A reading from the first Book of Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51
David spoke to Saul: “Let your majesty not lose courage. I am at your service to go and fight this Philistine.” But Saul answered David, “You cannot go up against this Philistine and fight with him, for you are only a youth, while he has been a warrior from his youth.”
David continued: “The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, will also keep me safe from the clutches of this Philistine.” Saul answered David, “Go! the LORD will be with you.”
Then, staff in hand, David selected five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pocket of his shepherd’s bag. With his sling also ready to hand, he approached the Philistine.
With his shield bearer marching before him, the Philistine also advanced closer and closer to David. When he had sized David up, and seen that he was youthful, and ruddy, and handsome in appearance, the Philistine held David in contempt. The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog that you come against me with a staff?” Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods and said to him, “Come here to me, and I will leave your flesh for the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.” David answered him: “You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel that you have insulted. Today the LORD shall deliver you into my hand; I will strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will leave your corpse and the corpses of the Philistine army for the birds of the air and the beasts of the field; thus the whole land shall learn that Israel has a God. All this multitude, too, shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves. For the battle is the LORD’s and he shall deliver you into our hands.”
The Philistine then moved to meet David at close quarters, while David ran quickly toward the battle line in the direction of the Philistine. David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone, hurled it with the sling, and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone embedded itself in his brow, and he fell prostrate on the ground. Thus David overcame the Philistine with sling and stone; he struck the Philistine mortally, and did it without a sword. Then David ran and stood over him; with the Philistine’s own sword which he drew from its sheath
he dispatched him and cut off his head.
REFLECTION: ...." it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves. For the battle is the LORD’s and he shall deliver you into our hands.”
A landmark legal decision--Roe vs Wade-- was issued on January 22, 1973 by the US Supreme Court. A Texas statute banning abortion was struck down effectively legalizing abortion across the United States. It brought up many issues and divided up the country into prochoice and prolife camps. The role of religious and moral views and the rights of all citizens was up for grabs.
Does man's law override the law of God? Man made laws changed our relationship with God. The United States has killed 61 million babies since the legalization of abortion. Three million of those come from Texas. To this effect, today on the 47th anniversary of Roe vs Wade, we pray for the unborn child.
There are more assaults on the baby with abortion now legal up to the time of delivery. The Born Alive Protection Act failed to pass February 2019. It was short 7 votes to pass this; therefore babies who survive abortion will be allowed to die. This is infanticide.The unborn baby and the born alive baby have no human rights, no voice to cry out for their pain and their slaughter.
PAPA prays for priests, past, present and future. According to natural law, the unborn child is a person. According to supernatural law, the Unborn Jesus is the Divine Person, the Lord God, Creator of all. (PAPA handbook, pg 29) We pray for the unborn child, we pray for the Unborn Jesus. We pray for our future priests.
PAPA is Catholic, Pro family and Pro baby. Please join us in praying one memorare every hour for an end to abortion and the rosary today. As we pray to God, ...." it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves. For the battle is the LORD’s and he shall deliver you into our hands.”
PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!
