Our best defense

This morning I received a call from one of my parishioners asking if I could give him a ride to the methadone clinic. I have to confess that I have no experience with the world of heavy duty drug addiction and treatment. But he was in a jam and I was free. I wanted to be helpful so I picked him up and offered to wait while he went in to get his meds.

I watched as people came and went. Many of them seemed to know each other and I figured that was because many of them have been in programs together. I sat there for a while and then I watched as one young girl came out carrying a packaged that looked like a gift box. As she got in her car and began to pull away a man came up to her and stopped her. They talked for a few minutes and then she showed him her package. He began talked in a very animated fashion as if trying to convince her of something.

As the interchange went on I saw her reach for her glove box and then she was holding money in her hand. Over the next few minutes I saw something that could surely have been a drug deal. She gave him some money and her new package and he gave her some smaller packages and a couple bottles of pills. I was praying that a op would come by at that moment.

My heart sank as I thought about what I saw happening. She went in there trying to break free from the bondage of drugs. This predator came along like a shark and attacked her at her weakest moment.

It made me think about the way Satan attacks all of us. He knows where we are vulnerable. He goes for us when we are down and out. He tries to bind us with whatever it is that can cause us the most pain. The Bible is quite clear. The devil wants to destroy us.

Our hope comes from God and God alone. Most AA and NA groups are based upon a twelve step program which looks to a high power for help. Many acknowledge that the higher power is God. When we are tempted and tried, we need to get on our knees and pray. God will send someone to help us get through.

Cal