If you pay any attention to the news, you know that on Friday morning, December 14, a 20-year-old man shot and killed his mother in her home in Newtown, Connecticut, and then drove her car to a local elementary school and murdered six adults and twenty children.  He then turned his gun on himself and committed suicide.

Later in the day, Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy said, “Evil visited this community today, and it’s too early to speak of recovery.”

One report indicated that it was believed the gunman suffered from a “personality disorder.”  Regardless of what investigators find out about the killer, we will never know what was really going on in his twisted mind at the time of the killings.

What we are witnessing is the unraveling of our civil society.  Unfortunately, evil has been visiting a lot of communities lately.

What happened in Connecticut on Friday could have happened at any one of the thousands of schools throughout our country.  We don’t think about it much, but our lives are in danger every time we leave our homes.  In fact, we can’t even be sure that we’re safe in our own homes.

About 25 years ago when Georgette and I had four young children, we lived in a house that had a fenced-in back yard.  Whenever our children were in the back yard playing, every five or ten minutes Georgette looked out the kitchen window to make sure they were okay.

One of our neighbors, whose yard was on the other side of our fence, owned a big dog that would often stand at the fence and bark at our children while they were playing.  We were not concerned about the dog because we knew that it was unable to jump over the fence.

One day while two of our daughters were playing in the yard, Georgette glanced out the kitchen window to check on them.  The moment she looked out the window, she saw the neighbor’s dog jump over the fence and start running toward the girls.  Georgette immediately ran outside and stood between the dog and our daughters, who were so frightened they were paralyzed.  She then brought the girls into the house.

Our neighbor had cleaned up his yard and piled some brush against the fence.  The dog climbed on top of the brush and was able to jump over the fence.  We contacted the neighbor, and he removed the brush so the dog wouldn’t be able to repeat what it had previously done.

Fortunately for us, the moment our girls were in danger, their mother was there to protect them.  She did what any good mother would do – rush to the aid of her children.

Consider this: If an earthly mother would do everything in her power to protect her vulnerable children, what would the mother of God (and mankind) do for her vulnerable children?

The Blessed Mother is no stranger to suffering.  While she lived on this Earth, she had personal experience with the physical dangers that threaten all of us.

What were some of the dangers she went through?  She had to flee to Egypt with her husband and infant son so her son wouldn’t be murdered by Herod’s army.  Later, when she lost track of her 12-year-old son for three days, she and her husband feared that His life was in danger.  When Jesus was 33 years old, His mother experienced the one nightmare any good mother would sacrifice her life to avoid.  She saw her Son tortured and murdered by His enemies.  If anyone understands physical danger, it’s the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Now, of course, we all have to exercise prudence and good judgment when it comes to the personal protection of our family.  But even if we do that, we are still extremely vulnerable.  Unfortunately, there are criminals and predators all around us.  Ordinarily, the police department is not able to take action until after a crime has been committed.  So what do we do to protect ourselves and our loved ones from danger?  Build a fortress and lock ourselves inside?

It is simply not within our own power to protect our families from all the physical and spiritual dangers that exist in our society.  The good news is that we do have the power to pray for the protection we need.

Ever since the incident with Georgette and the dog, we have made sure to have a personal bodyguard who is always available to protect our family.  Her name is Mary.  She is known by numerous titles, including Handmaid of the Lord, Deliverer From All Wrath, Our Lady of the Miracles, Protectress From All Hurt, Our Lady of Victories, Refuge in Time of Danger, and Queen of Peace.

Although she is not physically present here on earth, she is constantly looking out the heavenly “window” watching over me and my family.  Anytime we are in danger, in a flash, she is there to stand between us and the evil we face.  She is a perfect mother who sees all dangers and is available to provide the protection we need.

Would you like to have Mary as a personal bodyguard for you and your family?  You need to do only three things: (1) Make sure you are in the state of grace at all times (if you are in doubt as to the state of your soul, get to confession immediately); (2) pray your rosary every day (with your family, if possible); and (3) wear your Brown Scapular at all times (except when you take a shower).  If you don’t know how to pray the rosary, or if you don’t have a Brown Scapular, let me know and I’ll make sure you get what you need.

A word of warning: The Blessed Virgin Mary will not take it upon herself to be your personal bodyguard unless you reach out to her every day by praying the rosary and wearing your Brown Scapular.

The rosary is a powerful weapon against evil, and the Brown Scapular is the “bullet proof” armor you need to repel the spiritual and physical dangers that will inevitably come your way.

I can tell you from personal experience that this works.  You owe it to your family to provide them with the protection they need.

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