Madison, WI will be one of more than 163 cities from coast to coast in the United States - as well as locations in Canada, Australia, and Northern Ireland - joining together for the largest spring 40 Days for Life campaign yet.
Our local 40 Days for Life will be held from September 22 - October 31, and will consist of three components...
1. Prayer and Fasting
Want to end abortion? First you pray. Prayer is at the center of 40 Days for Life. During the September 22 - October 31 campaign, people of faith across the nation will join together on their knees before the Lord, asking Him to hear our plea and heal our land. Pray at church. Pray outside an abortion facility. Pray at work. Pray in the car. Pray at home with your family. Pray!
People of faith are also invited to fast throughout 40 Days for Life. Christ said there are some demons that can only be driven out by prayer and fasting. A fast is not a Christian diet; it is a powerful means of drawing closer to God by blocking out distractions. Fast from food. Fast from alcohol. Fast from television. Fast from e-mail. Fast from apathy and indifference. Fast from any form of excess. Fast from whatever it is that separates you from God.
Below are two different kinds of fasting options:
Sacrifices (every day): Prayers:
-No TV -1/2 hour listening to and praying-No coffee Praise and Worship
-Foregoing buying unnecessary things -Stations of the Cross
and giving the saved money to charity -Making a Holy Hour
-Eating only bread and water for one -A Rosary
meal a day -Daily Mass
-No sweets -An extra 20 minutes of Bible-
-No radio/CDs reading and Meditation
-No internet -a Chaplet of Divine Mercy
-No video games -Prayer for the conversion
-No eating between meals of hearts to Life
-Offering up all inconveniences or 'thorns' -Silent conversation with God
We believe that when God's people pray and fast with a broken, repentant, and contrite spirit, our heavenly Father will hear from heaven and heal our lives, our churches, our communities, our nation, and our world. God has already given us His word that He will listen:
"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land." -- 2 Chronicles 7:14
2. Peaceful Vigil
The visible, public centerpiece of 40 Days for Life is the 40-day-long prayer vigil that will be held outside the local abortion facility or Planned Parenthood office.
The prayer vigil is a peaceful and educational presence that will send a powerful message to our entire community about the tragic reality of abortion. It also serves as a call to repentance for those who work at the abortion center and those who patronize the facility.
This spring, the vigil will be conducted during hours only throughout the day.
3. Community Outreach
During 40 Days for Life, the pro-life message will be proactively taken to every possible corner of a community through a focused, grassroots educational effort.
- A door-to-door petition and education drive will be conducted to reach out to households throughout the city. Informational flyers raise awareness about the local crisis of abortion. You are invited to sign a petition of support for the sanctity of human life and visibly show your support for 40 Days for Life.
- Get your church involved: meet with local pastors, other church leaders, and members of different congregations. The Body of Christ is invited to pray together and participate in 40 Days for Life, uniting in one focused mission that can save lives and make an eternal impact.
- Reach out to the media. The pro-life message will be spread through carefully targeted news stories, talk shows, editorials, and letters to the editor. This enables the pro-life message to reach many people who would never see the inside of a local church.
You can help to make a lifesaving impact by getting involved today!