The Church sets aside today as a day of prayer for the legal protection of unborn children, marking forty-five years since the Supreme Court decision of Roe versus Wade. Jesus, have mercy on us.
I am a 19 year old sophomore in college, studying politics on a pre-law track, living in Washington D.C., and I encounter this issue repeatedly in my studies. It strikes me that choosing to live in a pro-life way is not a political issue, but a human issue. Within a conversation that has caused endless division and massive heartbreak among women everywhere, we have to continue asking the Father what He thinks and place Him at the center of the narrative.
“No one can enter a strong man's house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man.” (Mark 3:27)
The Enemy knows how inherently magnificent women are and will continue to use abortion as a means to try to plunder them, victimize them, and corner them into believing the lie that they are a burden for bringing life into the world. The Enemy will try to distort the reality that a woman’s fertility is natural, divinely complex, and life-giving. The Enemy will attempt to label the taking of innocent lives as a woman taking control of her sexuality or doing what is best for herself, allowing women to believe that they are not capable or supported in their pregnancy. He will try to plunder the goodness of life.
However, the Gospel says that he will not be able to enter the house and plunder his property unless he first ties the strong man up. So we must take heart, Sisters, because this battle was already won at Calvary.
The Father saw the battle this country would face today, forty-five years ago, and He sent His only Son to bring an unparalleled light to the darkness and destroy death for all ages. Jesus took His last breath for the love of humanity and overcame all of these lies, one by one, in hopes that we would walk in the freedom that He had the last word. Today, we grieve alongside and mourn for those who have not been awakened by this Truth and feel consumed by the fear of the life inside them. And we pray for the interior peace of every pregnant woman, that she would know the providence of Jesus.
Whether you are post-abortive, struggling with a pregnancy, hoping for a baby, or somewhere in between, know our sisterhood is praying for you and here for you. Rachel's Vineyard offers retreats for abortion-related healing needs. You are so loved.
Sarah Erickson is a politics pre-law major at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Born and raised in Arizona, she finds great joy in mountains, lattes, American history, and the piano. She is constantly discovering Christ's wild love in the little things. You can find out more about her here.
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