As the 40 Days for Life fall campaign nears it's final day I spent tonight reflecting on how I have been transformed over these past 40 days.

As the co-chair of my parish's pro-life committee I had already been praying outside a woman's clinic that performs abortions during the evenings after work, but the clinic was closed at that time. My friends and I did not mind that the clinic was closed, we were there to pray for the babies that had died that day, the ones that could be aborted the next day and to just pray to rid the evil that surrounded that place! But during the 40 Days for Life we increased our prayer vigils to include Saturday mornings; when the clinic was open for business.....

And on every Saturday morning between the hours of 7:00 and 9:00 am the women arrive at the clinic. The abortionist arrives at 9:00 and the abortions are performed between 9 and 11:00 am.

The entire time we are out front; peacefully praying our rosary for an end to the unspeakable acts that are being performed inside this pristine, neat, tidy building.

The first time I went to this place I was reminded of Jesus telling the Jewish religious leaders that they were like white sepulchers, all clean and nice on the outside but inside, full of dead men's bones.. this clinic, this place of evil was so neat and respectable on the outside but inside was full of dead babies and wounded, broken women....

Each Saturday I can feel the cries of the unborn deep in my soul as I walk up and down that sidewalk, holding my rosary and praying with my friends.  At times I want to break down that door and cry out to these people "Can't you see what you are doing??  You are killing children!!"  I carry the weight of these deaths with me even as I walk away - their unknown faces haunt me and I take comfort in the fact that they are now safe with Jesus.

So as the latest 40 Days for Life campaign draws to a close I know that my fight has not and I will continue to be at that clinic one evening a week and every Saturday morning until there is no longer a need to be. God made it rain for 40 days and nights, the Israelites wandered the desert for 40 years, Jesus prayed and fasted for 40 days before starting his public ministry and in 40 days my life was changed forever -