Jacopo Tintoretto, Battle of Archangel Michael and Satan, 16th century Italian
I was in the midst of an abortion rally. There were hundreds of pro-life advocates and a few handfuls of pro-choice demonstrators. We were in front of a location where much evil and death had been facilitated. I was a low-key presence with a mask covering my face and my jacket zipped up to my neck on that chilly day.
Sotto voce, I inconspicuously began the Leo XIII deliverance prayers. After a few minutes, I began to experience spiritually some demonic oppression. So, I figured the prayers were hitting the mark and thus important. So, I launched into the prayers a second time with even greater focus. This time I explicitly included the names of demons sometimes associated with abortion: Baphomet, Baal, Moloch, Abyzou and I added, "All the demons of abortion." I followed with an invocation to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Unborn.
Quickly a group of abortion advocates moved next to me and started loudly chanting their slogans. An accident? Likely not. Their chanting was a bit deafening and I was having a hard time concentrating and recalling the prayers, which I was saying by memory. It was a struggle.
A group of pro-life young people came over and started their own pro-life chanting. I saw, in them, the angelic Powers of heaven coming to my rescue. Fairly quickly, the pro-abortion group dissipated and it became quiet again. I was able to continue on and finish the prayers.
St. Paul instructs us: "For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens" (Eph 6:12). The fight against abortion is waged on many levels, but we ought not underestimate the underlying spiritual battle. On that chilly morning, I experienced it. I also experienced that the holy angels are never far away and come quickly to our aid.