Click here for daily readingsToday we pause to reflect on the primordial gift of all gifts: life. Without life itself, we cannot partake in any of the other wonderful gifts God grants. I have taken part in many pro-life activities throughout the years. I joined my peers to block the entrance of an abortion clinic as a teenager, attended the March for Life in Washington D.C. as a young adult, and prayed outside a women’s clinic during 40 Days for Life in my 40’s. But perhaps the greatest pro-life act I have participated in is motherhood. 

Being open to life throughout marriage has been both a blessing and a cross. Having a large family later in life is both exhilarating and exhausting. Living through my children’s good and bad times has been a rollercoaster of neckbreaking ups and downs. Yet through it all, my husband and I grow in the virtues necessary to inch toward sainthood. We have so many opportunities to practice patience, adaptability, selflessness and unconditional love. I’m pretty sure I would be a very conceited and unhappy person seeking the fulfillment of my next whim if I hadn’t become a mother. 

Today we pray in particular for the legal protection of the unborn. While we celebrated an unmitigated victory back in June of 2022 when Roe v Wade was overturned, we still have a long way to go at the state level. We still have a long way to go at the heart level as well. And while we take the next 24 hours to fast and pray, let us beg our Lord for mercy for the sins of our fellow citizens in killing hundreds of thousands of innocent human beings each year. 

Let us pray:

“Heavenly Father, in Your love for us, protect against the wickedness of the devil, those helpless little ones to whom You have given the gift of life. Touch with pity the hearts of those women pregnant in our world today who are not thinking of motherhood. Help them to see that the child they carry is made in Your image – as well as theirs – made for eternal life. Dispel their fear and selfishness and give them true womanly hearts to love their babies and give them birth and all the needed care that a mother can give. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen.” (Prayer for the Unborn, ewtn.com)

St. Gerard, pray for us! Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us! St. Gianna, pray for us! St. Joseph, pray for us!

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Hoy nos detenemos a reflexionar sobre el don primordial de todos los dones: la vida. Sin la vida misma, no podemos disfrutar de ninguno de los otros maravillosos dones que Dios concede. He participado en muchas actividades provida a lo largo de los años. Me uní a mis compañeros para bloquear la entrada de una clínica de abortos en mi adolescencia, asistí a la Marcha por la Vida en Washington D.C. de joven adulta y recé frente a una clínica de mujeres durante los 40 Días por la Vida en mis 40’s. Pero quizás el mayor acto provida en el que he participado sea la maternidad.

Estar abierta a la vida a lo largo del matrimonio ha sido tanto una bendición como una cruz. Tener una familia numerosa ya siendo un poco mayor es emocionante y agotador a la vez. Vivir los buenos y malos momentos de mis hijos ha sido una montaña rusa de altibajos devastadores. Sin embargo, a pesar de todo, mi esposo y yo crecemos en las virtudes necesarias para acercarnos poquito a poquito a la santidad. Tenemos muchísimas oportunidades para practicar la paciencia, la adaptabilidad, la generosidad y el amor incondicional. Estoy bastante segura de que sería una persona muy engreída e infeliz buscando satisfacer mi próximo capricho si no hubiera sido madre.

Hoy oramos en particular por la protección legal de los no nacidos. Si bien celebramos una victoria contundente en junio de 2022 cuando se anuló el caso Roe v. Wade, aún nos queda mucho más trabajo por hacer a nivel estatal. También nos queda mucho más trabajo por hacer a nivel del corazón. Y mientras dedicamos las próximas 24 horas a ayunar y orar, pidamos a nuestro Señor misericordia por los pecados de nuestros conciudadanos que matan a cientos de miles de seres humanos inocentes cada año.

Oremos:

“Padre Celestial, en tu amor por nosotros, protege de la maldad del diablo a los pequeños indefensos a quienes has dado el don de la vida. Conmueve el corazón de las mujeres embarazadas en nuestro mundo actual que no piensan en la maternidad. Ayúdalas a comprender que el hijo que llevan dentro está hecho a tu imagen, igual que la suya, para la vida eterna. Disipa su miedo y egoísmo, y dales un corazón verdaderamente femenino para amar a sus bebés, darles a luz y darles todos los cuidados necesarios que una madre puede brindar. Te lo pedimos por Jesucristo, tu Hijo, nuestro Señor, que vive y reina contigo y el Espíritu Santo, un solo Dios, por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.” (traducción de la Oración por los No Nacidos, ewtn.com)

¡San Gerardo, ruega por nosotros! ¡Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, ruega por nosotros! ¡Santa Gianna, ruega por nosotros! ¡San José, ruega por nosotros!

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Tami Urcia is a midwestern gal from a large Catholic family. As a young adulthood she was a missionary in Mexico, where she studied theology and philosophy. After returning stateside bilingual, she gained a variety of work experience, traveled extensively and finished her Bachelor’s Degree at Brescia University. She loves organizing and simplifying things, watching her children play sports, deep conversations with close family and friends and finding unique ways to brighten others’ day with Christ’s love. She works full time at Diocesan in the Software Department and manages the Inspiration Daily reflections. She is also a contributing writer on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net.

Feature Image Credit: Anastasiia Chepinska,  unsplash.com/photos/woman-in-white-long-sleeve-shirt-B7JVo5y3gL8

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