaken in every heart new reverence for the least of Your children, and renew among Your people a readiness to nurture and sustain Your precious gift of human life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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A Reading from the Old Testament: Is 49:1, 3, 5-6, 13-15 (NLT)

Listen to me, all you in distant lands! Pay attention, you who are far away! The Lord called me before my birth; from within the womb he called me by name.
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He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, and you will bring me glory.”
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And now the Lord speaks — the one who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant, who commissioned me to bring Israel back to him. The Lord has honored me, and my God has given me strength. He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
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Sing for joy, O heavens! Rejoice, O earth! Burst into song, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on them in their suffering. Yet Jerusalem says, “The Lord has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us.” “Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!
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A Reading from the Psalms: Ps 139:1-3, 13-15 (NLT)

Life matters http://hopeafterabortion.com/ — Life matters
http://hopeafterabortion.com/

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up.You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.
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You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous — how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
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A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14 (NLT)

About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

“And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.
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Prayers of Intercession

God is the author of life. In Him we place our trust and hope as we pray:

+ For the mother who awakens each morning with the memory of abortion fresh in her mind … Lord, have mercy
+ For the father whose child died with his cooperation and consent … Lord, have mercy
+ For the parents who influenced their child’s choice to abort their grandchild … Lord, have mercy
+ For the doctors, nurses and counselors who work at abortion facilities … Lord, have mercy
+ For scientists and pharmaceutical employees who manufacture abortifacient drugs … Lord, have mercy
+ For those whose work involves promoting abortion and contraceptive use … Lord, have mercy
+ For elected leaders who oppose any restriction on the abortion license … Lord, have mercy
+ For an end to legal abortion in our nation and for the conversion of all hearts … Lord, have mercy
+ For repentance, healing and peace for those involved in abortion in any way … Lord, have mercy

God our Creator, Lord and Redeemer of mankind, we give thanks to You, who alone have the power to impart the breath of life as You form each of us in our mother’s womb; You alone have the power to forgive sins against human life, and to heal the wounds caused by these sins; grant the prayers we have placed before You, and grant that we, Your children, will place all our trust in Your Divine Mercy so that the world and all its inhabitants may be saved. Through Christ our Lord.
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Benediction:

To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Rev 1:5-6)

+ 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.

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.

[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.

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday: Genesis 1:26-28, 31; Psalm 139:13-16; 1 John 1:5-10; Matthew 25:34-40 ~ be a voice

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

Opening sentence:

Spread love everywhere you go: First of all in your own house… let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.

Each one of them is Jesus in disguise. (Mother Theresa)

A Reading from the Old Testament: Genesis 1:26-28, 31 (NLT)

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”
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Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!

A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 139:13-16 (NLT)

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

Reflection:

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A Reading from the Letters of John: 1 John 1:5-10 (NLT)

This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

Reflections:

Dear friend,

I would like to personally welcome you to Rachel’s Vineyard!

If the emotional and spiritual wounds of a past abortion have been sapping faith, love and joy from your life, I can promise, that if you enter this process for healing, your life will begin to change.

A journey into Rachel’s Vineyard is a gift only you can open your heart to receive. The spiritual process of reconciliation with yourself, with God and your lost child will truly result in wholeness and freedom and a difference you will be able to feel inside your heart. This healing process will give you a deeper compassion for yourself. It’s also a journey that will give you a new appreciation of your strength and courage.

By traveling a path of healing in Rachel’s Vineyard, you will experience an end to isolation, despair and hopelessness. You will have the potential to revisit abandoned goals and dreams, and articulate your truest and deepest desires for your future.

Whatever your fears or hesitations may be, I encourage you to take the steps toward receiving the healing and peace that you deserve. Rachel’s Vineyard provides a tried and true journey that over 100,000 women and men have traveled. You can be confident that there are wonderful people in Rachel’s Vineyard who are ready and eager to accompany you.

You are not alone. A new chapter of your life awaits you. Take courage, God is calling you towards peace, love, hope, and freedom.

Dr. Theresa Burke
Founder, Rachel’s Vineyard Ministries

A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 25:34-40 (NLT)

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’”

Reflection:

At the end of our lives, We will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made or how many great things we have done. We will be judged by ‘I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless and you took me in’. Mother Theresa

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

Sanctity of Life Sunday Readings: Psalm 139.13-17 NLT – made by God

Psalm 139.13-17 NLT – Made by God

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!

Genesis 1:26-28 NLT – Made like God

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 NLT – Made for God

“Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. For I command you this day to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.

“But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!

You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the LORD, you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

John 10:10 NLT – Made for Life

“My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

Matthew 25:40 NLT – “Precious to God”

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’”
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Prayer for Changing the Culture by Fr. Frank Pavone, M.E.V.

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we come into your presence in His name. We have heard the voice of your Son, and therefore we can make our voices heard. We have been justified in the blood of your Son, and therefore we can oppose every form of injustice.

We have repented of our sins, and therefore we can lead the sinner to repentance. We have done battle with the power of evil, and therefore we can have compassion on those still within its grip. We have been freed from the kingdom of darkness, and therefore we can bear witness to your Kingdom of Light.

Lord, as we come before you today, we repent, we resolve, and we rejoice.

We repent of every instance in which fear has made us silent when we should have spoken. We repent of the ongoing bloodshed in our land, and for ever daring to think that we can deprive the unborn of protection but keep it for ourselves.

We resolve that we will work more generously to advance your Kingdom. We resolve that we will advance the cause of righteous candidates for public office, and that we will be more afraid of offending you by our silence than of offending the IRS by our speech. We resolve that we will declare boldly to our people that no public official who fails to respect the life of a little baby can be trusted to respect our lives.

Father, today we rejoice, because we are not simply working for victory – we are working from victory. The victory of life, truth, and grace has been won by your Son’s death and Resurrection. Today we hear his voice again. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I hold the keys of death and of hell. Behold, I make all things new.”

Father, we rejoice that we have been made new, and as we work to renew our culture we look forward to the great day of his coming, When every eye will see him, even of those who pierced him, and every knee shall bend, and every tongue confess, to the glory of God the Father, JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!

In his Blessed Name we pray. Amen!
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Spiritual Song: “He Knows My Name” (YouTube)

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