Luke, Chapter 1, verse 50:
His
mercy is from age to age to those who FEAR him.
Christ is King. We are to rejoice in life just
as Mary did in her Canticle of Praise when she entered the house of Zechariah.
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit
rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness;
behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One
has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is
from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm,
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from
their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with
good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel
his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our
fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
The Love of Life[2]
Love is not merely a feeling but is rather the desire for
the best possible good for those whom we love. Through our natural intelligence
and through Divine Revelation we become aware of the value of this most basic
of all gifts which is life. Mere reason leads us to comprehend that it is
better to be alive than never have had been in existence. The knowledge of the
value of life that comes through revelation leads us to understand better this
gift and to appreciate it: as a result, we worship and love more and more the
Giver of this gift. This love is what moves us to protect the life of the
unborn or any who might be unjustly treated. We are also led to protect women
that might feel tempted or forced to commit abortion, as we know the
devastating consequences that abortion will have in their lives.
Last but not least we have to love, even if most of them
seem to be utterly unlovable, the many perpetrators of abortion: medical
personnel, and pro-abortion activists and politicians. We have to do everything
that we can to convince them of their errors so that they repent and change
their ways, both for their own benefit and for the benefit of society. All
human beings are created in the image and likeness of God. Using a traditional
scholastic term, we can state that He is the exemplary cause of every human
being, in other words, He is the model on which all human beings are created. He
looked upon himself and wished that other beings would share in His own
happiness.
So, if we reflect upon ourselves, we can begin to
understand our participation in the greatness of our Creator. This
participation on His greatness leads us to comprehend that He has brought us
out of nothing with a purpose, because knowing His intelligence and His loving
nature it is clear that all His actions are always guided by a magnificent
purpose.
The first intention for which He has created us is that we
should enjoy for an eternity His loving company in Heaven. All human persons
are called to this eternal and loving company, no one is excluded, save those
who, through their own actions, exclude themselves. This manner of creation
brings us to understand the unique essential dignity of every human being. A
dignity that is not lost for any deprivation of the many external perfections
that we might expect to find in a human person. A person might be born with a
disability, or may suffer disability through injury or disease, but these
deprivations do not affect his basic dignity.
A Christian also has the hope that one day when the doors
of Paradise will be opened for those children, all their human imperfections
will be healed, and they will enjoy forever the beatific vision that we all
long for.
We are also created to be collaborators in the salvation of
the World. The Lord normally does not intervene directly in the world; He does
it through our free collaboration in his plans of salvation. He gives to us the
saving truths through Holy Scripture, our natural reason and the mediation of
the Church and we have to manifest them in our daily lives. If we love those
truths, we should be impelled to share them with all whom the Lord places in
front of us.
So, when we speak with love and conviction of those truths,
we cannot be accused of carrying out an exaggerated rhetoric when we defend
human life from its biological beginning until natural death. Nobody in his
right mind can call it "vitriolic rhetoric" when we denounce that
millions upon millions of unborn babies have been killed in the womb in the
U.S. and in the rest of the world. It is literally a question of life and
death, for the victim, for the mother of the baby and for the perpetrator of
abortion, assisted suicide or euthanasia. The victim will have his earthly life
terminated; the mother will suffer greatly for her actions, and the perpetrator
and the mother will live under the shadow of the unhappiness of having rejected
the loving truths of their Creator and certainly they will place their eternal
salvation in jeopardy. Our main solidarity has to be always with the victim of
the crime, because if the conscience of the nation is not moved by this growing
injustice, we know that a growing number will be victimized in the future. Our
solidarity is also with the mothers of those babies because often they have
been misled or forced into committing this terrible action.
Last
but not least we wish and pray that all abortionists will understand the
terrible consequences of their actions and be converted.
Roe vs. Wade[3] Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children
January 22 is the
anniversary of Roe v. Wade and the day established by the Church of
penance for abortion, has been formally named as the “Day of Prayer for the
Legal Protection of Unborn Children.” On this day your parish, school or
religious formation program may celebrate the Mass for Giving Thanks to God for
the Gift of Human Life. This Mass, found in our newly translated Missal, may
now be used on occasions to celebrate the dignity of human life. In addition to
this special Mass on this day, perhaps your parish, school or religious
formation program could encourage traditional forms of penance, host pro-life
and chastity speakers, lead informative projects that will directly build up
the culture of life, show a pro-life film, raise funds for local crisis
pregnancy centers or offer additional prayer services.
Attend Mass today.
Celebration of Life Day[4]
is when we take a step back and truly appreciate our children and
grandchildren. Granted, some may do this on an everyday basis, but it’s an
opportunity to look at our young ones’ lives from a different angle, think
about what it is that makes them truly special, and of course, to lavish treats
upon them if we so wish, be it an ice cream or a trip to Disneyland. It can be
easy to forget that our children and grandchildren are people in their own
right. You’ve helped them to discover themselves over the years, but you can’t
take all the credit. Their life choices are ultimately down to them; sometimes
they’ll do you proud, and other times, as is the case with us all, they’ll make
mistakes. So be the one who’s there to offer congratulations, or encouragement to
pick themselves up when they fall. And above all else, as cheesy as it may
sound, show that you love them.
Life First[5] 9 Days
for Life
9 Days for Life is a "digital
pilgrimage" of prayer and action focused on cherishing the gift of every
person's life. A multi-faceted novena highlighting a different intention each
day provides reflections, bonus information, and suggested actions. Join
to receive the novena through the 9 Days for Life app, daily emails, or daily
texts. See below for information on how else you can get involved! #9DaysforLife #OurPrayersMatter
WASHINGTON 22 January 2021- President Biden and Vice President Harris marked the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, which overturned all limiting restrictions on abortion across the nation, calling the decision an advancement of women’s rights and health. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities responded:
“It is deeply disturbing and tragic that any President would praise and commit to codifying a Supreme Court ruling that denies unborn children their most basic human and civil right, the right to life, under the euphemistic disguise of a health service. I take this opportunity to remind all Catholics that the Catechism states, ‘Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable.’ Public officials are responsible for not only their personal beliefs, but also the effects of their public actions. Roe’s elevation of abortion to the status of a protected right and its elimination of state restrictions paved the way for the violent deaths of more than 62 million innocent unborn children and for countless women who experience the heartache of loss, abandonment, and violence.
“We strongly urge the President to reject abortion and promote
life-affirming aid to women and communities in need.”
Day Four:
Intercession: May God’s peace fill the hearts of all who travel upon the path of adoption.
Prayers: Our Father, 3 Hail Mary’s, Glory Be
Reflection: The
Letter to the Hebrews reminds us to “hold fast to the hope that lies before us.
This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm” (Heb 6:18-19). Families
hoping to adopt children and mothers considering placing their children for
adoption often face many challenges along the way. We pray that all who are involved
in the adoption process would be filled with the hope of Christ and “the peace
of God that surpasses all understanding” (Phil 4:7). We also remember that we
too can cling fast to this anchor of hope, for we have received “a spirit of
adoption, through which we cry, ‘Abba, Father!’” (Rom 8:15). May our loving
Father envelop each of us in His love today and open our eyes of faith that we
may see and rejoice in His love.
Acts
of Reparation (Choose one.)
·
Do
you have a sweet tooth? Or do you prefer salty snacks? Pick your favorite kind
of treat, and give it up for the day.
·
Make
an act of faith, hope, or love (www.usccb.org/faith-hope-love).
·
Offer
some other sacrifice, prayer, or act of penance that you feel called to do for
today’s intention.
St. Vincent of
Saragossa[6]
I became acquainted with Saint Vincent during a time I was suffering with a half inch burst in the last disk in my back. I was almost paralyzed, and the pain was intense with a burning sensation below the knee on my left leg. I was considering treatment using a VAC-D table that was then a new treatment, yet I was hesitant. After reading the story of St. Vincent I asked for his help with my struggle-it then occurred to me to go get stretched on the rack, which VAC-D resembles as St. Vincent was. After 25 treatments my disk has now been healed and I have recovered to 90% before the rupture. I thank the intersession of St. Vincent.
Vincent of Saragossa was
one of the Church's three most illustrious deacons, the other two being Stephen
and Lawrence. He is also Spain's most renowned martyr. Ordained deacon by
Bishop Valerius of Saragossa, he was taken in chains to Valencia during the
Diocletian persecution and put to death. From legend we have the following
details of his martyrdom. After brutal scourging in the presence of many
witnesses, he was stretched on the rack; but neither torture nor blandishments
nor threats could undermine the strength and courage of his faith. Next, he was
cast on a heated grating, lacerated with iron hooks, and seared with hot metal
plates. Then he was returned to prison, where the floor was heavily strewn with
pieces of broken glass. A heavenly brightness flooded the entire dungeon,
filling all who saw it with greatest awe.
After this he was placed
on a soft bed in the hope that lenient treatment would induce apostasy, since
torture had proven ineffective. But strengthened by faith in Christ Jesus and
the hope of everlasting life, Vincent maintained an invincible spirit and
overcame all efforts, whether by fire, sword, rack, or torture to induce
defection. He persevered to the end and gained the heavenly crown of martyrdom.
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Increase in Religious and consecrated life.
· Saturday Litany of the Hours
Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
· Rosary
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