“We Walk By Faith, Not By Sight.”

One thing that has struck me in my few years of active work in the pro-life field is how different it is from other areas of missionary work.  If for example I was serving people who were starving in a third-world country by bringing them nourishment, I would be blessed to see their smiles, hear their thank-yous, even see them growing stronger and healthier.  In short, I would likely be blessed to see the fruits of my labor.  But when you work against an evil that dwells in the shadows, often you can hardly see your hand in front of your face, let alone the fruits of your labor.  Every so often one such enormous blessing will occur: a mother will inform you that she has changed her mind, or perhaps return to you with a saved child in her arms to thank you, but for the most part, you as the pro-life counselor/sidewalk-counselor/prayer-warrior will never know what an impact your prayers and words had.  But the evil is no less real because it is hidden nor can the positive effects of prayer and charity be exaggerated.  It is the challenge of the battle for human dignity that we struggle on with as much vitality, persistence, courage, strength and love in the shadows as we would in the light; that we speak to every woman as though our words and no others are the ones that will convince her of God’s love and the preciousness of the life she carries within her; that we not let the appearance of failure or at least of futility sap even the smallest part of ardency from our veins (that we never forget that millions of lives depend upon this); that we walk by faith and not by sight in the fight for life. 

I am reminded of the words of our Lady spoken in a vision to King Alfred in G.K. Chesterton's "Ballad of the White Horse" (no, its not real; yes, you should read it): "The men signed of the Cross of Christ go gaily in the dark."