Doers of the Word

Today is the memorial for the Roe Vs. Wade decision. For most people, the day will come and go with little notice. They might happen to catch a news story, if there is one, but for the vast majority of Americans, this day is a non-event. It's just another Monday.

For the Respect Life Committee at my parish, this day is a big deal. Every year we hold a prayer service marking the event. My wife and I volunteered to lead the effort for our group this time around, and I think we have a pretty good service planned for this evening. We have some very talented people in our community so most of the work has been simply giving, for lack of a better term, marching orders to the people involved.

Our service will include some beautiful music, Benediction and exposition of the blessed sacrament, a candle lighting ceremony, a brief talk by our Deacon, and a litany for life. I will be making the opening speech, and I wanted to share it as I , well, was kind of pleased on how it came out. The author is the Holy Spirit. I simply type.

Good evening, and welcome to our annual prayer service marking the memorial of Roe versus Wade. Tonight we turn our hearts and our prayers to healing. Before we begin, please bow your heads and let us observe a simple moment of silence.

(pause for 48 seconds)

We’ve just observed a little less than a minute of silence, 48 seconds to be exact. That’s enough time for two abortions to have happened in America. There are 1,440 minutes in a day, and in each one of those minutes, on average, two abortions occur.

That stings.

It physically hurts our hearts doesn’t it?

Each of us in this church tonight probably knows someone whose life has been impacted by this national tragedy. We were drawn here tonight by our mutual recognition of the evil that abortion has brought to our culture, our community, and even into our own families. And while we gather tonight to be among friends and to worship together…to be among like-minded people… tonight is not about us.

This night is more for those who are not here. You see as Catholics, we have the healing sacraments of baptism, reconciliation, anointing of the sick, and Eucharist. We have the truth of the Gospel. We have the gift of faith. We have each other. Tonight let us unite our community in prayer for those who are outside of this communion of believers.

We are called by Christ not to be messengers of condemnation, but ministers of healing. We are called by Christ to be “doers” of the word. And so we are here tonight to do something for our brothers and sisters who are in need of healing. We are here tonight to do something for our nation in need of healing.

In just a moment, Deacon Hammes is going to lead us in Benediction of our most Blessed Sacrament. We are going to bring Christ before us in adoration. Tonight, as we kneel before Our Lord, let each us bring with us in thought and prayer someone we know who’s life has been some how impacted by the legalization of abortion in America. Maybe it’s a friend. Maybe it’s a brother or sister. Maybe it’s a son or daughter. Maybe it’s a neighbor’s kid.

Maybe it’s you.

As Deacon Hammes exposes the sacrament, bring these souls to Christ in your prayers. He wants to heal them. His mercy is big enough for all of them, and He directs us on how we are to participate in this healing process.

Listen to these beautiful words from scripture.

A reading from the book of James:

Is any one among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise.
Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.

The word of the Lord.

(Thanks be to God)

The prayer of the righteous has great power in its effects.

Yes, we need to lobby our legislators to change laws that promote death. Yes, my brothers and sisters, we need to elect officials who believe in the sanctity of life. These are good things…necessary things. But in between elections, we have something more powerful than human strength. We have prayer. We have the power of God, the love of Christ, and the action of the Holy Spirit.

Tonight, let us bring to Christ our nation, our loved ones, our friends, ourselves, and all those women who have no one to pray for them and who harbor their pain.

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So as you go through your day, try to remember that the world is missing about a third of a generation due to abortion on demand. Remember that the Supreme Court was swayed by two attornies with an agenda to push forward a distorted view of womens' rights. Remember that abortion is legal in all 50 states and in many it's legal through the ninth month of pregnancy.

Most of all...remember to pray. Pray for the day when your grandkids will be able to ask you,

"What did you do back when they were killing babies?"

And pray you have a good answer. Be a "doer" of the word.