We live in a culture that allows us to close our eyes to the pain of others. But what if we opened our eyes and hearts to the needs of our brothers and sisters around us?
A national pro-life movement called “40 Days for Life” begins tomorrow on September 28. If you have never had the chance to participate in the nation’s largest pro-life mobilization, this may be the opportunity for you! From their website: 40 Days…
“One morning in between breakfast and dishes, I felt from within a deep sense of purpose. I started thinking about the riders and their physical, emotional and spiritual sacrifices for the babies. That phrase “for the babies” struck such a chord with me, that I heard in my heart, “You can do these dishes, for the babies.” 5:00 AM wakeup call? For the babies. Hauling the laundry to the laundry room again? For the babies. Convincing the almost-two-year-old to eat that dinner I worked hard on (to no avail)? For the babies.”
We see brokenness in our world all the time; there’s no doubt about it. And most everyone desires to help someone in some way, whether we are Catholic, Lutheran, Christian, or anything else. We search for the greatest need and say, “There is where I want to give back.” Philosophers, teachers, rabbis, preachers, monks and nuns, inspirational speakers–all of them have offered their own insight to the world’s greatest need by how they dedicate their life. But to quote one of the most quotable humans of all time: “But I shall show you a still more excellent way.”
“Imagine if, instead of throwing up our hands at the distance between our capabilities and the power and preparation that a situation called for, we responded like Kevin did? With long, careful preparation of body and mind and spirit? To experience this complete dying to our weaknesses we do not experience until death; but, we can get a taste of it that can resonate across our whole physical and spiritual lives in the same way as Kevin’s.”
Holy Week is a beautiful time to unite our lives to the Cross so that our sufferings may be glorified through His Resurrection.
Please add our petitions to your personal prayers.
“When we reject life-giving things in favor of what is easy or “socially correct”, we aren’t choosing life. Better yet, we aren’t choosing Life. Let us all intentionally look at our reflections and our interactions with others through a Life-colored lens.”
“I know you recognize that we have a messy world, and that mess presents itself in different ways: poverty, starvation, hatred, abortion, sexual abuse, violence, conflict, divorce, loneliness. I think we each recognize that the world needs changing, but the real question is: What are YOU going to do about it?”
“If you went to the March for Life event this year, I sincerely say, “you rock!” But if you believe that is all you are called to do for the “pro-life” cause, then I am here to challenge you…Sweat, bleed, and hurt for the one who feels hopeless.”
“We are willing to hurt, to help, and we invite you to join us, one prayer, one pedal stroke, at a time! Eternity is worth the pain, especially when it hurts.”
In this first period of formation, the young adults:
With eyes now opened to the need and Christ-centered solutions of problems, these young adults are sent forth as “missionaries” into the rest of the formation program and into the rest of their lives, committing to live with the truth of the Gospel of life as the lens through which they see every relationship, every decision, and the world at large.
In this second period of formation, the missionaries
In this last period of formation, after the National Ride, missionaries
