By Don Hutchinson (as shared May 10, 2012 to open the March For Life rally on Parliament Hill)
Father,
We stand together in awe and wonder at the miracle of life. Science may speculate about the origins of life, but only You can create.
We gather together on this day to express our wonder at the miracle of all of life, particularly human life – from fertilization through to the natural cycle of death.
This day we focus particular attention on the wonder of human life formed within the human body; designed by You for growth, birth, infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood.
We stand in prayer for those in the womb who have not yet developed a voice of their own.
We stand in prayer for those who have chosen to give birth to the children growing within – whether to raise those children as mom and dad, as single mom or to lovingly offer them for adoption in another welcoming home.
We also stand in prayer for those who have lost their children through no choice of their own and those who have lost their children by choice.
We ask that You, Father, by Your Spirit would touch each one of these with your love and compassion; for we have all been made in Your image and Your Son died for each one of us that we might know love, forgiveness and renewal in our own lives.
Father, we also stand together in prayer for our great nation of Canada, recognizing that the loss of lives through unrestricted abortion for nearly a quarter of a century has cost us all dearly through the loss of brothers, sisters, friends and a generation that would be moving into the professions, trades and other occupations that are necessary for the economic and social stability of our nation.
We pray for our Prime Minister, Members of Parliament and the Senate – chosen by the people of this nation, and we believe also chosen by You, O God – who have been called upon by You, by the Supreme Court of Canada in their decision in the Morgentaler case in 1988, and by the people of Canada to correct the injustice of our nation providing no protection for children in the womb, an injustice that has been visited upon our nation for 24 years.
Yes, we stand together in awe and wonder at the miracle of life. And we pray that the day will come when this gathering will not be necessary; when justice will be restored for the innocent voiceless; and our nation will be renewed in its foundation of dignity and respect for all human beings.
This we ask in the name of Your Son, Who lived, died and was resurrected again to life, Jesus, the Christ, our Saviour and the Lord of Life. Amen.