ALL HOLLOWS EVE
Acts,
Chapter 6, Verse 5-7
5 The proposal was acceptable to the
whole community, so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit, also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon,
Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the
apostles who prayed and laid hands on them. 7 The word of God continued to
spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly; even a
large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
Are you a person acceptable to the whole community,
filled with faith and obedient to the church? Then perhaps you should consider
being a deacon following these seven.
Among those
first seven men who were called to serve was St. Stephen the Martyr, whose
feast we celebrate on December 26. It’s not surprising then is it that St.
Stephen is the Patron Saint of Deacons. So, what’s the significance of the
Office of Permanent Diaconate in the modern church? It’s a centuries-old
ministry that was abandoned by the early church around the fourth century but
was revived as a result of the Second Vatican Council, which decreed that it be
opened to “mature married men”, which was later clarified to mean men over the
age of 35. While the early members of the diaconate (from the Greek diakonos,
“servant”) were primarily concerned with ensuring the general well-being of the
widowed and orphaned among them, modern day deacons can be found carrying out
their ministerial responsibilities in parishes, hospitals and prisons, tending
to the abused and battered, the mentally ill, the homeless and victims of
discrimination. They are in large cities, small towns and rural communities,
holding the hands of the sick and the dying, bringing the light of Christ into
the darkest corners of our world. In a parish setting, a deacon’s general role
is to assist the pastor in carrying out his pastoral responsibilities. As an
ordained cleric, a deacon can preside at the sacrament of baptism; proclaim the
Gospel and preach; preside at funerals, graveside services, and wake services;
witness marriages, and of course, distribute Holy Eucharist. He cannot preside
at mass which, of course, would include praying over the gifts of bread and
wine that they may become the Body and Blood of the Lord, a privilege reserved
for those ordained as priests. Nor can a deacon preside in celebrations of the
sacrament of penance or anointing of the sick. With over 18,000 ordained
deacons in the United States alone, these men, along with their wives and
families, continue to serve the people of God.
The Black Mass: A Parody of the Eucharistic Celebration[3]
The black mass is a ceremony during which the consecration to Satan occurs. The black mass is a parody of [the Catholic] Mass, in which one adores and exalts Satan. Usually it is officiated at night, because the darkness permits greater secrecy and usually the night before a great feast of the Holy Catholic Church. The most important is Halloween, which falls on the night between October 31 and November 1 of each year: it is considered the magic New Year. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the extreme danger for our children and youth who participate in the feast of Halloween on that date.
Black Magic: A Grave Sin against
the Faith
Terror of Demons[4]
The
Lord has countless secrets to reveal to us about Joseph. God wants to instruct
us in the ways of Joseph's faith, perseverance, purity and loyalty. The
"Litany of Saint Joseph" is an excellent place to begin. The vivid
titles convey so much meaning and truth. One of my favorite appellations from
the Litany is "Terror of Demons." Satan and his cohort of fallen
angels had no success in seducing Joseph. He checked his temper, he refrained
from idle speech and he was righteous in his dealings with his neighbors.
Because Joseph was close to the compassionate Almighty, he was enabled to
overcome the vicious onslaught of Lucifer and his vindictive companions. Those
who turn to Saint Joseph for his powerful intercession and good example do much
to keep Satan and the other wholly corrupt devils at bay. In this sense, Joseph
is the Terror of Demons because when the friends of Jesus avail themselves of
his salutary influence, Saint Joseph is for them a sure protection against the
oppressive wiles of the Prince of Darkness. There are numerous prayers to Saint
Joseph. What follows is the "Consecration to Saint Joseph."
O Blessed Saint
Joseph!
I consecrate
myself to thy honor, and give myself to thee, that thou mayest be always my
father, my protector, and my guide to the way of salvation.
Obtain for me a
great purity of heart and a fervent love of the interior life.
After thy example,
may I perform all my actions for the greater glory of God, in union with the
Divine Heart of Jesus, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary!
And do thou, O
Blessed Joseph, pray for me, that I may experience the peace and joy of thy
holy death. Amen.
Sweet Heart of
Mary be my salvation!
Jesus, Mary, and
Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul.
Jesus, Mary, and
Joseph, I love you: save souls!
Jesus, Mary, and
Joseph, assist me in my last agony.
Jesus, Mary, and
Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with you. Amen.
With Saint Joseph
as our help, we may confidently approach the Risen Lord Jesus Christ through
Blessed Mary and realize that our humble efforts--poor as they are--will please
our merciful God.
Saint Joseph,
Terror of Demons, pray for us!
THE word Purgatory is sometimes taken to mean a place,
sometimes as an intermediate state between Hell and Heaven. It is, properly
speaking, the condition of souls which, at the moment of death, are in the
state of grace, but which have not completely expiated their faults, nor
attained the degree of purity necessary to enjoy the vision of God. Purgatory
is, then, a transitory state which terminates in a life of everlasting
happiness. It is not a trial by which merit may be gained or lost, but a state
of atonement and expiation. The soul has arrived at the term of its earthly
career; that life was a time of trial, a time of merit for the soul, a time of
mercy on the part of God. This time once expired, nothing but justice is to be
expected from God, whilst the soul can neither gain nor lose merit. She remains
in the state in which death found her; and since it found her in the state of
sanctifying grace, she is certain of never
forfeiting that happy state, and of arriving at the eternal possession of God.
Nevertheless, since she is burdened with certain debts of temporal punishment,
she must satisfy Divine Justice by
enduring this punishment in its entire rigor. Such is the significance of the
word Purgatory, and the condition of the souls which are there. On this subject
the Church proposes two truths clearly defined as dogmas of faith: first, that there is a Purgatory;
second that the souls which are in Purgatory may be assisted by the suffrages
of the faithful, especially by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
"Read
these counsels slowly. Pause to meditate on these thoughts. They are things
that I whisper in your ear-confiding them-as a friend, as a brother, as a
father. And they are being heard by God. I won't tell you anything new. I will
only stir your memory, so that some thought will arise and strike you; and so
you will better your life and set out along ways of prayer and of Love. And in
the end you will be a more worthy soul."
111. How I would like — you told me — the young apostle, John, would
take me into his confidence and give me advice: and encourage me to acquire
purity of heart. If you really would like it, tell him so: and you will feel
encouraged, and you will receive advice.
Daily Devotions
·
Spiritual Warfare
Day ELEVEN
[3]Amorth,
Fr. Gabriele. An Exorcist Explains the Demonic: The Antics of Satan and His
Army of Fallen Angels
[5] Schouppe S.J., Rev. Fr. F. X.. Purgatory
Explained (with Supplemental Reading: What Will Hell Be Like?)
[6]http://www.escrivaworks.org/book/the_way-point-1.htm
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