Reclaiming Our Children: A Blog About Healing After Abortion

Sadly, most people today will go through the day without
much thought of it being the 40^th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, the
infamous Supreme Court decision which brought us abortion on demand. There will
probably not be much thought by most of our population for the over 55 million
unborn babies whose lives this decision has claimed over the last 40 years.

The monster in the room, abortion, that lives in many of our
families, will also go unnoticed yet another day, as mothers, fathers, grandparents,
siblings and others suffer silently knowing and missing the child, grandchild,
brother or sister that should be there with them, but never speaking of it with
one another.

Some people will protest in some way, somewhere today. Others
will pray at masses, do holy hours and perhaps attend other services. Still
others will go to the clinics that perform these abortions to pray and intercede
and hopefully, stop someone from taking the life of their unborn child.

Many will silently mourn their personal losses. Some of
these people will cringe filled with shame, guilt, anger they feel, thinking
they are unforgiveable. Others will happily celebrate their “right to choose”
death for their children as if this were a great victory. Still others will thank
God for the healing they have found in His mercy.

After over 20 years of doing post abortion ministry, it is
all very personal to me.

Those who died are not abstract babies who were not “saved”,
they are babies I know by name, and pray to every day. Their parents are not
strangers, they are wonderful people who have blessed me by allowing me to
stand at the foot of the cross with them, as they work through their abortions
and come to know our merciful God who loves and forgives them.

Nellie, whose mom aborted because her husband threatened to
abandon her. Grace whose mother was pressured by her boyfriend to abort and
gave in. Anthony, whose life was ended because of the fear and shame of a
teenage girl telling her parents she had had sex. Mary, whose father was so
young and saw his own life ahead of him and made the mistake so many do, of thinking
life would return to the way it was before the pregnancy.

Angel whose parents thought they could not handle another
child only to find out they could not handle living with the fact that they
participated in their own child’s death.

Caritas, whose mother recently died and I believe is with
her today in heaven. I could go on and on and on.

Not abstract, but personal stories of personal people who
through God’s grace are reclaiming their children on a spiritual level now saying
“yes” to the gift of life He has given them.

Sometimes I feel like shouting to the pro life movement, you
need allow these people to speak for their children. Not just to tell their
stories of abortion so people can see how bad it is, but listen to their hearts.
So many before their abortions were not allowed to love their children because of
coercion or other pressures. That does not make the abortion right; abortions
are never right but we need to allow them to love their children now. Allow
them to reclaim what was lost in this world. Allow them to speak to and for
their children.

Yes, they are sinners, aren’t we all. No they do not “deserve”
it after what they have done, who does “deserve” anything, but the truth is,
God gave these children to them, they are their children, and His desire, and I
believe the child’s desire, is for them to accept this gift of life. To reunite
on a spiritual level.

There is much good going on out there, (and there should be),
by groups and people who are trying to educate and end abortion, but in truth we
cannot place our hope or trust in any group, person, lay “leader”, priest,
politician, or law. If we do, we are sure to be disappointed.  Abortion will end because of one thing only,
the grace of God and the healing of our nation. His personal touch on hearts,
calling them to the truth and the dignity of all life, both before and after
abortion.

In the end, for each one of us, it is about our relationship
with Him, the Lord of life, humbly submitting to His will, each day and being
sure that is what we are following instead of our own. Knowing that He alone
can end abortion, constantly checking our pride to stay out of His way. Trusting
in His love for each of us, the babies and the parents, the pro lifers and yes,
those who “celebrate” abortion, no matter how things may look.

Yes, today, as we mark the 40^th anniversary of
Roe vs. Wade,  I will spend the day with
Him, and Nellie and Anthony, and Mary and Grace and Angel, and remember their
moms and dads and grandparents, and siblings, knowing that God is working and
healing and reuniting and that in the end the victory is His.