a new york minute

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By Mrs. Mary Kay Welgoss, OP

A New York Minute

My son (let’s call him Tim) lives and works in New York City, and our family (my husband, daughter, son-in-law, and Tim’s girlfriend) visited him recently to celebrate his birthday. We enjoyed a nice dinner out, and went to a comedy club that friends at Tim’s office recommended. Tim knows the city well, so he deftly navigated us on and off the subway; as we emerged from the station onto the street above, he told us to move quickly to our destination, because we were not in the safest part of town. I never feel really safe in New York, so I didn’t think too much about his comment. I moved along the crowded street as quickly as I could, trying to keep up with our group. Suddenly, a man rode by on one of those electric bikes. It was impossible not to notice him, because he was screaming at the top of his lungs the most vulgar string of expletives I have ever heard. From what I could gather, he was upset that a car had cut him off, and he was truly enraged by this. He started pounding on the windows of all the cars that were waiting in line at the next signal. He was screaming threats and outlining in detail acts of violence he wanted to perpetrate on whomever had offended him. His behavior was so outsized for the situation that it was truly startling. I couldn’t help but stare over at him in disbelief. I immediately thought that he acted like someone possessed by a demon. I had been reflecting on scripture passages earlier that week about how Jesus and the apostles had cured many people oppressed by demons, so the idea of demonic possession was, no doubt, in the back of my mind. But even if one prefers a more secular explanation of his actions–perhaps they were drug induced, or perhaps he suffered from some form of mental illness–it was still so over the top that it seemed to defy commonplace explanations. What was most strange about the incident though, was what happened next. At the moment I thought to myself, “This man acts like someone possessed by a demon,” he immediately stopped his ranting and turned his attention toward me. Now it was a dark night, and he was at least 4o-50 yards away. Surely, my looking at him would not even be noticed in the tirade of his anger and the bustle of the crowd. But it was. He looked directly at me, and he said in a level and menacing tone, “You mind your own business, lady, or the same thing will happen to you.” Strangely, as scary as this situation sounds, an inexplicable sense of calm came over me. The miraculous medal I always wear grew warm against my chest, and I distinctly heard the voice of the Blessed Mother say to me, “Do not be afraid of him. He can’t hurt you. I am protecting you.” The traffic light changed, and the man rode away, still screaming and yelling down the street. But I felt a great sense of peace. It all happened in a “New York minute”–full of bustle and distraction. But to me it seemed like the exchange happened in a vacuum–as if nothing else was going on around us for those few moments. Equally strange was the fact that my entire family later told me they all heard this man’s threatening voice in a clear and focused way that stood out amid the bustle and noise of the street. It had frightened them, even though they hadn’t realized at the time that he was speaking to me.

This is a dramatic story, and it testifies to the increasing tensions at work in our modern world. I share it in the hope that it encourages others to stay close to our Divine Lord, Jesus Christ, and to our Blessed Mother. Believe in the truth of the Gospel. Go to Mass, and pray daily, especially the Rosary. In doing so, we can rest in the peace of Christ that surpasses all understanding, because we have nothing to fear.

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