Reclaiming Our Children: A Blog About Healing After Abortion

" A single soul is a whole world in the
sight of God. Jesus, Himself, stopped to preach to one woman."

St John Eudes

“I ate dinner on
Sunday with a national pro-life leader, who shared with me some reservations
about those of us who are speaking out in public about post-abortion regrets
and trauma. What she said was, "Not you, but I think some of these women are just
seeking attention. What are we supposed to do when we see a woman holding one
of these signs? Applaud? Tell her how wonderful she is?"

And I thought, "Huh. Then I wonder what you'll think tomorrow when you see the way the event
has been arranged."

What I said was that the great majority of us are
private people who are speaking out at considerable personal cost only because
we feel it is our moral duty to reach out to others who hurt, and to raise
awareness that for many women, abortion is very far from a convenient quick
fix. It creates more problems than it solves. Nevertheless, her comment stayed
with me and as we stood on the stage looking down into the vast sea of faces, I
wondered how many people in the audience shared her perspective.” DC SNM
Participant

I have often heard it said that women and men who are
post abortive should be reached out to because they are the ones who will be instrumental
in ending abortion.  While this is true,
we need to remember that it is not the reason why we should reach out to them.
Each of these women and men are also unique in the eyes of God and loved by
Him. Many I have met over the years have asked the question “Why me?” Why did I
have an abortion?”… Some in the pro- life movement still lack understanding
when it comes to those who have participated in abortion. The judgments
continue to be there, sometimes keeping women and men away from reconciliation
because of the fear of judgment.  Some in
the post abortion movement are angry with the pro-life movement because of the
added pain the lack of understanding inflicts.

 I don’t know the answers except to say “there but for
the grace of God we all are capable of any sin.” God often uses our worse sins
for our salvation, and even this horrific event, the killing of  children, He can bring out good for both
those post abortive, those who still lack understanding or like the Pharisee of
the bible, judge harshly.

 Dave Reardon of the Elliot Institute says it best “I
honestly believe that, short of Christ’s return, God will not bring an end to
the abortion holocaust until we Christian’s learn all that we are meant to
learn, namely; a greater compassion for sinners.” (The Jericho Plan)

 
In this season of Lent and celebration of the mercy of
God, may we all,  pray for purity of
intention…may we recognize we are all sinners in need of His mercy. May each
woman or man be reached out to because God desires their healing, and may each
post abortive man and women show the understanding they have been shown to
those who still do not understand. If we do that, one soul at a time, God will
surely take care of the rest.

Tb (2005)