EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
THE LIFE-GIVER
(PRO-LIFE PRACTICE)
by Fr Jim Whalen
1998, Issue 1
Among the multiple ways to prepare for spiritual battle to protect and defend the innocent unborn, the vulnerable disabled, the chronically ill and the victimised elderly, is the practice of praying, praising, petitioning the Holy Spirit to empower us.
Some specific basic steps are part of this on-going process. In the spiritual battle to protect life, one must strive to be in the state of grace. This means entreating the Holy Sanctifier to purify us from being self-willed, self-centered and self-opinionated. It means beseeching the Holy Comforter to inspire us to find decisive ways to deliver the helpless children from abortion and rescue the targeted victims of euthanasia, giving us an appreciation and understanding of their suffering and humiliation. It means calling on the Sancte Spiritus to enlighten, enkindle and inflame us with His fire of love so we can undertake with courage and strength His battle plans to overcome all obstacles: ( i.e. Planned Parenthood, opposition, pro-abortionists); and contradictions: (false compassion, mercy killing). It means begging the Holy Ghost to give us the wisdom to guide others, to free them from fear of peers so they can stand up for the helpless; to free them from false bonding that keeps them from following Our Lady of Guadalupe in her victory march; free from unjust paralyzing laws that prevents them from defending their pre-born brothers and sisters, united with St. Joseph, our guardian angels and the mighty army of angels led by the Archangels, St. Michael (Defender), St. Gabriel (Messenger) and St. Raphael (Healer).
Recognizing our present helplessness without the Creator Spiritus, compels us to ask Him to liberate us from superficial spirituality based on relativism and a false set of priorities and values that foster comfort, convenience and pleasure, resulting in an eclipse of reality, and the promotion of a culture of death ( i.e. the innocent and helpless are killed instead of nurtured and cared for: over 106,000 in Canada, in 1997 by abortion). It means appealing to the Paraclete to grant us the fruitfulness to not only defend but to advance the pro-life cause and build a culture of life by promoting justice, peace, true compassion and care, for the poor, the needy and the most endangered and vulnerable humans ( i.e. the child in the womb: abortion: Roe vs. Wade?; the new born infant: infanticide: Baby Doe?; the handicapped daughter: mercy killing: Tracy Latimer?; the chronically ill patient: euthanasia: Dr. N. Morrison?).
It is essential to turn to the ‘Life-Giver’ for an effusion of the spirit of truth and love so we can grow in filial and fraternal spirit, in respect for all life from conception to natural death. He is the one who blesses us with Trinitarian Joy; a fire of light, love, unity and peace, enabling us to persevere in choosing life in following Christ.
He empowers and transforms us into “fire brands of love and life” when we give Him permission to renew our hearts, to regenerate our souls and re-create us into active and creative pro-lifers. ¤
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