The second-lesson in the TLM today is: Thus says the Lord God: Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before My eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow. Come now, let us set things right, says the Lord: though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; though they be crimson red, they may become white as wool. If you are willing, and obey, you shall eat the good things of the land, says the Lord almighty.—Isaiah 1:16-19.
Wednesdays at the third largest Planned Parenthood in the world is mostly a time of prayer for me. On my pro-life team is some of the best sidewalk counselors I have ever met, including Kevin Williams. Kevin bounced back from cancer surgery the very next day to hit the sidewalk to lovingly ask women to keep their babies. Deacon John Ton and Terry Ton have been pillars of the Denver pro-life community for a long time. (They took the first two pix of this post, unbeknownst to me at the time.) We’re also joined every week by several evangelical Protestants who counsel women.
Usually, I’m better at just praying the old Divine Office and the chapter 3 exorcism prayers at the abortion mill, but the above is a recent example of how my pro-life team asks me to counsel couples who speak French or Spanish or Portuguese as their first language. This young couple from South America amazingly asked me into the back of their car and I did my best to convince them not to kill their 6 week old baby. They were brought to tears of joy and hope (and maybe a little repentance) that they had almost done that by the time I left the car. They promised me they would go to the crisis-pregnancy center the next day after the above conversation. Pray that they keep their pledge of life to their own unborn child. (Unfortunately, I left my Roman Breviary in their car and had to purchase a new one that they only sell in Europe, and they are expensive! Thanks to all my donors who take such good care of me that this is not a concern to just get a new set.)
We also had another trip distributing propane tanks to people living in campers. We ask them to give us an empty tank, and then we give them a full tank. That way, they have some investment and dignity in the whole process. But we’ll give them a full tank if they can’t exchange one. In fact, we even got a propane tank to a Denver couple living in a tunnel. I thought tunnel people only lived under giant cities like NYC and LA.
In this last picture we got out propane tanks and miraculous medals and prayed with several youth who were homeless. We also had an interesting discussion about Job in the Bible. It’s astonishing how many homeless would rather talk about their few blessings than their many struggles. It is a great lesson in gratitude before God that we learned.
NB There will be few forthcoming blogs and podcasts and videos this Spring for three reasons: 1) I am assisting my mother in what seems to be her last days on earth. 2) I was locked out of my YouTube channel for thought-crimes against the left. 3) My pro-life trial from three years ago in New Jersey is delayed until April or May 2023… All of these things seem to have piled up in a way that is far outside my control at this point.