The Christmas Gift

Traveling to Santa Barbara nearly every week is exhausting.

A Step in the Right Direction

For over ten years, the Fitbit app kept track of daily steps with striking precision. Competing with friends on the platform made exercise feel like a game — until Google acquired Fitbit and removed the social competition feature. Just like that, the motivation to move disappeared.

The Gift That Changed Everything

Then Christmas arrived, and Mike gave me an Apple Watch. The device is packed with features. During one walk, a accidental trip and fall prompted it to immediately ask whether an ambulance was needed. That single moment was enough to inspire a return to walking — because now, every step is being recorded.

The First Mistake

The generic band that came with my new watch was navy blue — and it had absolutely no style. It was plain, understated, and completely wrong for me. So when Mike asked what I wanted for Mother’s Day, I knew exactly what to show him: a brochure from Brighton, opened to a gorgeous two-toned band in gold and silver. The moment I saw it, I thought — this was made for me.

The band was supposed to be easily adjustable, held together by snap-on parts. That sounded convenient — until it wasn’t. The pieces came apart far too easily, and more than once I watched several of them scatter across the floor. It may sound strange to say I stopped trusting an inanimate object, but I did. I was genuinely afraid the watch would just fall off my wrist. Sometimes it took me more than five minutes of fiddling before I could hear that reassuring click. I’d had enough. I told Mike I was returning the watchband.

The Football Game

Lucas had a football game the day before leaving for Santa Barbara. That morning, the watch went on — and refused to click shut. Frustrating, but wearable. When Sonja asked that Jacob be picked up and brought to the game, the request was honored. Honestly, whether the ride home came with Sonja or with Mike — that part is gone from memory.

The Missing Watch

When traveling to Santa Barbara, the alarm goes off at 4:30 a.m. to beat Los Angeles traffic. Plenty of times that early-bird strategy works — but just as often, the L.A. freeways win anyway. That particular morning was no different. The house was a blur of movement, lists being checked, bags being confirmed.

The Apple Watch charger and phone charger always make the trip — that much is non-negotiable. But that morning, the watch was nowhere to be found. Going to bed after eleven doesn’t help. Tired enough to forget charging it, forget where it landed, forget everything. The best guess, once the watch turned up missing, was that it had been set down somewhere and forgotten. The trip left without it. But somewhere in the back of the mind, a quiet thought kept circling: it’s probably under the bed, or tucked in some obscure corner. It’ll turn up when we get back.

The Infamous Ping

The watch was nowhere to be found. When I described the whole situation to our Pilates instructor, Dori, she didn’t miss a beat: “You know you can track your watch on your phone.” That was exactly the news I needed. Sure enough, when I got home and pulled up the app — there it was. The elusive watch had been found.

There was just one problem. It had last pinged at the neighbors’ house next door to Sonja’s. I called Sonja immediately and told her that her neighbors had my watch and that I was going over to get it. Her response was swift: “Mom, I’m at work — please don’t do that. Have Russ go over after work.” But that wasn’t going to stop me. I was getting to the bottom of this on my own.

Detective Lynda

Without a second thought — or a prayer — I went straight to the address. I had to knock pretty hard before a woman and a cherub-faced young man finally came to the door. I got right to the point: “Excuse me, but I lost my watch, and my phone is showing that it’s pinging here.”

The woman spoke broken English, and every time she tried to say something, her son told her to be quiet. At one point, I switched to Spanish and gently asked the son to let his mother speak. This went on for several minutes. I believed the woman — she seemed kind and genuine — but her son’s behavior was unsettling. Why did he keep silencing her? After going back and forth long enough, I told them I was going to get the police involved.

Orange Police Department

I know that number by heart — not because I’m a frequent caller, but because it happens to be an easy one. The officers instructed me to wait at Sonja’s house. I was a little surprised when two police cars showed up for what I’d considered a straightforward matter. I showed the officers my phone as proof that the watch had last pinged near the neighbors’ home. That’s when one of the officers said it: the ping could be within a radius of twenty feet.

That stopped me cold. My novice detective work had completely overlooked the fact that twenty feet could mean an entirely different house. Suddenly I felt terrible.

And I wasn’t the only one upset. Sonja didn’t hold back: “You know, Mom — we live here. You should have let Russ handle it.” My grandson piled on: “Grandma, I walk to school and I see that kid every day. Why did you do that?” Russ was too frustrated to say much of anything. Mike, ever the steady one, told me not to worry — he’d buy me a new watch, since it helps me walk and might even keep me from falling.

In hindsight, calling the police was completely unnecessary.

The New Watch

This time, I’m keeping the plain watchband — no complaints.

The Apple Store set everything up on the new watch, and all was well…until I got the text message.

Found

Russ rarely texts me, so when my phone buzzed with a notification, I was at Mass. I glanced at it quickly but didn’t really look until afterward.

Oh my gosh. There it was — my watch, with the fancy watchband.

Thou Shalt Not Judge

Oh no. Those poor people I had accused.

I wasn’t sure what to do. I consulted several people in my inner circle for advice, but they all said the same thing: leave it alone. My heart, however, was telling me something entirely different. After praying, the answer came clearly: You must remove all doubt from anyone in that household. I had to go back and tell them the truth — a real apology, not just a quiet one to myself.

Facing the Music

The following day, I bought a beautiful orchid plant and brought it to the family I had wronged. The woman was gracious beyond what I deserved — warm and kind as I apologized and owned what I had done. Sometimes humble pie has the sweetest aftertaste.

Matthew 7:1-2

“Do not judge, so that you in turn may not be judged. For you will be judged in the same way that you judge others, and the measure that you use for others will be used to measure you.”

My Prayer

Dear Lord, forgive me for being so quick to judge others. Thank You for always teaching us life-learning lessons. Lord, I love serving You. Amen.

Evil Is Rising — and We Must Know How to Fight It

Father Gabriele Amorth

This may be an uncomfortable subject — but it is a necessary one. After reading about the life and death of Father Gabriele Amorth, it became clear: we need to understand who Satan is and how he operates.

Father Gabriele Amorth, widely regarded as the world’s most famous exorcist, died in Rome on September 16, 2016, at the age of 91. He served as the official exorcist for the Diocese of Rome, drawing international attention with his outspoken warnings about the rising danger of diabolical influence in modern society.

Over the course of his life, Father Amorth performed an estimated 70,000 exorcism rites — often repeating the rite on the same individuals. He was not a man who theorized about evil from a safe distance. He encountered it face to face, day after day, for decades.

In an April 2015 post, he attributed the Islamic State to demonic influence, stating plainly: “ISIS is Satan. Things first happen in the spiritual realm, then they are made concrete on this earth.” He added that evil is “disguised” in various political, cultural, and religious ways — with one source of inspiration in the devil.

That same spiritual logic applies far beyond ISIS. The same dark influence can be seen at work in Hamas, Boko Haram, the drug cartels, and any force that suppresses, exploits, or destroys human dignity. The names change. The source does not.

Our families, our country, and our culture are under assault — and the battle is first and foremost spiritual. That means the response must be spiritual as well. We cover our families in prayer. We intercede for those who do not yet know the Lord. We stay close to the sacraments. And we ask the Holy Spirit to guide every step, every decision, every word.

The enemy is not hiding. Neither should we.

Demon Possessed

If you have been following this blog, you may recall that in 2005 our team traveled to Croatia — and came face to face with something none of us had ever seen before.

It began after midnight, when our prayer session had ended and Joanne, our group leader, was still praying over a young woman. Without warning, a loud crash split the silence of the basketball gymnasium. I spun around just in time to see a chair flying across the room and slamming down onto the wooden floor.

This was no natural occurrence. The young woman’s body was hurled into the air and thrown to the ground. In that moment, it was unmistakably clear: she was not in control of herself. Her movements were unnatural, contorted — nothing the human body should be able to do on its own. At one point, the evil spirits turned her own hands against her, strangling her with them. She fought back, kicking with everything she had — but she got no relief until Robert, one of our team members, pulled her hands away from her throat.

We formed a circle around her and prayed in the Spirit. When Joanne commanded the demons to leave, the response came back in a low, growling, unmistakably masculine voice: “Nunca! Nunca — es mía!” In Spanish, it means: “Never! Never — she is mine!”

Every sense I had went on full alert. That voice sent shivers up and down my spine. The hair on my arms stood straight up. Never in my life had I witnessed anything like it — and I was terrified.

Shaking in My Shoes

I was shaken — and I knew it was going to get worse. The demons were refusing to leave. The voice coming through her was unmistakably male, deep and raspy, and it did exactly what it was meant to do: make sure every one of us was afraid.

Her body twisted and curved, her spine bending like a startled cat, each contortion followed by a body slam against the floor. Then Joanne asked me to find a bag. I ran to the nearest trash can and grabbed a discarded one — I had no idea why she needed it. By the time I got back, someone else had already come through. Joanne directed us to hold the bag near the young woman’s mouth. She was about to vomit. No one — including me — wanted to get any closer to what was happening. This was new to nearly all of us, and none of us knew what to expect next.

The Exorcist

Then a priest from Serbia quietly made his way through the circle and knelt beside the young woman, sprinkling holy water over her. The reaction was immediate. The main demon let out a shrieking cry: “NO! NO! She’s mine! She’s mine!” It went on like that for some time. The demons spoke in Croatian, Spanish, and English — a detail that called to mind the account in Luke 8:30, where Christ asks the demon its name and receives the answer: Legion. Many.

Not one person from either team moved. We held our positions and backed up the priest in prayer until, finally, the young woman began to return to herself.

That priest had to have been an exorcist. He was prepared — carrying what appeared to be a thick, sacred oil. When he anointed her forehead, something shifted. The spirits grew calm. She was helped to a chair, and Joanne gently asked how she was doing. Her amber hair was tangled and disheveled, dark circles framing her eyes — but her answer was simple: “I’m so tired.”

I couldn’t help but feel a deep compassion for her, and for her boyfriend, as the two of them quietly walked away.

The Curse

Why was she possessed? She shared with Joanne that her mother had put a curse on her. According to Father Amorth, curses issued by a father or mother — particularly against a son, his marriage, and his future children — can open real doors to diabolical influence across generations. The spiritual harm a parent inflicts through curses and occult involvement is not merely psychological. It is, in Father Amorth’s experience, very real.

Opening Demonic Doors

There are many ways that demons gain entry — and many times, the invitation is given innocently, without any awareness of what is being opened.

Reading horoscopes. Allowing children to read books steeped in witchcraft, curses, and the occult. Letting them play video games centered on demons, zombies, or dark spiritual themes. These are not neutral entertainments. Father Amorth himself warned about the consequences of Ouija boards, astrology, and other occult practices. They are open doors — and demons do not need much of an opening.

New Age beliefs, fortune-telling, curses placed by others, and patterns of sin embedded in a family’s history are other avenues of entry. The abuse of drugs, alcohol, and pornography belong on that same list. Each of these weakens the soul’s defenses and signals, in effect, a welcome.

Mind-Controlling Demons

Substance abuse does not merely damage the body — it alters the mind, and an altered mind is far more vulnerable to spiritual attack. Demons surface and take hold where clarity and self-possession once stood. Anyone who has witnessed the devastation of fentanyl addiction has seen this firsthand. Those souls resemble the walking dead — and in a very real spiritual sense, that is exactly what is at stake.

When the Spirits Move In

When people abuse drugs and alcohol, their minds become altered — and when the mind is altered, control slips away. That is precisely when demonic spirits move in and take hold. These are called familiar spirits, and the name fits: they know exactly when to surface. They are patient, combative, and controlling — and they are dangerous because they lead the soul deeper and deeper into sin.

Over more than twenty years of working with the homeless, this has become impossible to ignore. Many of the men and women encountered on those streets were filled with these kinds of spirits. The drugs and alcohol had made a comfortable home for them. The Enemy told a lie — and they believed it. And so they withdrew from the world, living like recluses, cut off from love, from community, from God.

Biblical Warnings

The Bible leaves no room for ambiguity on these matters.

On horoscopes:

Isaiah 47:13–14 (New Catholic Bible)

You have exhausted yourself with consultations ever since your youth. Let the astrologers now come forth to save you, those who seek the future in the stars and who predict at each new moon what will befall you next. But they are like stubble; the fire consumes them. They cannot even deliver themselves from the heat of the flames. These flames are not meant to sit beside; these glowing embers are not meant for keeping warm.

On fortune-telling, witchcraft, and curses:

Leviticus 20:6 (New American Bible, Revised Edition) Should anyone turn to ghosts and spirits and prostitute oneself with them, I will turn against that person and cut such a one off from among the people.

2 Kings 21:6 (New Catholic Bible) He burned his son in flames, practiced witchcraft, used divination, and cooperated with mediums and wizards. He did horrible things in the sight of the Lord, provoking the Lord to anger.

Leviticus 19:31 (New Catholic Bible) Do not consult mediums or seek after wizards, to be defiled by them. I am the Lord, your God.

Psalm 106:37 (New American Bible, Revised Edition) They sacrificed to demons their own sons and daughters.

Proverbs 3:7–8 (New Catholic Bible) Do not pride yourself on your own wisdom; fear the Lord and turn your back on evil. This will provide healing for your flesh and restore strength to your body.

Pray for the lost — and leave the exorcisms to the experts.

My Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for removing all doubt about the reality of demonic activity. Continue to give us the discernment we need to fight this ongoing battle with wisdom, courage, and faith. Amen.

Guardian Angels

“From infancy to death human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. ‘Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.’ Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.” — Catechism of the Catholic Church, 336

Psalm 91:11 (New American Bible, Revised Edition) For he commands his angels with regard to you, to guard you wherever you go.

Did you know that from the very beginning of your life, a guardian angel is assigned to you?

The Role of Our Guardian Angels

The Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels is celebrated every year on October 2. These celestial beings have been given to us for guidance, protection, and instruction. We can ask our guardian angel for help in the matters of daily life. Guardian angels protect us from spiritual harm, guide our conscience, and intercede for us in prayer. They can inspire good thoughts in us and warn us away from danger. The role of a guardian angel is powerful — so gaining knowledge of how to speak to them is to your advantage. Don’t forget to ask your assigned guardian angel for guidance.

336 From infancy to death human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession.²⁰² “Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.”²⁰³ Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.  Catechism of the Catholic Church

Darren’s Guardian Angel

With each missionary trip, so many religious souvenirs would come back — blessed medals, rosaries, and holy cards shared generously with friends and family. A rosary ring had been given to a friend to pass along to her son, Darren.

Darren’s family had moved from the Los Angeles area, but his roots were in one of its suburbs. He and a group of friends started a car club there. They were flashy, riding around in ostentatious vehicles as though they owned the streets. Other car clubs bristled at their arrogance and wanted to show them who was boss.

One evening, Darren and his girlfriend Susan stopped for gas. Glancing into his rearview mirror, Darren noticed a Lexus pull up — filled with intimidating men from a rival car club. When he stepped out to pump gas, he saw the driver pull out a gun. He jumped back into his vehicle and a car chase began.

Darren did not want to frighten Susan, but he knew they were in serious trouble. In the panic, he turned down a dead-end street. With the Lexus slowly creeping up behind them, he told Susan to get out of the car and run. It was then that he remembered the rosary ring in his pocket. He grabbed it, and together they sprinted toward a ten-foot chain-link fence leading down to a riverbed.

He does not remember whether he called the police — but suddenly, out of nowhere, the police appeared. The Lexus sped away. Darren knew without a doubt that his prayers and his guardian angel had saved them both. In the wake of that night, the car club disbanded. Darren had learned a life lesson about the dangers of flaunting his blessings.

Torie’s Angels

Our nephew Torie used to suffer from cluster headaches. This type of headache is so severe that they are sometimes referred to as suicide headaches. He suffered episodes a couple of times a year, with each cluster lasting three to four days. The duration of each individual headache ranged from thirty minutes to an hour. There is no cure for cluster headaches, and because they are not considered life-threatening, the medication available offers little relief.

During one episode, Torie became so ill that he was vomiting and suffering with every movement. He collapsed on the bathroom floor and, due to the intensity of the pain, could not get up. Then something supernatural occurred. Torie said that he saw seven small angels. He felt his arms lifted as the angels raised him from the floor and helped him to his bed. Torie stands 6’2″ and weighs 225 pounds. Today, he no longer suffers from cluster headaches.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, nothing is impossible with You. You send us, Your children, protective love — love from heaven, emanating from our guardian angels. Lord, keep us and our families from harm. May we always remember to call on our guardian angels. Amen.