During my prayer time at Womancare this past week, my thoughts were drawn towards the reality of the circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus. In obedience to the civil authority (Caesar Augustus), Mary and Joseph journeyed the 80 miles or so from Nazareth to Bethlehem. This would be no big deal except that Mary was due to deliver her Child any day and traveling 2000 years ago posed significant challenges to a pregnant woman. When they arrived, Bethlehem was packed with others “returning home” and they could find no lodging. How insensitive the people of that time appeared to me, not willing to give up a bed for a very pregnant woman. I thought of how God blessed His creatures, the lowly animals, by His Son being born in their presence and how Heaven exploded with great joy as the angels sang out their alleluias. Finally, I reflected on how distressed Herod “and all Jerusalem with him” at the news of a new born king. I wondered why all Jerusalem would be distressed. They should have been happy at the news of the arrival of the Messiah, after waiting for Him for millenia. Perhaps they feared a disruption of the status quo. Maybe they had achieved peace in their time with the Roman occupation forces and didn't want to rock the boat. I thought how fickle people are. Of course, we should know that. Just look at the sea change in the opinion polls regarding Jesus' popularity from the time He entered Jerusalem amid acclamation to His Death on Good Friday, five days later.
So we should remain at peace while we pray at Womancare, often as solitary figures, one hour at a time. We follow a Master who was mostly rejected by the people of His time and even to the present time. Sadly, many of the people who reject His Teachings say they are His followers. But they have reached an accommodation with abortion and they don't want to rock the boat.
Thank you for coming out and being a witness to Jesus Christ's Gospel of life. We are in better shape for the coming week than we were a week ago; thank you, dedicated prayer participants who have committed to times. But we still have open hours (especially Saturday afternoon and Sunday early evening). If you are a night owl, we have open hours in the wee hours of Sunday, nice opportunity for some quiet time with God. Also of the hours that have been filled, most have only one person signed up (two or more are preferred, in Jesus' Name).
We are now on Facebook and have posted some pictures of our Fall campaign on Facebook (40 Days for Life Southfield) and on our website (under eCommunity, then photo albums)
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