Tomorrow marks the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.  Abortion was made legal on January 22, 1973 in this country.  Since that time, there have been millions of innocent unborn babies murdered, and many women emotionally and even physically destroyed by abortion.  

9 Days For Life is a digital pilgrimage by the USCCB, (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops), which brings people from all over our country to prayer for an end to abortion and for respect for life.  There are many resources on the USCCB website to help you understand what this is about and to use to assist you if you choose to join in.  

Beginning today, we who participate in 9 Days For Life, begin a Novena to end abortion.  A novena is simply a period of prayer lasting nine consecutive days.  Novena comes from the Latin novem which means nine.  Novenas are an ancient Christian tradition.  Specific prayers are said on nine consecutive days to obtain intercessions from our Lord and are often dedicated to a specific angel, saint, a specific Marian title of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or it invokes one of the personages of the Holy Trinity.  It is important to mention that when a prayer is said to a saint, or angel or the Blessed Mother, we are asking them to also pray to God for us for the intercession we are in need of.  Only the Holy Trinity has the power to grant us anything.  These novenas are prayed with faith, devotion and humility.  We ask the angels and saints to pray for us because they have already attained heaven and are therefore much holier than we are.  During a novena, we also pray for all those who are participating in the novena.  

Go to 9 Days For Life and obtain  the novena prayers each day, or download them all right away. You can even sign up to receive a text or an email to participate or download the app.  Below are some links to the USCCB site that you may find helpful. 

Today’s intention is below.  Click the image and you will be taken to Day 1 on the USCCB website.

Matt. 18:1-6,10-14  At this time the disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?’ So he called a little child to him whom he set among them.  Then he said, ‘In truth I tell you, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.  And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.  ‘Anyone who welcomes one little child like this in my name welcomes me.  But anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith in me would be better drowned in the depths of the sea with a great millstone round his neck.

‘See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.  ‘Tell me. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays; will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray?  In truth I tell you, if he finds it, it gives him more joy than do the ninety-nine that did not stray at all.   Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

Thank you for praying with me.