Spirit and Life

Spirit & Life®
"The words I spoke to you are spirit and life." (Jn 6:63) Human Life International e-Newsletter Volume 04, Number 26 | Friday, August 21, 2009
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Pro-Life Dos and Don'ts for 2009 In light of the recent political and economic upheaval in our country, I have been asked by a number of people to re-issue the Spirit & Life edition that I sent out at the time of the March for Life this past January. Our readers may look again and judge whether or not there is any relevance to it. I will only preface this posting with an insight that pro-life activist Mark Crutcher gave on his recent "Life Talk" show. It is this: with regard to the phenomenal citizen participation in the town hall meetings this summer, where have all these patriotic citizens been when it comes to the killing of babies in their country? There are many who are concerned about their own healthcare and more who are concerned about their pocketbooks, but why can we not generate the same level of indignation about the destruction of 50 million American taxpayers who would even now be contributing to the economy and buying into the healthcare system? Our country needs serious conversion of heart. Don't get me wrong; I am glad people are standing up to ridiculous legislation proposed by professional liars, but I am not in favor of selective indignation when the destruction of innocent life right in our own neighborhoods is so catastrophic for our country. This economic crisis is only the beginning of the long-term effects of the loss of so much precious life. Let's pray intensely for that deep national conversion of heart that is really the only thing that will save our country from destruction - terrorism, healthcare and the economy all take a back seat to this utterly urgent priority. And by the way, if you didn't commit to these dos and don'ts back in January, there's no time like the present! January 23rd, 2009, Spirit & Life The pro-life movement is going through a great deal of self-examination at this time. I am not a pessimist, but my sense of realism tells me that the election of extreme abortion advocate, Barack Obama, and the nearly 7,000 political appointments of his administration will usher in a new decade of war on decency and the sanctity of life. Despite the ferocious optimism of his inauguration, the dark clouds of the culture of death are gathering over Washington as we speak, ready to cast their darkness everywhere. In this time of preparation for the upcoming total war on life, I offer this modest list of Dos and Don'ts for the generous and valiant pro-lifers who gather for the March for Life in Washington, DC on January 22nd. May all men and women of good will take these recommendations to heart for a fruitful pro-life 2009! DON'TS Above all, do not grow despondent: there is much to fear for the situation of life around the world, but we are not permitted by our Christian faith to give up our efforts or zeal for life. In fact, we need to redouble it! Do not become absorbed in the quest for a political solution to abortion: after 36 years of working for a political solution to abortion, we may soon see the wiping out of most, if not all, of the pro-life movement's gains with the stroke of a pen. Politics has failed. Or rather, we have failed at politics. Either way, politics now offers us little chance of anything other than just trying to slow the massive momentum of the culture of death. Do not waste any more energy on overturning Roe: two Supreme Court seats are assured during an Obama administration, and they will undoubtedly be filled with extreme pro-abortion activist judges. A third appointment will leave us with no hope of overturning Roe in anyone's lifetime reading this. For that matter, the chance that a good pro-life President will succeed Obama in four years and nullify the leftward lurch of the high court is, shall we say, unlikely. Let's get hopes of undoing Roe out of our system and focus on more productive things. DOS Pray every day for God to end abortion with our help (in that order): abortion is such a great spiritual and social evil that only the divine power of God Himself can end it. "The Lord hears the cry of the poor," but God will not do it alone. He needs us to humbly recognize the basic fact that it is humanly impossible to end this evil. We need to get on our knees and beg His Mercy on the unborn and the conversion of all those who commit these evils. Commit to fasting every week to end the evils of abortion and contraception: "Some demons can only be driven out by prayer and fasting," said the Lord, and we have to take that admonition seriously if we are to effect any change in the hearts of our people or of our society. Fasting makes us more spiritual and gives greater efficacy to all our works and prayers. Take back the culture: Even if the anti-lifers hold the reins of political power, we must not sit back and allow moral anarchists to define all the terms of the cultural or social agenda. Whether it is through social activism for life (crisis pregnancy centers, pickets and prayer marches) or through touching hearts and minds one soul at a time (persuasion, formation, teaching, media), we cannot be neutral about the direction our American culture is heading. It is leading us to certain spiritual death, and no one can afford that. We need to fight for it and never give up the battle. I promise you that Human Life International will be in the struggle for lives and souls continuously. It is our calling and mission. We will never give one inch to uphold the truth that the whole world needs to hear more than ever: namely, that human life is sacred from the first moment of natural fertilization to the moment of natural death - and we will defend it whether Mr. Obama likes it or not. Sincerely, Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, President, Human Life International JMJ+ ~Betsy Totus tuus Maria!