Thursday, February 26

The king of Egypt told the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was called Shiphrah and the other Puah, "When you act as midwives for the Hebrew women and see them giving birth, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she may live." The midwives, however, feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt had ordered them, but let the boys live.
--- Exodus 1:15-17
(from the Office of Readings, Thursday After Ash Wednesday)

I call heaven and earth today to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him.
---Deuteronomy 30:19-20
(from the First Reading of the Mass for Thursday After Ash Wednesday)

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Ash Wednesday: Lent Begins

Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

-- antiphon for the Miserere, Mass of Ash Wednesday


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Join a National Novena

Catholics for the Common Good is asking people throughout the nation to join them in a novena (nine days of prayer) in support of California's Prop (Proposition) 8, which as you may recall, supports the traditional definition of marriage. Although California voters passed Prop 8, it is now under fire through three lawsuits filed against it. The oral arguments will be March 5, so a novena of prayer is set to begin on Ash Wednesday. Why are the rest of us being asked to join in? For one thing, they need the prayer support badly. For another, as California goes, eventually so go the rest of us, often enough. I suppose we can pray now or pray later. What has this got to do with President Obama? Indirectly, nothing, but what we're seeing with Prop 8 is just the latest battle between the Culture of Death and the Culture of Life. It's all the same war, really.

National Novena for Prop 8 Legal Challenge Catholics For The Common Good

Change Worth Praying For!

The conversion of President Obama has another web site devoted to its cause: http://convertObama.com/. The great thing about this site, in addition to its name, is that you can pledge your specific prayers and sacrifices and then see all the pledges being announced, one by one. What I really like is the subtitle: "Change Worth Praying For." This Lenten project, which I suspect may be extended after Lent is over, is a great idea with a great web site.

Check it out, and pass the word: let's pray and sacrifice for President Obama, especially during Lent.

Our Fifteenth Monday for Obama

So we are into Week Fifteen, which brings us to the brink of Lent, the great season of prayer, fasting, mortification, and preparation -- for the Four Last Things (death, judgment, heaven, and hell) and the great celebration of the Resurrection.

If you're looking for a particular objective for your Lenten prayers and fasting, why not consider our President? Our country needs prayer, and since he leads our country, I believe that to pray for him is to pray for the country.

The economy is in crisis; on that we can all agree. But is that the real problem, or is it a symptom of a much bigger problem? What is the real economic crisis, the real poverty? Mother Teresa has told us: What a poverty that a child must die in order for us to live as we please. We have been practicing child sacrifice in this country for many years, and the numbers are more staggering than the Holocaust.

Around the country, many are participating in another 40 Days for Life campaign during Lent. Consider adding prayers for our President as part of that campaign.

A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit...
I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they could not..." "O unbelieving generation, " Jesus replied, "how long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me..." After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting."

Let us pray and fast for President Obama.

The Red Envelope Project

Send an empty red envelope to President Obama. It represents the life of a child snuffed out by abortion. See more here:

The Red Envelope Project

Good News

We have to take it where we can find it.  Hit with declines in funding from the economic crisis and the Madoff scandal, the PPFA (Planned Parenthood Federation of America) is laying off around 20% of its staff.  This was first reported about a month ago. 

Planned Parenthood makes staff cuts - Crain's New York Business

President Obama’s Remarks at National Prayer Breakfast: Sounds Like a Pro-Lifer . . .

On Thursday, February 5, 2009, while addressing the National Prayer Breakfast, our President stated: "There is no God who condones taking the life of an innocent human being."

Such as this one?

How did that remark get past his spin doctors? Surely, and hopefully, it will come back to haunt him until his own intelligence, common sense, and conscience force him to face the truth. Just remember, Mr. President: the truth will set you free. Or can't you handle the truth?

(P.S. That's a remarkably well-delineated cluster of cells on that quarter, don't you think? It resembles a pair of human hands!)

Please pray for Barack Obama.

President Obama’s Remarks at National Prayer Breakfast - NYTimes.com

He Went To Catholic School

Hmm.  Am I feeling a glimmer of hope?  I think I am, especially since he actually said NO to Nancy Pelosi's STD Stimulus Pork (that sounds dirty, but it could definitely be worse). 

Please continue to pray for Barack Obama.

Obama Should Acknowledge His Roots

22weeks: Does this look like a "cluster of cells" to you?

This is a baby who was born alive during an abortion. His horrified mother begged the staff to help him, but they refused. He died in his mother's arms. The Born Alive Infants Protection Act was proposed to provide medical care to children like this, but our President, Barack Obama, is opposed to such legislation. He has also arranged for our tax dollars -- yours and mine -- to be used to do this all over the world.

A short film has been made about this particular baby, and you can read more about it at the web site:

www.22weeksthemovie.com

Today is our twelfth Monday for Obama. Please pray for the conversion of our president.