After having to postpone my last scheduled visit with Mario due to illness, I finally drove out to visit him.
Why I Do It
Anytime you do anything for the service of God, the Devil is not happy and will disrupt your work. For me it always comes in the form of a personal spiritual attack. This week the attack was strong and brought me to my knees in prayer. “Why do you go visit Mario so much?” As the conversation got darker, all I could respond was, “I don’t want to discuss this!” But it hit me in a way that made me question my purpose as a Christian counselor. Witnessing the love of Christ to those who need it most is a priority. Besides, I listen to God not man.
Acts 5:29 New American Bible (Revised Edition)
I guess the Devil knew all along that this appointment was going to be one of the most spiritual visits.
I’m not taking the role of Elijah, thinking that I am the only one who can minister to Mario ( I Kings 18:22) but I feel a strong calling to help him readjust to life once he becomes a free man. A person who has known God on a deep level will always rely on prayer, and trusting the Lord will see him through all that is ahead of him. No one can make it without God.
Later that evening I drove to St. Martin de Porres in Yorba Linda for Adoration and stayed for the 6:30 p.m. Mass.
The Visit
As usual the guards were one half-hour late in checking us in. The weather was going to remain 60 degrees, so I asked for a table in the sun. I quickly asked one of the aides for the “Good News Bible,” then purchased our meals. Two beef and bean burritos, one hamburger, one Santa Fe Chicken salad, two bags of chips a coke for Mario and water for myself. The burritos brought back a fond memory of my high school days. “I used to buy burritos like this at the student store in high school,” I shared with Mario. We split the cheeseburger, and Mario ate the salad.
Service Dog Training
In March of last year Mario signed up for a service dog training program. He had totally forgotten about it until last week when he was approached by two men dressed in business suits who selected him to be part of the program. Mario will either receive a Golden Retriever or a Labrador. The puppy will stay with Mario during the entire time of training. Mario was very excited about this because he has always been a dog lover.
College Courses
Last semester Mario received A’s in all of his classes and discovered that statistics was his favorite and most challenging subject. He is currently taking another load of classes and enjoying his Social Problem class. These classes are taught by local college instructors. He is in his second year of sign language to fulfill part of his language requirement.
Bible Study
I have mentioned in past blogs that many times I get inspired by the homilies at daily Mass. We are blessed with two wonderful, spirit-filled priests at our parish. A recent homily was about Jacob wrestling with God; two weeks ago my blog was about this subject matter.
The study was deep and Mario, who is pretty knowledgeable about the Bible, gleaned new spiritual insight. Genesis 32-33 is about Jacob receiving a blessing. He needed this favor from God before restoring his relationship with his brother Esau. Jacob feared the worse and wanted God to assure him that all would go well. This was a pivotal moment in Jacob’s life, so much so that God changed his name to Israel.
I always encourage Mario to convert to the Catholic faith, but he is still reluctant to make such a big commitment.
Substance Abuse Program
SAP is a program that has made its rounds in prisons, but for the first time Mario is attending the classes. This program educates inmates about substance abuse and the consequences that come with it. The inmates will learn about the addiction cycle and recovery. They will also learn the connection between alcohol and drug abuse. Eighty percent of prisoners suffer from substance abuse. SAP helps inmates understand behavior such as anger, criminal thinking, and habit development.
Some of these programs include addressing dysfunctional family dynamics and issues of domestic violence. Mario is attending these meetings on a regular basis. With all his extracurricular classes, he is getting an earlier release. He wants his parole to be in the state of Arizona to be near his mother and sisters. Please continue to pray for God’s favor over Mario’s life, so that he can live near his family. It’s a lot of bureaucratic paperwork for him to receive permission to live out of state.
During the devastating wildfires, guess what our California legislators were doing? They were securing $50 million to Trump proof-California. They want to make sure that our state remains a sanctuary state. Our governor is more concerned about the illegals than its citizens.
My Prayer
Please continue to pray for all those people who lost their homes that God will protect them as they navigate through recovery. Lord, may Your hand be upon these hurting souls. Comfort them and allow them to feel Your holy presence through all the ashes. Amen.
