Suggested Pro-Life Reflections for Day of the Unborn

8/2/2019 Suggested Pro-Life Reflections for Day of the Unborn

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Suggested Pro-Life Reflections for March 25 / The Feast of the Annunciation:

1. Source:http://www.preciouslife.com/?va=122&vb=212#Day33

Day 33 Devotional - Sunday 25th March

Intention:

Mary is troubled by the Angel Gabriels greeting, but still, Mary rejoices to do the

Lords Will. Let us pray that all mothers who conceive a child may place their trust in

God our Father, and know that the little one they have conceived, no matter what

circumstances were in place, should be nourished and protected.

Scripture:

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to Thy

Word.

- Luke 1: 38

Reflection:

Our mother is a model of correspondence to grace. If we contemplate her life, our

Lord will give us the light we need to divinize our everyday existence. Throughout

the year when we celebrate feasts dedicated to Mary, such as the Feast of Our Lady of

Guadalupe, and frequently on other days, we Christians can think of our Mother

Mary. If we take advantage of these moments, trying to imagine how she would

conduct herself in our circumstances, we will make steady progress in defeating the

culture of death in our own land.

The scene of the Annunciation is a very lovely one. Mary is recollected in prayer. She

is using all her senses and her faculties to speak to God. It is in prayer that she comes

to know the Divine Will. With prayer she makes it the life of her life. Do not forget

the example of our Mother Mary.

The Nativity story has all of the elements of a crisis pregnancy situation that one

might see in modern society. A young mother, hopeful about her future but unsure

what impact an unplanned pregnancy will have on it. A father who isnt quite ready to

become one. A couple who dont believe they have the resources or capacity to care

for a child they never expected.

In this trying time for our country and the world, with the promotion of abortion

reaching historic proportions across the world, the uplifting story of the birth of Jesus

brings us real hope for the future of our nation and an assurance that God has a plan.

Prayer:

Father, I need a place to rest my head, as the world can cause me so much distress and

worry about children who are as yet, unborn. Reflecting on the words of Our Lady,

Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to Thy Word, Mary

simply answered, Yes, Thy Will be done. Teach me to answer yes in every present

moment, so I may submit myself totally in trust to Your Divine Will in protecting the

little ones.
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I bring to You all mothers who are afraid because of their pregnancy; may You grant

them the courage to trust in Your Will, so they may choose Life and answer, Behold

the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to Thy Word. I make this prayer

through the wounds of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Eternal Father, I offer You the Body, the Blood, the Soul and the Divinity of Yourdearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins and the sins of the

whole world. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the

whole world. Amen.

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2. Source: http://unbornwordoftheday.com/2009/11/30/my-nine-month-journey-

with-my-mother-the-first-month/

MY NINE MONTH JOURNEY WITH MY MOTHERTHE FIRST MONTH

The Annunciation. c.1655 by Nicolas Poussin

I was conceived in Nazareth. The Angel Gabriel appeared to my mother, the Holy

Spirit came upon her and the Power of the Most High overshadowed her. (Luke 1:26-

38)

Meditation

The Incarnation is as much the world in which we live as the globe on which we

tread, with its earth, air, fire and water, its sun, moon and stars, its animal, vegetable

and mineral kingdoms. If we look at our souls, their present wants and eternal

expectations, their life, strength, health and maladies, the Incarnation is as

indispensable to them, and as indispensable every hour of the day, as the heat and

cold, the air and light, are to our natural subsistence..We live and move in the

Incarnation. We are what we are, through it. It covers us, underlies us, and is all

around us. It is incessantly affecting us in almost numberless ways, both within

and without. We cannot get beyond the reach of its blessed influence, even by

disbelieving it or dishonoring it. Father Faber(The Blessed Sacrament)

When we cast the mysteries of His Life into great groups and masses, we make HisLife threefold, Joyful, Suffering and Glorious. The most complete form is that which
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distinguishes eight lives in Him, HisUnborn Life, Infant Life, Hidden Life, Public

Life, Suffering Life, Risen Life, Ascended Life, and Sacramental Life. Into these

moulds the Incarnation pours itself, and comes out in forms and shapes of the most

surpassing beauty.Father Faber(Bethlehem, p.242)

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3. Source:http://unbornwordoftheday.com/2009/12/01/my-nine-month-journey-

with-my-mother-the-first-month-2/

MY NINE MONTH JOURNEY WITH MY MOTHERTHE FIRST MONTH

The Annunciation and then the angel left her- by Geraldine Farrell

My mother said yes and the Holy Spirit overshadowed her although I was

miraculously conceived, I began life as one cell just like any other unborn baby. And

then the angel Gabriel left her she had become my mother.

Meditation

The following reflections are from Cardinal Brulle 1575-1629 (founder of the French

School of Theology). Some of the most notable followers of the French School were

St. Louis de Montfort, St. John Eudes, and Father Jean-Jacques Olier.

Stuttering rather than speaking, this is what we can say about things that so greatly

surpass the human mind and even the angelic mind. These are the first thoughts of the

incarnate Word. This is the first conversation of Jesus in the Virgin. This is the

Virgins first contemplation, or better yet, this is the Virgins first ecstasy before the

Son of God made Son of Man in her. p. 166

The Virgin is involved with Jesus and she is the only one in the whole world

involved with Jesus. Thus she is the only one in the whole world adoring the mystery

of the Incarnation, which was brought about on earth for the earth but unknown to theearth. She is the only one adoring Jesus. The more that she is the only one captivated
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by such a great subject, the greater is her involvement. She is devoted to it with all her

faculties. All her senses are brought to bear on it, for it is a tangible mystery and

tangible within her. All her senses should pay homage to her God made tangible for

human nature. Her whole mind is concentrated on it. And the Spirit of Jesus, which

enlivens this little divinized body, enlivens the spirit and body of the Virgin as well,

through grace, love and a holy, gentle influence.

p. 164

Brulle and the French School: selected writings By Pierre de Brulle, edited by

William M. Thompson

The following is a footnote by William M. Thompson

The authors of the French School were so struck by the humiliation and sublime

grandeur of Jesus living in Marys womb that they counted his time on earth from the

moment of conceptionBrulle implies that Nazareth and not Bethlehem is where

the first birth of Jesus occurs. It is fascinating to note that, although he intended to

write about all of Jesus thirty-four years on earth, Brulles Life of Jesus, through itsthirty chapters, never moves beyond the nine months of gestation. p. 187

Brulle and the French School: selected writings By Pierre de Brulle, edited by

William M. Thompson

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not enougha sublime miracle of the first order performed by none other than the

Embryonic Christ Child! What a chapter!

When was the last time you visited this first chapter of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? It

behooves every Christian to know it well. Pregnancy is best understoodwith all due

respect to the dignified practice of Obstetrics and Gynecologyfirst and foremost asa sacred mystery in the ever unfolding litany of the creative acts of our Loving God.

Today pregnancy has become a hot potato, a political football because a jaded

class of sophisticates believe that ending a life in the womb is better than engendering

love within the heart. Our world todayand the Church todayneed (more than

ever) the first chapter of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, written they say, by a doctor

Chapter Two is just as good if not betterit leaves you on your knees worshipping a

little newborn Baby!

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5. Source:http://unbornwordoftheday.com/2010/12/05/what-does-my-little-

savior-look-like-first-trimester/

WHAT DOES MY LITTLE SAVIOR LOOK LIKE? FIRST TRIMESTER

Painting from Gemaldegalerie Berlin

On this Day of the Unborn Childkeeping in mind the pregnant Virgin Mary and her

growing unborn babythis is a good time to ask, What does our little Savior look

like?

The Zygote Christ Childis a mere one cell and you cant even see Him. Thiscornerstone cell of the Christ Childs Body is a male human living cell with 46

chromosomes. Jesus at this one cell stage is literally bursting with Grace! This is the

grace of union, when the Son of God assumed a human nature from His very

conception, which St. Thomas Aquinas taught was the source of every other

grace. He is One Cell and one with us.

The Blastocyst Christ Childat about one week development now consists of more

than 100 cells; a one hundredfold blessing for humanity. He is implanted into the

lining of Marys womb and is clearly focused on His Incarnation Mission.

The Embryonic Christ Childis between 1/12 to 1/6 of an inch in length (around 4weeks gestation). He is the least among us but has the most to give! His primitive
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Sacred Heart is beating for love, a tempo that this world has never heard before, with

a meaning that will take a life time to comprehend. (Memo to Mary: Your little baby

has taken charge of this redemptive pregnancy already, sending chemical-hormonal

messages from His body to yoursthank you Mary for passing on essential nutrients

to your Embryonic Christ Child, you are building up His tiny body and preparing Him

for His Redemptive Mission.)

The Fetus Christ Child(around 8 weeks gestation) is 1 to 1 2/3 inches in length

and weighs about 1/3 ounce. He is not heavy, He is our brother, in solidarity with all

unborn children, embracing our humanity in His body and Soul. In proportion to the

rest of His rapidly growing body, Christs head and heart are very big; He knows us

and loves us. His Sacred Heart beats at about 140 beats per minute.

As His First Trimester ends, Unborn Jesus shows extraordinary signs of typicalgrowth for an unborn baby. All vital organs are fully formed, His hair is growing, you

can count the fingers on His hand and His finger nails are growing too! See each ear

taking on its final shape and the iris forming in His eye. Incline thy ear, O Lord, andhear; open thy eyes, O Lord, and see.(Isaiah 37:17) In the buoyant liquid

environment in which He grows, Unborn Jesus is showing not just a walking

reflex but vigorously stretches His limbs and can even be seen leaping.

Behold, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills.

My beloved is like a gazelle, or a young stag.

Behold, there he stands behind our wall,

gazing in at the windows, looking through the lattice. Song of Songs 2:8-9

Maestro Francesco, XIII century

Madonna Platytera fra tre santi , Venezia, Scuola di S.

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6. Source:http://unbornwordoftheday.com/2011/11/14/the-incarnation-gift-to-

humanity/

THE INCARNATIONGIFT TO HUMANITY

Meister des Marienlebens Annunciation

Sometimes words such as gift and giving like the word love seem over-used,

employed too often and too superficially, thus inclined to have their true meaning and

intent eroded. But to call the Incarnation a gift from God is not only appropriate, it

is almost understatement. Consider this observation by John Paul II:

The conception and birth of Jesus Christ are in fact the greatest work

accomplished by the Holy Spirit in the history of creation and salvation: the

supreme gracethe grace of union, source of every other grace, as St.

Thomas explains.(# 50 The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Church and the World)

Here is a very rough paraphrase: The Incarnation of Jesus Christ is the supreme gift

given by God to humanity.

John Paul goes on to say of the Incarnation that it is the source of every other

graceand every other Divine gift. Later in the same document, John Paulelaborates on this concept further:
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Creation is thus completed by the Incarnation and since that moment is permeated

by the powers of the Redemption, powers which fill humanity and all

creation.#52

As we approach Easter, we know that it is a day to thank God for His plenteous and

overflowing gifts, especially the gift of the Risen Jesus. What better place to beginour thanksgiving recollection than in Nazareth?

In the time of Christ there was a rather dismissive popular expression: Can anythinggood come out ofNazareth? (Jn 1:46)

Yes we might respond, All Good the supreme grace of God, the true powers

of the Redemption filling humanity to overflowing, grace upon grace, andenduring

hope!

Meister des Marienlebens Annunciation(Detail with Unborn Jesus)

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7. Source:http://unbornwordoftheday.com/2011/10/17/we-are-people-of-life-and-

for-life-archbishop-gomez/

WE ARE PEOPLE OF LIFE AND FOR LIFE ARCHBISHOP GOMEZ

(The following column by Los Angeles Archbishop Jos Gomez appeared in the

Friday, Oct. 7, issue of the archdiocesan newspaper The Tidings)
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Blessed John Paul II said that as Christians we are called to be people of life and for

life.

Our religion, in a beautiful and mysterious way, is deeply identified with human

life. What other world religion remembers the time when its founder was in his

mothers womb?

Yet in our sacred Scriptures, we preserve the story of Jesus conception, his birth,

and even some events from his early childhood. We retell these stories in our worship,

year after yearat Christmas time, in feasts like the Annunciation. We remember

the name of Jesus mother in our confession of faith, when we say Jesus was born ofthe Virgin Mary.

Biblical religion is a religion in which family and children, and the promise of

children, plays a big role.

Think of the stories of Abraham and Sarah and Gods promise to give them a son.Think of Gods words to the prophet Jeremiah:Before I formed you in the womb,

I knew you.

Again and again in the salvation history we read in the Bible, Gods plan is enacted

through a woman who is with child. Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son

God loved us so much that he entered into this world as each one of us did

through the womb of a mother.

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta used to love the Gospel story of the Visitation.

She always pointed to this detailhow St. John the Baptist leapt in St. Elizabeths

womb when Mary walked into the room.

She said: Something very beautiful, something very wonderful happened. The

first human being to recognize the presence of Jesus was the little one in the

womb of his motherwho leaped with joy. It is so beautiful to think that God

gave that little unborn child the greatness of proclaiming the presence of Jesus

on earth.

Clickhere to read the rest of his statement.
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