Today is a big day in the pro-life community, and I invite all here at Coming Home to make it a day marked by prayers of rejoicing, intercession, and atonement. That’s a tall order for one day.
My day is beginning at Kermit Gosnell’s clinic in Philadelphia at the National Day of Mourning, hosted by the National Black Pro-Life Coalition. It is one of dozens of such gatherings happening all across America today, the last day of Black History Month. I’ve been asked to speak for a few moments in remembrance of Dr. Bernard Nathanson, whose Funeral Mass is being offered at 10 AM at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC. It is an interesting confluence of events on a very important day.
I’m humbled and honored to be able to stand in solidarity with the National Leadership today, and to speak words of prayerful tribute to a man whose conversion was as earth-shattering as that of Saint Paul the Apostle’s.
Later tonight, I shall address a large gathering on Long Island, New York, where I’ll address the issue of Abortion, Genocide, and Future Directions in the Pro-Life Movement. So, I’m off to a busy day, and will blog later or tomorrow.
For now, I invite all here to join in prayers of thanksgiving and intercession for Dr. Nathanson, who died sealed with the Sacraments and the assurance of God’s forgiveness. He spent the last half of his adulthood atoning for the great sin he helped unleash. When he was baptized, he remarked that he carries an enormous burden with him into the next life. Let’s pray that God has assuaged him of that burden, and that today, Dr. Nathanson intercedes for us before the Throne of God.
We also remember two men caught in the grip of the Evil One, Dr. Kermit Gosnell and Theodore Shulman. They are not beyond God’s loving care, and we pray in earnest for their conversion of heart and liberation from the oppressive torment that has wracked their lives.
So, here is a hymn–a prayer that epitomizes Dr. Nathanson’s newness in Jesus, my prayer for all of us in the pro-life movement, and one that I pray will fall from the lips of Gosnell and Shulman some day.
Coming Home 
Amen, thank you Gerry. It’s so difficult to remember that everything is grace, and without it, I would be far more depraved than Gosnell and Shulman… we must entrust them to the good Lord, praying and fasting for them.
Gerard,
I just read the story of the song you posted in the video…ab-soul-utely perfect for your day ahead!!
St. Patrick (385-461 AD) was a man zealous for the things of God. As a missionary, he defied an Irish King’s edict that restricted the lighting of candles on Easter Eve. King Logaire of Tara had decreed that no one was allowed light any fires until a pagan spring festival was launched by the lighting of a fire on Slane Hill. Patrick chose to honor God in spite the threat of death. King Logaire was so impressed with Patrick’s brave devotion, he let him continue his missionary work unhindered.
An 8th Century Monk, Dallan Forgaill penned the words to Be Thou My Vision, as a tribute to St. Patrick’s wholehearted loyalty to God. The hymn was translated from Irish to English in 1905 by Mary E. Byrne. In 1912, Eleanor H. Hull arranged the song into the verse most commonly found in English hymnals today. The music to accompany the lyrics is an ancient Irish folk tune called Slane.
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
“When he was baptized, he remarked that he carries an enormous burden with him into the next life. Let’s pray that God has assuaged him of that burden, and that today, Dr. Nathanson intercedes for us before the Throne of God.”
And of course EVERY sin including all the abortions that Nathanson was involved in, either directly or indirectly would have been wiped clean by his baptism.
Truly, God IS Good!