Saturday, July 17, 2021

Let Freedom Ring: Freedom from Lust

My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
At a word from You the devil and his minions flee in terror.
You are the source of all truth. You are the source of all strength.
By the power of your Cross and Resurrection, we beseech You, O Lord
To extend Your saving arm and to send Your holy angels
To defend us as we do battle with Satan and his demonic forces.
Exorcise, we pray, that which oppresses Your Bride, The Church,
So that within ourselves, our families, our parishes, our dioceses, and our nation
We may turn fully back to You in all fidelity and trust.
Lord, we know if You will it, it will be done.
Give us the perseverance for this mission, we pray.
Amen

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception...pray for us
St. Joseph...pray for us
St. Michael the Archangel...pray for us
(the patron of your parish )... pray for us
(your confirmation saint)...pray for us

 

"Freedom from Lust" by Fr. Rick Heilman

One of the most effective weapons of the devil today is lust. Our Lady of Fatima revealed, "more souls go to Hell because of sins of the flesh than for any other reason." It's more than interesting to note that Margaret Sanger opened the first birth control clinic in 1916, just as the angel first appeared to the children in Fatima. The "roaring twenties" would then burst onto the scene shortly after Our Lady's dire warning, which seemed to be "a leak in the dike" of a more debased view of sexuality.

But the dam would burst wide open with our modern-day sexual revolution. It was in the 1965 case of Griswold v. Connecticut that the Supreme Court would strike down state laws prohibiting contraception. This would be quickly followed in 1973 by the infamous Supreme Court case of Roe v. Wade, which legalized the killing of pre-born children in all states.

Once the "consequence of conception" seemed to be removed, or the legal right to kill pre-born babies was made available, the sexual revolution flooded into our culture. Now, we are seeing the "normalization" (socially acceptable) of sex-for-pleasure outside the bond of holy matrimony and the explosion of easy access pornography.

Fr. Robert Fromageot, F.S.S.P. writes, "The leading lights of our age often claim to champion the rights of women, and in certain respects the claim is legitimate. At the same time, however, our age has clearly not sought to protect and foster the sacred dignity of women. On the contrary, society would have us remove our wedding garment, divest ourselves of Christ, and put on the 'old man' and make ample provision for the flesh. Men are practically encouraged to treat women as mere objects of pleasure, and women are encouraged to seek this degrading form of attention and accept it as normal and compatible with their dignity."

I began by writing that lust is one of Satan's most effective weapons. Why? According to St. Thomas Aquinas, the daughters (consequences) of lust are "blindness of mind, thoughtlessness, inconstancy, rashness, self-love, hatred of God, love of this world, and abhorrence or despair of a future world." While mortal sin kills the life of grace within us, lust accomplishes this in a most effective way. In essence, it has taken men (especially) off the battlefield of spiritual warfare. Instead, they lose any resolve to seek God and His will. They become, in essence, a lump of self-absorbed clay, easily manipulated by the devil. They are lifeless. Satan has managed to sideline countless men, who would otherwise be mighty disciples and soldiers for Christ. Imagine how daunting Christ's army would be if it weren't for millions of souls who have, literally, no desire to enter the fray.

Many are caught in the vice of lust. "Vice" indicates the habitual nature of the sin. This vice reveals the "quality" of a man's soul. Caught in the vice of lust, many confess the sin with little or no resolution to cease its repetition. Therefore, grace may not be given entrance to such a soul while the "daughters of lust" maintain their residence there.

I'm often asked what someone caught in the vice of lust can do. Of course, there are organizations and support groups available. But I often tell men that they need to change their perspective.

This is something I wrote that, I believe, gets to the heart of this proper perspective:

"God's glorious creation began with things such as dirt, then vegetation, then animals, etc. ... it just kept getting better and better. God then created His great love interest ... His adopted children ... human beings. Yet man was created only second to last. Woman is the crescendo ... the last and greatest of all of God's creation! More than a beautiful sunset or starry night or any cascading waterfalls or picturesque mountain range ... God has created nothing more beautiful, more loving, more tender-hearted, more nurturing. That is why women are perfectly positioned to be wife and mother. And, because women are the pinnacle of all God's creations, they too, like the Blessed Mother, should be esteemed as sacred. They have been given the special role of being the tabernacle of God's next love interest."

This is the perspective we must recover. I tell men, "go ahead and notice the wonder of woman - it's not dirty or sinful to do so - and give praise to God, but do that in a split second, and don't entertain the base thoughts of the 'old man.'" I recall when this perspective was prevalent, as I watched in my childhood years, gentlemen stand when a lady entered the room. Oh, how I wish that practice would return!

 

Prayer of Reparation

My Lord and my God, we have allowed the temptation of the devil to move our hearts to lust and sins of the flesh. We have allowed the desire to deaden our hearts to You and Your will for our lives. We have been too easily led by the accepted morals of the world that have given us supposed permission to indulge the flesh. In our weakness, we have allowed the ancient foe to advance. We turn to You Lord, in our sorrow and guilt, and beg Your forgiveness for our lack of resolve to put on the new man and curb our base desires to indulge the flesh. We beg for the grace of Your goodness to build up within us the strength and endurance You exhibited on the Cross. We know, Lord, if You will it, it will be done. Trusting in You, we offer our prayer to You who live and reign forever. Amen.

 

Prayer of Exorcism

Lord God of heaven and earth, in Your power and goodness, You created all things. You set a path for us to walk on and a way to an eternal relationship. By the strength of Your arm and Word of Your mouth, cast from Your Holy Church every fearful deceit of the devil. Drive from us manifestations of the demonic that oppress us and beckon us to lust and sins of the flesh. Still the lying tongue of the devil and his forces so that we may act freely and faithfully to Your will. Send Your holy angels to cast out all influence that the demonic entities in charge of lust have planted in Your Church. Free us, our families, our parish, our diocese, and our country from all trickery and deceit perpetrated by the devil and his hellish legions. Trusting in Your goodness Lord, we know if You will it, it will be done, in unity with Your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

 

Litany of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

Heart of Mary, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, like unto the Heart of God, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, united to the Heart of Jesus, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, instrument of the Holy Ghost, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, sanctuary of the Divine Trinity, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, tabernacle of God Incarnate, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, immaculate from thy creation, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, full of grace, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, blessed among all hearts, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, throne of glory, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, most humble, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, holocaust of Divine Love, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, fastened to the Cross with Jesus Crucified, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, comfort of the afflicted, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, refuge of sinners, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, hope of the agonizing, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, seat of mercy, Pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.

Immaculate Mary, meek and humble of heart,
Make our hearts like unto the Heart of Jesus.

Let Us Pray.
O most merciful God, Who, for the salvation of sinners and the refuge of the miserable, wast pleased that the Most Pure Heart of Mary should be most like in charity and pity to the Divine Heart of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, grant that we, who commemorate this sweet and loving Heart, by the merits and intercession of the same Blessed Virgin, may merit to be found like unto the Heart of Jesus, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

 

Daily Checklist

__ Prayer for Freedom from the Devil
__ Daily reflection and prayers
__ Litany of the day
__ Pray a Rosary
__ Divine Mercy Chaplet
__ Spiritual or corporal work of mercy
__ Fast/abstain (according to level)
__ Exercise (according to level/ability)
__ Refrain from conventional media (only 1 hr. of social)
__ Examination of conscience (confession 1x this week)

Tobit, Chapter 5, Verse 16

I will even add a bonus to your wages!” The young man replied: “I will go with him. Do not FEAR. In good health we will leave you, and in good health we will return to you, for the way is safe.”

 

This is the angel Raphael who says to do not fear. It is interesting to note that Raphael name and function means the medicine of God. 

 

One of the Seven[1]

Raphael is one of the seven archangels who bring prayers before God (Tobit xii. 15), although he was not one of the six who buried Moses. In Enoch, xx. 1-7 he is the second among the six or seven angels, Michael, as the most prominent, being placed in the Middle. In the lists of planetary angels given in the Jewish calendar, Raphael presides over the sun and over Sunday (ib. p. 56). The four angels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel appear much more often in works of Jewish mysticism. From heaven they behold all the bloodshed on earth and bring the laments of souls before the Lord (Enoch, ix. 1-3). From out of the darkness, they lead souls to God (Sibyllines, ii. 214 et seq.). They are the four angels of the Presence, and stand on the four sides of the Lord, whom they glorify (Enoch, xl., where the fourth angel is Phanuel). Each has his own host of angels for the praising of God, around the four sides of whose throne are the four groups of angels. In accordance with their position in heaven, they are the four leaders of the camp of Israel in the wilderness: Michael on the east, opposite the tribe of Levi; Raphael on the west, opposite Ephraim; Gabriel on the south, facing Reuben and Judah; Uriel on the north, facing Dan. In like manner, the four rivers of paradise are divided among these four angels ("Seder Gan 'Eden," in Jellinek, "B. H." iii. 138). Raphael, like every other angel, can assume any form he will (Tobit); a tablet on his breast bears the name of God (Pesiḳ. R. 108b); according to the Zohar, he is the chief of the "ofannim." Arealization of the foreign character of this angel is inferred in the statement of Simeon ben Laüish (in 250 C.E.) to the effect that the names of the angels originated in Babylon, meaning among the Parthians who ruled there (Gen. R. xlviii. 9). Raphael, as his name implies, is the angel of healing diseases and wounds (Enoch, xc. 9); he overcomes Asmodeus, the evil spirit; he binds even Azazel, and throws him into a pit (Enoch, x. 4). He cures blindness (Tobit l.c.; Midrash of the Ten Commandments, in Jellinek, "B. H." i. 80), and because of his healing powers he is represented as a serpent (Origen, l.c.). Raphael, as the third in rank, appeared with Michael and Gabriel to cure Abraham (Yoma 37a; B. M. 86b; Gen. R. xlviii. 10). He cures also moral evil (Pasiḳ. R. 46 [ed. Friedmann, p. 188a]).

Raphael in Christian Theology

Raphael was a favorite figure in Christian as well as in Jewish angelology, and early Christian amulets, encolpions, tombstones, and other monuments have been found bearing the names of the angels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. A small, gold tablet discovered in the grave of Maria, the wife of the emperor Honorius, bears a similar inscription. The names of the same angels occur on Basilidian gems, and Origen likewise mentions them.

His name occurs in Judæo-Babylonian conjuring texts, and is conspicuous in the liturgy—as in the evening prayer, where he is mentioned together with the three other angels, at whose head stands God, exactly as in the Christian version of Zechariah.

Tobit[2]

1. Tobias went out to look for someone to accompany him and who should he run into but Raphael, the angel!
2. When asked if he knew the way to Media, Raphael replied that he often stayed there with Gabael (who just happened to be the guy holding the bag of money) because they were kinsmen.  (Though this seems to be an amazing stroke of luck, it, of course, reflects the providence of God.)
3. Tobit wanted to meet him and when pressed for a name, Raphael said it was Azariah, which means “Yahweh has helped.”
4. Both Tobit and Tobias had no clue as to Azariah’s true identity even though he told Tobit he would soon be healed.
5. Tobit wished them a safe journey, saying, “May [God’s] angel accompany you both and protect you!”  (Another example of great irony!)

Love endures 

Today is my 17^th wedding anniversary. On the marriage of my oldest son his little brother was asked to say something at the reception. Vincent got up (he is 6’6”) and while all eyes were on him stated, “First Chris called Kate and there was the telephone ring: then there was a bond establish and the trust ring began: then after some time came the engagement ring: and naturally followed the wedding ring: but Chris I have to warn you that after today there is one more ring; for now, begins the suffer ring. Pope Francis tells us about “Love” in marriage. 

Amoris Lætitia[3] Love in Marriage (89-94)

 

Love grows from the path of fidelity and mutual self-giving and thus encourages the growth, strengthening and deepening of conjugal and family love. Indeed, the grace of the sacrament of marriage is intended before all else “to perfect the couple’s love.” Love is experienced and nurtured in the daily life of couples and their children. Daily love strives to accomplish what Paul describes in his letter to the Corinthians. “Love is patient, love is kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor 13:4-7). Love is patient which is expressed in the quality of one who does not act on impulse and avoids giving offense. We find this quality in the God of the Covenant, who calls us to imitate him also within the life of the family. God’s “patience”, shown in his mercy towards sinners, is a sign of his real power. Being patient does not mean letting ourselves be constantly mistreated, tolerating physical aggression or allowing other people to use us. Unless we cultivate an understanding and patience of others; we will always find excuses for responding angrily. We will end up incapable of living together, antisocial, unable to control our impulses, and our families will become battlegrounds. Patience takes root when I recognize that other people also have a right to live in this world, just as they are. Love is always at the service of others. Paul wants to make it clear that “patience” is not a completely passive attitude, but one accompanied by activity, by a dynamic and creative interaction with others. The word indicates that love benefits and helps others. For this reason, it is translated as “kind”; love is ever ready to be of assistance. Love is more than a mere feeling. Rather, it should be understood along the lines of the Hebrew verb “to love”; it is “to do good” for the other.

 

Novena of St. Ann[4]

 

Although Saint Anne is not mentioned in the Bible, she is the holy mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus. When we pray the St. Anne Novena, we are asking help from our Blessed Mother’s mother! Saint Anne’s feast day is on July 26th, so the St. Anne Novena is traditionally started on July 17th — but you can pray it anytime. Devotion to St. Anne began early in the history of the Catholic Church. As she was favored by God to become the mother of the holy Virgin Mary, she is often invoked as the Patron of mothers as well as for relationships, among other things.

 

Daily Prayer to Saint Ann

 

O glorious St. Ann, you are filled with compassion for those who invoke you and with love for those who suffer! Heavily burdened with the weight of my troubles, I cast myself at your feet and humbly beg of you to take the present intention which I recommend to you in your special care.

Please recommend it to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and place it before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue. Continue to intercede for me until my request is granted. But, above all, obtain for me the grace one day to see my God face to face, and with you and Mary and all the saints to praise and bless Him for all eternity. Amen.

 

Our Father, . . . Hail Mary . . .

 

O Jesus, Holy Mary, St. Ann, help me now and at the hour of my death. Good St. Ann, intercede for me.

 

FIRST DAY

 

Dear St. Ann, though I am but a prodigal child, I appeal to you and place myself under your great motherly care. Please listen to my prayers and grant my requests. See my contrite heart and show me your unfailing goodness.

 

Deign to be my advocate and recommend me to God’s infinite mercy. Obtain for me forgiveness of my sins and the strength to begin a new life that will last forever.

 

Blessed St. Ann, I also beg of you the grace to love, to serve, and to honor your daughter, the most holy Virgin Mary. Please recommend me to her and pray to her for me. She refuses none your requests but welcomes with loving kindness all those for whom you intercede.

 

Good Jesus be merciful to the faithful servants of Your grandmother St. Ann.

 

Daily Devotions

·         Saturday Litany of the Hours Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary

·         Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

·         Drops of Christ’s Blood

·         Iceman’s 40 devotion

·         Universal Man Plan

·         Rosary

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[1]http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/12570-raphael

[2]http://www.biblewise.com/bible_study/characters/tobit-and-tobias.php

[3] Pope Francis, Encyclical on Love.

[4]Blessed Sacrament Fathers, ST. ANN’S SHRINE, Cleveland, Ohio