Prayer, fasting and great love will build a culture of life

I am convinced that this battle against the culture of death will only be won through prayer, fasting and great love.

Every strategy deployed to alter existing laws, to change the hearts and minds of those who actively promote a culture of death and to break through the apathy of the general public, must be underpinned by a solid foundation of prayer and fasting, love of neighbour, and great faith in God.

For those of us who profess Christ, we cannot pretend to be otherwise.

You are a light for the world.  A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house.  In the same way your light must shine in people’s sight, so that, seeing your good works, they may give praise to your Father in heaven.  Matthew 5:14-16

Family Life International’s very wise Spiritual Director, Fr Linus Clovis, reminded us this week that ultimately, the battle is about saving souls.  Yes, we want to save mums and bubs from abortion.  Yes, we want to ensure that people die with true dignity and not out of fear of being a burden on their family, or of suffering.  Yes, we want to uphold the traditional family.  But why do we want to do this?  We are not working for change because we want to impose our beliefs on everyone else.  We work so hard because we want to see our brothers and sisters come to experience the mercy and love of God.

Every effort we undertake to promote life must be done with deep humility, knowing that we too are sinners and very much in need of God’s mercy.

Yes, each one of us has our faults and silly little quirks.  Each one of us is learning.  Not one of us can say that we have yet reached perfection.  But we must look beyond that and see the bigger picture.  We must find ways to work together despite our faults.  When each of us in the family of God love each other, then we are more able to love those whom God is calling us to bring into the fold.

When we actively love each other, we are more able to speak love and help those in their greatest hour of need.  We cannot only talk about why the various laws and practices in this culture of death are wrong.  We must be prepared to walk with all whom we meet with love.  For love, ultimately, is an action.

I have noticed that whenever we try and “cover up” our being Christian in the debates that rage around us, we are soon found out.  This only leads to disrespect on the part of the person of whom we are trying to persuade.  How better to be upfront to begin with.

Sure, we must be able to argue our points purely from a reasoned and scientific basis, something that is relatively easy to do.  But let’s not pretend we are not Christian.  Let’s not hide our light.

Ultimately, this is a battle between good and evil.  Satan loves it when we don’t reveal the truth of God.  He loves it when we hide our light.  He loves it when we cause discord amongst each other.  Satan loves it, because he knows we will not win souls for Christ.

Blessed John Paul II, in that great encyclical, the Gospel of Life, reminded us of the power of prayer of fasting, saying:

Let us therefore discover anew the humility and the courage to pray and fast so that power from on high will break down the walls of lies and deceit: the walls which conceal from the sight of so many of our brothers and sisters the evil of practices and laws which are hostile to life.

With this in mind, let us pray, fast, and act with great humility and love.  Let us bring the Gospel of life, which is at the heart of Jesus’ message to all whom we meet.  Let us act in love.   Let us speak without fear.  Let us be bold and courageous.  Together, let us be a light in this world of darkness.