Here we are again. Generation Life is what we’ve been waiting for and it’s finally here! Are we ready? Of course! Our bags are packed, we have enough jackets to last a few days, some good walking shoes, and some money to get a few D.C. cupcakes while we’re there. Well, that’s great, but are we spiritually ready to dive into this pilgrimage? Let’s take a look.

What Is Spiritual Preparation?

Sometimes it’s hard to realize that this is a pilgrimage instead of a vacation. This isn’t saying that you can’t sight see; I’m all for sightseeing at our nation’s Capital. However, we have to spiritually prepare ourselves if we want this to be a pilgrimage.

What is spiritual preparation? Leading up to your participation in the March for Life, we must prepare our heart, our soul, and our mind for the work that God has led us to do. The main way to do this is through prayer, and below I’ll give a few concrete prayers to say before leaving for the March or on the way to the March.

Why is spiritual preparation important? Why can’t I just go on the trip and pray when I get there? Would you walk into a classroom on the day of a tough test knowing that you haven’t studied, then sit down with confidence that you know all of the answers to the questions on the test? No, you have to prepare for something like that. We wouldn’t be able to go on this trip without His guidance, and through prayer, we’ll be able to understand God’s mission for us by standing up for all human life.

Get Informed

It’s important to do your research before you begin your journey to D.C. Maybe follow some social media sites such as GenLifeSTL365, or the Respect Life Apostolate and their Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Read some blogs about how to prepare for the March (oh look, you’re doing that now by reading this!). Ask a friend who’s been on the trip before to give their witness on the impact of going on the March for Life. Seeing how this trip impacted others may help you become motivated to get more involved with the trip yourself.

Spiritually Adopt a Baby

Did you know that you can spiritually adopt a child? There’s a program that allows anyone to prayerfully intercede on behalf of mothers and babies threatened by abortion. Again, prayer is the foundation of all we do in defense of human life – and with this opportunity, you have an actual unborn child to pray for! This way, during the March, you’re marching for your child that you spiritually adopted.

Pray a Novena for Life

Again with prayer, it’s the most important thing that we can do to make promote a culture of life. So, what is a novena? A novena is a set of special prayers or services said in nine consecutive days. You can download the free 9 Days for Life app which consists of daily intercessions, steps on how to pray the novena, reflections from saints, acts of reparation, and special tips on how you can promote a culture of life. There is also a Novena to Three American Saints for Life – Elizabeth Ann Seton, Frances Cabrini, and John Neumann. It’s suggested to start these novenas nine days before the March, but you can pray them anytime to spiritually support the cause to promote life.

Make Pro-Life Signs

What I love about going on the March is seeing the massive amount of people flooding the streets of Washington D.C. What’s also super cool is the amount of pro-life signs that people bring with them. We can see each sign as a prayer. Thousands of people walk through the streets holding up their prayers in hopes that someone will hear them. So, be creative! Let your prayer be known! If you’re like me and enjoy doing hands-on projects to prepare for a big event, then this is for you! Make an enthusiastic and colorful sign to hold up as you march. Let the world know why we march for life!

Pray the Rosary

“There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by prayer of the Holy Rosary.” – Saint Lucia of Fatima

Prayer is the foundation of all we do in defense of human life. Most of us have long bus rides to Washington D.C., so what better way to spend it than to pray the rosary? Dedicate 20 minutes of your 20+ hour bus ride to Our Lady and pray for a safe trip, a change of heart for our government, and an end to abortion. Our Lady will help prepare our hearts for encountering the Lord during this pilgrimage. Also, there’s no harm in saying the rosary before the trip; the more prayer warriors, the better! Ask our Mother Mary to intercede for you and the other travelers embarking on the pilgrimage to D.C. Say a quick rosary today, tomorrow, and every day until you leave – you’ll find yourself in the habit of praying one of the greatest and most powerful prayers of this world.

Invite Others to Go on the March with You!

The more the better, right? Thousands of people go on the March every year, and it’s awesome that you’re going! But how much more awesome would it be if you were the one that influenced someone to go?
Mention it to a friend; invite them to come with you and your high school or youth group. Reaching out to them is actually your witness of Christ to help the pro-life community! This is how I was welcomed in – a friend reached out to me and I was invited to go to the March for Life. My life has changed ever since and I do everything that I can to be a witness to the pro-life generation. Now you have that chance – go out and proclaim the Good News!