While today was not a day to pray at the clinic it was a day focused on the unborn and praying for them and for the continuation of religious freedom in America.  Christians from around the country have gathered in Washington, DC for Acts Five 29.  Acts Five 29 is 72 hours of prayer and peaceful protest in front of the White House for religious freedom and in opposition to the healthcare mandate that forces religious institutions and organizations to offer health insurance to its employees which will cover contraception and so much more.  Contraception which is know as an abortifacient (a substance that induces abortion) is also covered under this health care mandate as well as abortion and sterilization.

Sunday was the first full day of events in Washington which gathered Christians of all denominations both Catholic and protestant.  The began with an evangelical worship service followed by the praying of the Rosary, led by Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life.  The afternoon brought out many wonderful speakers including Lila Rose of Live Action and Kristina Garza of Survivors who spoke to our religious freedom and the urgency to preserve it now more than ever. At 4pm the crowd that gathered in Lafayette Park moved across the street to the White House where, those willing to risk arrest, knelt down on the sidewalk between two lamp posts where our freedom of speech is no longer protected.  The US Park Police issued three warnings to those praying on the sidewalk to move before declaring them “under arrest.”  At that point each individual was handcuffed, searched, photographed, put into a police van, and taken to the police station for processing.

The time has come for the church to wake up to what the future will hold if we do not act now.  Yesterday’s arrest was voluntary.  We could have continued to pray in Lafayette park without anyone in danger of being arrested.  But even today there are individuals who are standing up for life, in a peaceful non-violent, non-intrusive manner, in public places, and they are being arrested – yes in America!  The church must stand up and say that we will NOT comply with unjust laws and that we WILL obey God rather than men!