Dear Editor: Every Saturday morning, together with my pro-life friends, I see a man probably in his 50s or early 60s, obviously not among the elite of our society, going into the McDonald’s located next to the building where we pray on the sidewalk for the life of the unborn who are destined to be slaughtered in that building right alongside the McDonald’s restaurant.
Anthony is a real gift of God for us, because it is very easy to be discouraged in doing what we were doing. It happens, but it’s relatively rare that anyone who has determined to have her unborn child killed here actually changes her mind and turns around. Ninety-nine percent go through with it. It is very discouraging. But then there is Anthony each Saturday morning coming into view, slowly making his way to McDonald’s.
Anthony goes for dialysis several times a week at a medical clinic down the block. He had been offered a kidney but he would not take it because he did not want the person (a family member) to take that kind risk for him. So, with no trace of regret he continues on dialysis week after week, now a good number of years already (20, if I remember correctly). But Anthony, has such a positive outlook. He always smiles broadly and laughs out loud when he greets you.
One time as he walked down the block he stopped a few moments several times, each time looking up and yelling and laughing. Some might take him to be harmlessly off. But he said he was yelling because he can, and was moved to shout with joy because he could, laughing out loud to praise the Lord. He is simply an amazing person to converse with.
So, as we in our pro-life group accept the call to give witness to the sanctity of human life, facing the devastation of that abortion mill week after week, it’s a great encouragement to encounter Anthony coming on the scene. He is truly a gift of God to us.
He shows us that in keeping our complete trust in God we can be rescued from our sinking feelings and awaken to a whole new way of Life. He buoys up our faith as we journey to our ultimate destination – the Kingdom of God, which is the Kingdom of Love.
FATHER ROBERT CZOK
Rockaway Beach
