Tuesday, August 10, 2021

 

Let Freedom Ring: Freedom from Childishness

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 Childishness" by Fr. Rick Heilman

Psychology has always been an area of interest for me. In fact, I graduated from college with a degree in psychology. Since then, I have become very suspicious of the APA (American Psychological Association) as they have been, quite obviously, infiltrated by so-called "progressives" (See my reflection above on "Freedom from Pride" to discover the problem with progressives). These people, among other things, crave notoriety for so-called "new knowledge" that, up to now, has not been commonly held.

Consequently, the behavioral "science" coming from the APA has become muddled. Behaviors formerly seen as disorders, are now considered normal behavior by the progressive APA. So, for example, grown men must now be allowed to share bathrooms with little girls. And watch out for the new movement looking to normalize pedophilia...it's coming fast! I will get back to the APA, shortly.

In the context of Let Freedom Ring, we talk about the spiritual deficiencies of values, virtues, and morals in our culture. In many ways, these spiritual deficiencies intersect with psychological deficiencies.

When observing the condition of our culture, it is clear it shows signs of an alarming growth of emotional childishness, which is not unlike a lack of spiritual maturity. More and more people have, as renowned psychologist, Dr. Susan Heitler states, "reached chronological adulthood without having mastered the core elements of adult emotional functioning."

Dr. Heitler points to 10 signs of a childish adult - See how many of these you recognize in the mob's temper tantrums:

1. Emotional escalations
2. Blaming
3. Lies
4. Name-calling
5. Impulsivity
6. Need to be the center of attention
7. Bullying
8. Budding narcissism ("It's all about me." In the eyes of a narcissist, no one else counts. If they don't get their way, they may result to pouting or bullying in order to do so.)
9. Immature defenses (the tendency to attack anyone who expresses a differing viewpoint- ex. "cancel culture").
10. No observing ego (the inability to see, acknowledge, and learn from their mistakes).

These behaviors are not unique to the mob in the streets, as it is replete in the mainstream media; look at Hollywood and the far too many emotionally childish politicians. In today's culture, we are treading in completely new territory. While some may say we have always seen immature adults, the degree to which we are witnessing this today is massive and unprecedented. It is no longer about right vs. left; it is about mature adults vs. childish adults.

It used to be that grownups could disagree with each other and calmly work out their differences, while listening, considering each other's viewpoints, and maintaining a level of respect for each other. Now, in this new milieu of widespread emotional immaturity, those of us playing like adults are living in fear of being assaulted by the temper tantrums of those who act like misbehaving children (blaming, lies, name-calling, bullying, attacking, etc.).

Consider what has happened, just recently, in my neck of the woods, but it is emblematic of what is going on everywhere in America. A friend recently had his car keyed because he had a pro-life bumper sticker. Another friend had his house damaged for flying the Thin Blue Line flag that honors police. Our downtown is boarded up and painted with graffiti because the mob's temper tantrums include violence, looting, tearing down statues, and burning down businesses. In the 2020 election year, few dared to display yard signs or bumper stickers for the candidate the childish didn't like, for fear of being attacked. Many were scared to associate themselves in any way with the "wrong" candidate (in the eyes of the childish), for fear of being assaulted, calumniated, or even fired from their jobs. A friend of mine chose not to run for public office over worries that he and his family would be targeted by the childish mob. And the examples go on and on and on.

How did we get here? The simple answer is poor parenting, or even absent parenting. I recall when the Nouveau Parenting movement began - mostly spurred on by the new "woke" and "progressive" APA. Parents were told to cease disciplining their children, for fear of traumatizing them. Meanwhile, organizations started handing out participation trophies just for showing up, because disappointment over not earning a prize could be damaging to a kid's self-esteem. What. A. Colossal. Disaster!

Parents who coddle their children are, quite frankly, stunting their emotional maturation. This is certainly not how our perfect parent, God, parents us. Salvation history is replete with examples where God, having first tried to inspire us, resorts to allowing us to go through challenges. The opposition we face in those challenges, impels us to "raise our game" - to mature. Left to our spiritual immaturity, we are prone to behave as spoiled children do. We expect God to give us everything we want, including heaven, without ever needing to humbly obey, express our gratitude, or work hard for it; we feel we are just entitled to it. We'd rather not know of such adult concepts as, "Effort brings reward."

Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me" (Matt 16:24). These are not the words of someone who coddles with participation "trophies." This is the Son of God telling us to "GROW UP and BE A MAN! (or WOMAN!)"

In the military, they put it this way, "It never gets easier, you just get better."

 

Prayer of Reparation

My Lord and my God, we have allowed the temptation of the devil to move our hearts toward fearfully allowing the spread of childishness throughout our culture and our Catholic Church. We have fallen into this widespread childishness when we have not lived up to the call of our baptism to, day-by-day, deepen our love and faith in You. We have been too easily swayed by the poor example of childishness, in churches everywhere, and have not encouraged a deeper sense of supernatural faith. 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 any of our own childishness or our lack of resolve to lift souls out of this lack of spiritual maturity. We beg for the grace of Your goodness to build up within us the strength and endurance to be this visible light of fervent faith in You. 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 and ever. 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 childishness. Still the lying tongue of the devil and his forces so that we may act freely and faithfully to do Your will. Send Your holy angels to cast out all influence that the demonic entities in charge of childishness 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 St. Michael the Archangel

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, etc.
God the Holy Ghost,
Holy Trinity, one God,
Holy Mary, Queen of the Angels, pray for us, etc.
St. Michael, the Archangel,
Most glorious attendant of the Triune Divinity,
Standing at the right of the altar of Incense,
Ambassador of Paradise,
Glorious Prince of the Heavenly armies,
Leader of the Angelic hosts,
The standard-bearer of God's armies,
Defender of Divine glory,
First defender of the Kingship of Christ,
Strength of God,
Invincible Prince and warrior,
Angel of Peace,
Guide of Christ,
Guardian of the Catholic Faith,
Champion of God's people,
Guardian Angel of the Eucharist,
Defender of the Church,
Protector of the Sovereign Pontiff,
Angel of Catholic action,
Powerful intercessor of Christians,
Bravest defender of those who hope in God,
Guardian of our souls and bodies,
Healer of the sick,
Help of those in their agony,
Consoler of the Souls in Purgatory,
God's messenger for the souls of the just,
Terror of the evil spirits,
Victorious in battle against evil,
Guardian and Patron of the universal Church,

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.

V. Pray for us, O glorious St. Michael,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
Relying, O Lord, upon the intercession of Thy blessed Archangel Michael, we humbly beg of Thee, that the Sacrament of the Eucharist which we have received may make our souls holy and pleasing to Thee. Through 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)

FEAST OF ST. LAWRENCE 

Ester, Chapter 9, Verse 2-4

² The Jews mustered in their cities throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus to attack those who sought to do them harm, and no one could withstand them, for FEAR of them fell upon all the peoples. ³ Moreover, all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, governors, and royal procurators supported the Jews out of FEAR of Mordecai; ⁴ for Mordecai was powerful in the royal palace, and the report was spreading through all the provinces that he was continually growing in power.

 

The Jews destroyed their tormentors, and the feast of Purim was established but what the heck is a satrap.

 

Satrap[1]

Satraps were the governors of the provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid Empires and in several of their successors, such as in the Sasanian Empire and the Hellenistic empires. The word satrap is also often used metaphorically in modern literature to refer to world leaders or governors who are heavily influenced by larger world superpowers or hegemonies and act as their surrogates.

Satraps today 

·         It is also used in modern times to refer (usually derogatorily) to the loyal subservient lieutenants or clients of some powerful figure (with equal imprecision also styled mogul, tycoon, or the like), in politics or business.

·         In Portuguese, Italian and Spanish, the word sátrapa not only carries the aforementioned ancient historical meaning, but in modern usage also applies to people who abuse power or authority. It can refer as well to those living in luxurious and ostentatious conditions or to individuals who act astutely and even disloyally.

·         The College of 'Pataphysics used the title Transcendent Satrap for certain of its members, including Marcel Duchamp, Jean Baudrillard and the Marx brothers.

·         In the Serbian language, satrap is used to mock a person who displays servile tendencies to an authority figure.

·         THRUSH, the primary antagonist organization in the TV series The Man From U.N.C.L.E., was divided into satrapies, based on geographic location. 

Sounds like the New World Order to me 

St. Lawrence[2] is the patron of cooks-today, have a BBQ in honor of his death for the faith.

This young deacon and heroic martyr are numbered among those saints who were most highly venerated by the ancient Roman Church. Even though we have no genuine account of St. Lawrence's martyrdom, we do possess considerable evidence from most ancient times regarding the particulars of his passion. Legendary Acts tell how Lawrence was a disciple of Pope Sixtus II (257-258), who dearly loved him because of his special talents, but principally because of his innocence; in spite of his youth, the Pope numbered him among the seven deacons of Rome and raised him to the position of archdeacon. As such, Lawrence had the immediate care of the altar and was at the side of the saintly Pope whenever he offered the holy Sacrifice; to him also was confided the administration of the goods of the Church and the responsibility of caring for the poor. During the persecution of Emperor Valerian (253-260), Sixtus II and his four deacons were martyred. Lawrence was dispersing items in the house of a certain Narcissus, a blind man named Crescentius asked for healing help by the imposition of hands. The holy deacon made the Sign of the Cross over him and the man began to see. From his relations with Pope Sixtus, it was known that he acted as the steward over the Church's property. He was arrested and while in prison Lawrence cured the blind Lucillus and several other blind persons. Ordered by the authorities to surrender the treasures of the Church, Lawrence asked for two days’ time during which to gather them. The request was granted, and he brought together the poor and the sick that he had supported. These he led to the judge. "Here are the treasures of the Church!" Lawrence was tortured, scourged, and scorched with glowing plates, in other words, Barbequed alive. In the midst of excruciating pain, he prayed: "Lord Jesus Christ, God from God, have mercy on Your servant!" And he besought the grace of faith for the bystanders. At a certain point the soldier Romanus exclaimed: "I see before you an incomparably beautiful youth. Hasten and baptize me." He had observed how an angel dried the wounds of Lawrence with a linen cloth during his passion. Again, during the night, he was dragged before the judge and threatened with immediate death. But he replied: "My God I honor and Him alone I serve. Therefore, I do not fear your torments; this night shall become as brightest day and as light without any darkness." When placed upon the glowing gridiron, he jested with his executioners and the cruel tyrant. "Now you may turn me over, my body is roasted enough on this side." Shortly after this had been done, he cried again: "At last I am finished; you may now take from me and eat." Then turning to God in prayer: "I thank You, O Lord, that I am permitted to enter Your portals." To comfort him during his torments God said to him: "My servant, do not be afraid. I am with you." He was put to death upon the Viminal Hill and buried on the Tiburtinian Way.

Daily Devotions

·         Make reparations to the Holy Face-Tuesday Devotion

·         Pray Day 5 of the Novena for our Pope and Bishops

·         Tuesday: Litany of St. Michael the Archangel

·         Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

·         Drops of Christ’s Blood

·         Universal Man Plan

·         Pray for our nation.

·         Rosary.

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[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satrap

[2]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2016-08-10