The Child Bank Consultant.

Five-year-old Melissa, a brave little girl, is attending Holy Mass in a crowded cathedral. A tall tough goon comes in. He screams invectives and insults, trying to disrupt the Mass. Melissa instinctively goes in front of him. The goon is surprised that a little girl has the guts to confront him. They stare at each other in silence for a whole minute eyeball-to-eyeball. Then Melissa smiles and the magic begins. They say a smile can melt hardened hearts. It is true for Melissa.

Melissa takes his hand. He is so confused he does not know how to react. Melissa starts to sing, and the congregation instantly follows, drowning the cathedral in song. The goon is so embarrassed, that he tries to leave, but Melissa pulls on his hand. A young boy approaches and holds the other hand. Three more children join them. They kneel and the goon follows. The priest says, "Everybody, let us all pray in silence for our friend here." Tears flow from the hardened goon's eyes, which changes his life forever.

The goon, 40-year-old Edward, was the executive vice president of a bank who became an alcoholic when the bank kicked him out, falsely accusing him of stealing millions. As the thought of Melissa echoes in his mind, he sheds off the alcohol and goes back to the bank to prove his innocence. He obtains documents showing that his pretty innocent-looking assistant was the culprit, who readily admits her crime. The bank, apologizing to the high heavens, restores him to his former job.

Edward now goes regularly to the cathedral but people do not recognize him because he is now clean-shaven and well dressed. But not Melissa. From the corner of her eye, she knew it was him. She smiles, takes his hand and they attend Mass together from then on.

He has a fantastic idea. He hires Melissa as a "conflict management consultant," the youngest bank employee. This child bank consultant is able to neutralize personal conflicts and rivalries in the bank in a matter of two months from pure instinct, conducting workshops on "people skills" and "conflict management." They give her a "preacher's box" so she can reach the top of the lecture board.

A local university obtains her syllabus and awards her a full scholarship. She refuses, asking the university to donate instead to AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), which was instrumental in rehabilitating Edward.

Pray for Your Enemies.

In a sense, Edward was an "enemy," disrupting the Holy Mass, but the prayers of the congregation healed him instantly.

Let us celebrate the 8 December Feast of the Immaculate Conception by focusing on prayer. As demonstrated by the congregation that prayed for Edward, prayer is such a powerful part of our lives and our destinies that it is an obligation rather than an option, a source of happiness and peace of mind.

It is the key to upliftment, not only for senior citizens beset by fading social lives, increasing ailments, loneliness, and depression but also for young people immersed in an era of conflicts and confusion, not knowing what to do with themselves, needing counsel and assurance.

Praying for our enemies neutralizes not only their hatred and conflicts but ours too. Those so full of hatred laugh at the idea of praying for their enemies.

They are blinded by their hatred. They do not realize that it is instant magic to turn hatred into forgiveness by praying. Hatred consumes our souls. Forgiveness restores our souls, the key to peace of mind in an era of wars and social conflicts.

If you are an Israeli, pray for Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Iranians. If you are Trump, pray for the Democrats trying to derail your plans to restore American society by mass deporting criminals. If you meet a "goon" in church, pray for him on the spot, and be rewarded with peace of mind.