Reclaiming Our Children

Counsel

Many people do not want to seek  healing from abortion because they are ashamed and fearful  of what others may think. Counsel allows us to seek help
from others, whether it is in the Sacrament of Confession, through a therapist or an abortion ministry. The aide of others who are knowledgeable in healing from abortion allows us to obtain the tools we need on a spiritual and emotional level to acquire healing. It also helps us to discern right from wrong.

Lord, give us your Spirit of Counsel, that we may both seek out guidance in our healing and also be a light to those who come after us.

Understanding

 

Understanding help s us to know our faith on a personal level.

As we grow in understanding we are able listen more clearly. To look at what we did through the eyes of faith so that we are able to forgive ourselves and others and grow in the love of Christ. It enables us to see the life of Jesus more clearly and grow in relationship with Him knowing His desire for our forgiveness and healing thus providing the help we need to move forward.

 

 

Lord, give us your Spirit of Understanding, that we may grow ever closer to you and trust in our faith which is an anchor in our healing

Knowledge

The gift of knowledge helps us to know God’s will in our life. Very often we want healing “now” or we are determined to do things that may not be God’s will for us. We think we know better than God what it is we need.

May we always seek God’s will for our lives in the gift of knowledge so that we follow what He wants which brings us His peace and joy, instead of our own wills.

Lord, we know that you alone know what is best for us. Give us your gift of knowledge that we may always know and follow Your will in healing.

Fortitude

Fortitude or the gift of courage enables us to speak the truth whether it is in a public or private setting. How difficult this is for those of us who have experienced abortion. Of course, this doe snot mean you have to walk around telling everyone you had an abortion. Some people may be called to public speaking but others may be called to sharing privately or speaking out for life in other ways. The important thing is that our fear not paralyze us  and keep us from the truth.  It helps us see the truth of the experience of abortion. 

It also gives us the courage to move forward in healing even when it is difficult, and encourages us to change our way of life in order to follow Christ, often contrary to the ways of the world.

Lord, give us the gift of fortitude, that we may always speak the truth of abortion in whatever way you ask of each of us. Help us to know that your gift will sustain us as we move forward in our healing.

Piety

The gift of piety allows us to love God. Most times we were living very far from His will  when we had our abortions. Piety helps us to be faithful to God and others in the light of His teachings and to love Him more than sin.

Lord, give us the gift of piety that we may love you with all our hearts, desiring your will more than the temptations we may face in life and in healing. Help us to recognize that this gift will strengthen our relationship with You and help us to grow in our healing

Fear of the Lord

 

The gift of Fear of the Lord helps us to know our dependence on God and His great love for us. As people who have felt betrayed and abandoned it can be very difficult to depend on God and believe in His love for us. Often in our human pride we  do not want to be dependent on anyone and so we reject Christs teachings and refuse to trust.

This gift enables us to know His great love for us and His desire for our good. It also encourages us to meet Him in the Sacraments where we receive His grace and forgiveness.

Lord, give us the gift of fear of the Lord, that we may not run away but may be grateful for our dependence on you knowing you desire our forgiveness and healing.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit in Healing from Abortion

The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth And Post Abortion Healing
…The wound in your heart may not yet have healed. Certainly what happened was and remains terribly wrong. But do not give in to discouragement and do not lose hope. Try rather to understand what happened and face it honestly…” The Gospel of Life #99

As we approach the Feast of Pentecost on May 31, we are reminded of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit on the apostles. In an instant, men who had been hiding in the upper room, filled with fear and shame, became courageous disciples, proclaiming the Gospel throughout the region. The gifts of the Holy Spirit, wisdom, knowledge, counsel, understanding, courage, reverence, and fear of the LORD allowed them to step outside of themselves, and the life of Christ to live in them, enabling them to see and live in truth, trusting that His Spirit would guide them.

In the Gospel of Life, Pope John Paul II calls those of us who are post abortive to live in truth as well, “try to understand what happened and face it honestly”, but doing this is impossible if we do not know the love of Jesus Christ and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Abortion is just too horrific to look at without the light of His love. Like the apostles before the coming of the Holy Spirit, we too are fearful, and so we hide in our self made “upper rooms” of our abortions, full of shame and afraid to stand in the truth.

It is only through the life of Christ and His Spirit that we receive the courage and understanding we need to work through our healing and proclaim the truth of abortion. As we grow in our faith and healing, we begin to step out in trust. We learn God does not let us down, as perhaps many, including ourselves, did when we chose abortion, including ourselves. We come to realize He is Truth and Mercy Himself, and His peace begins to dwell in us. Each gift of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, becomes a new opportunity for us to face our sinfulness in the light of the love of God and to grow not only in healing but in our relationship with Him. It is not always easy. The ploys of the devil still attempt to create doubt in God’s mercy and forgiveness, but if you continue to trust in spite of what you feel, you will soon come to find the truth never lets you down and the truth, who is Jesus Christ Himself, will set you free. So, “Do not give in to discouragement and do not loose hope”. (The Gospel of Life). The hope of Christ, who freed us from our sins, even our sin of abortion, is there for each one of us through the gifts of His Holy Spirit.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit:

knowledge        wisdom        counsel   piety        fortitude

understanding    fear of the Lord

 

 

Healing Together

Great video on healing...thank you Father!

 

The Good Shepherd is waiting for you

“After all, the Good Shepherd is waiting for you. So, then, why do you linger and detain yourself? It does not matter and is not important that the others may go ahead of you that they may be already near the Shepherd. It does not matter that from a human point of view there may be no hope that someday you may be near Him. Do not allow yourself to be guided too much by your own reason. You must begin to allow yourself to be guided by God’s logic. Only He knows the value of the “limping steps” of the sheep that drags itself along”. – S.W. Beila, “In the Arms of Mary”

 

Life can be tough. I know often in my healing from post abortion, it seemed easier to go back into denial than move ahead. From a human perspective, I always felt like I was taking two steps forward and then ten steps back. Yet, back meant a life with no hope, and I desired peace and healing so deeply, I, like the sheep mentioned above, “dragged” myself along as I fought my demons of shame, guilt, isolation, abandonment, despair, fear and a host of others. I longed to be beside the ”Good Shepherd” – it did not matter how long it took or how I “felt” at times, only that I was on the journey and headed in the right direction.

These days I may not be dragging myself along in relation to my abortion, but on the journey of life there are always crosses that tempt us to give up. Illness, loss of a loved one, or even the state of world affairs. Sometimes, we have to decide everyday to keep believing in good, and to follow the Good Shepherd. But, it’s different for me now; I know I am not alone on the journey and that if my limping steps cause me to fall too far behind, I know the Shepherd is waiting for me, or if need be, He will come looking for me and carry me on His shoulders.

Now that is hope!

Spiritual Tug of War

OK, let's face it, these are very strange times. Life has changed dramatically in a truly short space of time. Your emotions are may be all over the map (or at least mine can be) and worse of all, we are left without the availability of the sacraments.

When all this first began, I remember thinking, "I've got this. I can still feel God's presence within me, and thanks be to God we have streamed mass and so many wonderful talks offered on the internet."

In my quest to keep spiritually nourished, I soon found myself attending many events online. For me, it was not improving my prayer life, but hurting it. I was bouncing all over the place. I quickly realized I needed to keep to my regular prayer schedule (mass, Holy Hour etc.) and participate in only a couple of added retreats/events. Not that there is anything wrong with all the events, they are wonderful, but for me, this was a good decision.

I think things changed when people I knew began to get sick and a family member died from the virus. I did not doubt my faith or wonder where God was, but I did find myself in a battle with my humanness versus spiritual self. It was (and still is) horrific to think of him dying alone without those who loved him, and the absence of a funeral or burial (except for 5 people) made it all the more difficult.

My humanity was grieving, it was also suffering from trauma. I found myself distracted, in a tug of war with my “self”. I was struggling with loss, and some anxiety. I felt pressure to fix things and I wanted to somehow take control of all the craziness around me as illusional as that may be. I was focused on this world.

My spiritual side was different. When I managed to “let go” I felt God’s peace and did not feel a need to control because I trusted. There was even a joy inside me as I surrendered keeping my eyes on my final destination, heaven, secure in the love of Jesus and Mary. I knew they were with me.

It is easy during these times to fluctuate between the two. Actually it is easy  to do that anytime. This is our road and our path to heaven. A continual battle with “self’, dying to that which keeps us attached to the things of the world.

I have heard often we need to be strong in this situation. I get what is meant but for me, I realize I need to be weak. I need to constantly remind myself of my need and dependence on God. I need to surrender to His will in my life knowing He loves me and will provide what I need for my salvation. Mostly, I need to remember He is with me all the time. And, although I miss Him terribly, He is even with me with or without the Sacraments, present in the offering of the Mass at every moment throughout the world and certainly living within me.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

As we move forward in this pandemic, especially here in New York I recognize more and more this is what I truly need, the grace of God. If I have that He will take care of the rest.
Jesus, I trust in You