So…this happened today.

On the Feast of the Sacred Heart. And the Feast of St. John the Baptist (who, you may recall, testified to Christ from his mother’s womb), since we have a rare situation where the two fall on the same day. Interesting that.

Anyway, current events aren’t really my forte, but this is a, ah, pretty big one. It means that the stain of abortion is being lifted at last from the nation as such (though more on that in a bit), which is itself a great mercy and a blessing. It’s what the pro-life movement has been working and praying for for decades. This particular scourge is being lessened, and that’s unquestionably a thing to be grateful for. And kudos to the justices for not letting themselves be intimidated by mob tactics this time.

There are few other things to think about.

First, expect a lot of Mostly Peaceful Protests as a result of this, including ones that target Churches. Supposedly, the DHS has already warned the Church to expect attacks on Churches. We’re almost certainly in for another rough summer, so if you live in urban areas or anywhere likely to be the scene of Peaceful Protests by Idealistic Youth, take whatever precautions seem right to you.

Second, remember that this doesn’t ban abortion, it only sends it back to the states. There are still going to be many thousands of children murdered after this. A lot of states will enforce existing laws or pass new ones against it, but a lot of others will push laws protecting the practice. The work isn’t over.

Also, not to throw a damper on anything, but this decision now hangs by a thread. All it’ll take is for the other side to get a few justices in and then we’ll be right back where we started, and probably with a much stronger case at the bottom of if (Roe v. Wade was an extremely flimsy case that ought to have to have been tossed the moment the plaintiff admitted that she lied about the rape). Yes, it is idiotic that judges can create laws out of whole-cloth in this country, but that’s a battle for another day.

Basically, the most important thing remains what it always has been; conversion and the overthrow of the values, assumptions, and ideologies that led to abortion in the first place. I’m certainly hopeful that this is a sign of a change in the wind (especially coupled with other such signs), but let’s not fool ourselves; the legal aspect of our mess is only the most superficial element. It is the moral and spiritual aspect that is the most important. Again, the foremost answer to any of the problems facing our country is, ultimately, conversion.

As Sir Winston put it, this is not the end, it isn’t even the beginning of the end, but it may be the end of the beginning.

So pray, please. Pray in thanksgiving that God has shown us this mercy. Pray against the violence that is likely to come. Pray for a final end of legal abortion in this country. Pray for the conversion of those who are feeling appalled and furious over this decision, and pray most of all for the conversion of our nation.