Praise God! Another storefront psychic in my neighbourhood has closed, as of February 12.
There
used to be a psychic shop on the north side of Dundas just opposite the
laundromat I go to. Whenever I went past it, I would make the Sign of
the Cross--this was, note, while I was Baptist and not otherwise in the habit of
crossing myself. But some places make one conscious of the need for spiritual protection.
I routinely use time at the laundromat for
prayer (the hum of the dryers makes for a nice drone, by the way)--now
the Rosary; previously, whatever prayers came to mind.
Well,
anyway, one day the shop wasn't open any longer. The next time I saw
the door open, I went in and asked the new people, who were renovating
the space to put in a hair salon, what had happened to the previous
tenant. They said they didn't know.
That was a few years ago, as far as I recall. When I became Catholic soon afterwards, I learned the St Michael Prayer.
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle;
be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God
rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God, thrust down into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits
who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
I adopted the practice of praying for the intercession of
St Michael whenever I pass a psychic shop. If I'm on foot or on my
bike, I'll say the St Michael prayer at full volume, but even on
transit where there's less privacy I'll say it aloud, under my breath.
(Update: As promised, here's another story about the St Michael prayer.)
Several
times a week for more than three years, I went by a psychic shop on
Queen Street just east of the Parkdale library. Each time I would ask
the holy angels to help shut it down. Some time this past summer, the
shop posted a flyer advertising discount readings, I hoped because
business was slow. And then the door was always closed and the familiar
sandwich board stopped appearing out on the sidewalk.
And now
Psychic Sonya is gone. The last few times I've gone past the corner of
Dufferin and Dundas, the neon light has been off, so I wondered if
something might be afoot. And this evening on the way to choir I saw
this notice from the landlord, advising her that the tenancy was terminated.
Incidentally, a
few months ago I noticed a crudely hand-lettered sign in the window
advertising
Free CAtS
To good
HoMe
Thanks, but no thanks. (I wish I could find again an account I once read about the spiritual purification of a house whose previous occupants, active in the occult, had left behind a kitty that showed signs of being possessed.)
Some people will wonder why anyone should care what psychics do. The explanation is that divination does work,
but it works by opening the person who uses it up to demonic powers. Any attempt to harness occult powers is gravely evil.
Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading,
interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and
recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the
last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate
hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that
we owe to God alone. (CCC 2117)
Let us pray for the proprietor of Psychic Sonya, that she may be delivered from the occult and find a good line of work.
Of course, I will not know in my lifetime how much my prayers (or the holy water I sprinkled on the sidewalk) had to do with the closure of these portals for demonic forces, but I'm going to keep praying to St Michael, and encouraging others to do the same. Prayer works!
St Michael (3 times).
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
Is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen.
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins,
Save us from the fires of hell, and
Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy. Amen.
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