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Our Lord tells us in Scripture that “Certain kinds of demons do not leave but by prayer and fasting” (Mt. 17:21). The more a person engages in the pro-life battle the more evident it becomes that, above all else, this is a spiritual battle. It is a battle between good and evil, between the culture of life and the culture of death.

To avoid being misunderstood, I’m not suggesting that those who advocate abortion or other direct attacks against innocent human life are evil. Rather, it is the act of intentionally destroying innocent human life—no matter how small, unformed or frail—that is evil.
To get more specific about the spiritual nature of the pro-life battle, I’m convinced that one of the most difficult dynamics we face is that it’s easier to ignore or manipulate truth in order to rationalize personal behavior than it is to change behavior.

As sinners, each of us knows that true conversion is usually difficult and painful, even if we believe that the end result will be greater fulfillment and happiness. Consequently, many in our society choose the easier but empty path of rationalizing destructive lifestyles and behavior.

This dynamic was exemplified in the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1992 ruling reaffirming Roe v Wade. In its Planned Parenthood v. Casey ruling the Court said that overturning Roe would cause too much turmoil because “for two decades of economic and social developments, people have organized intimate relationships and made choices that define their views of themselves and their places in society, in reliance on the availability of abortion in the event that contraception should fail.”

To restate this more bluntly and honestly, the Court said: “to hell with the rights of the unborn, too many people have embraced a sexually permissive lifestyle that relies upon killing the little buggers if contraception fails to prevent them from coming into existence.” This dynamic is likely to change only with prayer and fasting.

I submit, then, that the most powerful contribution one can make to the pro-life battle is to offer special prayers and sacrifices for the conversion of our society. As we approach Lent, now is a great time to identify some form of prayer and sacrifice that you will offer for the pro-life cause during this season of penance. What follows are some suggestions to assist you in this discernment.

1. PRO LIFE STATIONS OF THE CROSS. Priests for Life has pro-life meditations for each of the Stations of the Cross. This two-page document is available online at www.priestsforlife.org/prayers/stationsofthecross.html and may also be obtained from my office.

2. 40 DAYS FOR LIFE LENTEN PRAYER VIGIL. Lincoln Right to Life and the Newman Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are teaming up to organize this round-the-clock prayer vigil at the Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Lincoln. The purpose is to have a continual prayerful presence at the abortion facility throughout Lent and to urge fasting during Lent for the closing of the facility and the conversion of its staff.

3. INTERCESSORS FOR LIFE. Those who don’t live close enough to Lincoln to directly participate in the Lenten Prayer Vigil can still join their prayers and sacrifices to those who will keep vigil at the abortion facility.

Intercessors for life asks individuals to offer some form of prayer and sacrifice each week (preferably on Fridays when abortions are done in Lincoln) for the same intention as the Lenten Prayer Vigil. Prayer cards and other prayer suggestions are available from my office.