I have found praying and counselling outside marie stopes abortuary during the 40 Days for Life, a very blessed and positive experience. Initially fear often sets in before I pray outside an abortion clinic. The fear is fuelled by uncertainty, and how passers by will respond. Praying aloud outside of a clinic certainly isn't what comes naturally, but when I find myself leaving my comfort zone, I'm often amazed by the peace and blessings that I experience.
I had some very positive encounters with passers by outside the abortuary, whilst I was side-walk counselling. On one occasion, a businessman was walking past me outside the abortuary, and I offered him an icare magazine. He stopped and told me he had already received a magazine which he had read and kept. He told me he walks past the vigil every day after work and told me to keep up this good work we are doing.
On another occasion, an elderly lady stopped by the railings, and was looking intently at the women praying and the 40 Days for Life signs. She came over to me and I offered her an icare magazine. She told me that she didn't need it, and asked me if I was with the people praying or with marie stopes "clinic". I told her I was with the people praying. She told me that it is good work that we are doing, and I asked her to keep us in her prayers.
On another occasion, I was counselling alone outside marie stopes, when some teenage girls came past, took the icare magazines and leaflets from me and without saying anything but laughing, they tore and ripped them to shreds, and threw them on the pavement, before entering the abortuary. I gathered up the ripped leaflets, and decided that confrontation would not convert them, but love and prayers. Not long afterwards, the girls came out of the clinic, walked over to where the 40 days for Life signs were, and stole three of them, running off in fits of laughter. It was pointless chasing after them, or getting angry, so I quietly prayed for their conversion.
St Thomas Aquinas said the first reaction to the Truth is Anger. The fact that they were reacting in this way, shows that deep down they know they are doing wrong. Often it is those who react with anger, who are the first to convert. We must pray for their change of hearts.
I had some very positive encounters with passers by outside the abortuary, whilst I was side-walk counselling. On one occasion, a businessman was walking past me outside the abortuary, and I offered him an icare magazine. He stopped and told me he had already received a magazine which he had read and kept. He told me he walks past the vigil every day after work and told me to keep up this good work we are doing.
On another occasion, an elderly lady stopped by the railings, and was looking intently at the women praying and the 40 Days for Life signs. She came over to me and I offered her an icare magazine. She told me that she didn't need it, and asked me if I was with the people praying or with marie stopes "clinic". I told her I was with the people praying. She told me that it is good work that we are doing, and I asked her to keep us in her prayers.
On another occasion, I was counselling alone outside marie stopes, when some teenage girls came past, took the icare magazines and leaflets from me and without saying anything but laughing, they tore and ripped them to shreds, and threw them on the pavement, before entering the abortuary. I gathered up the ripped leaflets, and decided that confrontation would not convert them, but love and prayers. Not long afterwards, the girls came out of the clinic, walked over to where the 40 days for Life signs were, and stole three of them, running off in fits of laughter. It was pointless chasing after them, or getting angry, so I quietly prayed for their conversion.
St Thomas Aquinas said the first reaction to the Truth is Anger. The fact that they were reacting in this way, shows that deep down they know they are doing wrong. Often it is those who react with anger, who are the first to convert. We must pray for their change of hearts.
James Coulborn
So true: the first reaction to the Truth is anger. Mysterious. I don't understand it. But it's true.
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