9 Days for Life: Day Six: May expectant mothers choosing adoption receive grace and support in embracing this loving option
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Today’s intention: May expectant mothers choosing adoption receive grace and support in embracing this loving option.
9 Days for Life
Prayers
Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be
Reflection
When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, she opened her heart to receive his message that she would conceive the Son of God in her womb. As a young bride who had not yet lived with her husband, Mary knew that her pregnancy presented many challenges. Despite this knowledge, she faithfully responded, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).
Like the Blessed Mother, women who unexpectedly become pregnant often face significant challenges. They, too, are called to place their trust in God and faithfully respond to His gift of new life. And we are called to walk with them in their time of need. As Jesus taught us, when we love and serve others, we are loving and serving Him.
May all expectant mothers be encouraged by Mary’s example and receive support and grace in lovingly welcoming their children into the world.
Acts of Reparation
(Choose one.)
- Sign up to pray for and serve expectant mothers in need in your community through a parish-based program called Walking with Moms in Need.
- Pray the Angelus today. You might also consider saying it every day for the next week—on awakening, at noon, or at 6 p.m. (or all three times).
- Offer some other sacrifice, prayer, or act of penance that you feel called to do for today’s intention.
One Step Further
When a woman is facing an unexpected pregnancy, the reaction of the first person she tells tends to set the tone for her decision-making. Pregnancy can be difficult and frightening, but no matter the circumstances, it’s important for an expectant mother to feel supported and loved. Read 10 Ways to Support Her When She’s Unexpectedly Expecting for simple tips on how to provide loving, life-affirming support for a friend who is unexpectedly pregnant. Your support may be the only support she receives.
You Can Pray Each Day
We have nine days of prayer, which is the basic format for any novena. The term novena refers to 9 days, and is a way to recreate the experience of prayer that occurred in the Upper Room between the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, and today. As the apostles and Mary were in the Upper Room, they prayed each day in waiting for the Spirit of God to move, which, of course, we celebrate at Pentecost. Each day we will post an additional novena prayer.
The prayer topics are below:
Day One: May the tragic practice of abortion end.
Day Three: May all who defend life find strength and renewal in the Holy Spirit.
Day Four: May all unborn children be protected in law and welcomed in love.
Day Six: May every expectant mother receive compassionate care and support as she nurtures the life in her womb.
Day Seven: May expectant fathers lovingly support the mothers of their children in welcoming new life.
Day Eight: May expectant mothers choosing adoption receive grace and support in embracing this loving option.
Day Nine: May civic leaders work for the protection of all human life, in every stage and circumstance.
WHAT IS WALKING WITH MOMS IN NEED?
Walking with Moms in Need is a time of service in which Catholic parishes and communities “walk in the shoes” of local pregnant and parenting women in need.
Everyone should know how to help moms in difficult circumstances.
While not trying to turn Catholic parishes into pregnancy centers, we can support local pregnancy centers where they exist, and we can also find and share other resources with pregnant and parenting women.
And where there are few local resources, we can create our own, based on the gifts of the parish community!
We hope you and your parish will join us in Walking with Moms in Need.
