The Feature Article, begun in the inaugural issue two years ago, deals with the state of the Church. We continue probing the question that has perplexed the Magisterium and the laity for the past 30 years as the liberal element has left its mark, effecting changes that have seemingly watered down the "Roman Catholic" traditions. Yet, God in His Infinite Wisdom, has allowed this to happen for a specific purpose. He has been preparing us in a special way by sending His very Own Blessed Mother to guide us and remind us of our roots. Through perseverance, prayer and loyalty to Holy Mother Church headed by the Holy Father John Paul II and adhered to by the faithful who will not compromise, the pendulum is beginning to swing back toward the conservative side.
In the one-hundred-second installment of this on-going feature series, we continue our series on the Church Militant and why we are now engaged in fierce Spiritual Warfare as we stand perched on the horizon of the third millennium. Today, on the Solemnity of the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven we acknowledge Who Our Lord left behind to help us - the Holy Spirit and His role in this great battle.
As always this column is meant to alert the reader to what is happening and sound the call to arms, to enlist in Mary's army and take up the battle cry. God said it, we believe it, that settles it! Too many Catholics are going their own way with little regard to what their spiritual shepherd - the Vicar of Christ says. Sin is whitewashed. If we're not careful there will be a tremendous backwash and who among us wants to get caught in the vortex of that swirling whirlpool of Justice? This series is a set blueprint for Catholics everywhere to take up the banner of truth in defending Christ's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church as we prepare for this glorious event - the second coming of Christ and the Reign of the Sacred Heart, the Second Pentecost, the Era of the Eucharistic Presence, the Advent of Peace.
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Installment One Hundred-Two
The Forty-Fifth Clarion: part two
SPIRITUAL WARFARE
God has sent His Spirit and a True Witness of His Will
"This is my commandment,
that you love one another as I have loved you."
John 15: 12
Those are powerful words from the man who previously persecuted those who
he came to love through the power of the Spirit. That's what we all need
to do, myself included. We need to totally trust in the power of the Holy
Spirit and be guided, not necessarily in an outward charismatic way, but in
a contemplative, discerning, cautious manner that we can be secure in the
knowledge that what we do, say and pray is truly directed by God.
No easy task I can assure you! Jesus knew that and that is why the Church
considers the Feast of Pentecost as the birthday of the Roman Catholic
Church. For before Jesus ascended into heaven, He promised a special gift
- the gift of the Spirit, which subsequently was given to those huddled in
fear in the upper room after His Ascension. From that time on fortitude
replaced weakness, courage, and fear of the Lord replaced anxiety, piety
replaced worldliness, and wisdom, knowledge; counsel and understanding
replaced ignorance.
All through the life of Jesus, throughout the formation of the Apostles,
through the Passion and Death, and during the transformation of His
disciples by the Holy Spirit, one person was there in the flesh - Our
Blessed Mother. She is here today, imparting this wisdom to all her
children through her increased apparitions and messages during these last
two decades. If we are truly her children, then we have no choice but to
rust in her. She knows what she is talking about. She is a loving mother
who doesn't want one of her little ones to go astray. Yet, she sees us,
those in her chosen ranks, so to speak, fighting among ourselves, polishing
our armor, but not putting it on.
Rather than focusing on the enemy, which
Paul pinpoints, we fight amongst ourselves. From petty things to serious
slander we erode her army by undermining our cohorts through spiritual
pride…that we're right, they're wrong. The real sadness is that we all
think what we are doing is right, but, in truth, what we are all doing is
wrong, for we are not truly living the Gospel. "This is my commandment,
that you love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:12). It is not a
request by Christ, it is a command. We must love our fellowman whether
they are friend or foe in our finite minds. To truly be the Christians
Peter speaks about in 2 Peter 1:3-11 we need to refocus on true charity…all
of us. For like the early Christians we all stumble on this one. I know I
have countless times. Our Lord knows. Our Lady knows. No wonder there
are so many reports of weeping statues. They see the damage being done by
the wiles of satan and They can see how we fall prey when we don't fully pray!
That's what it is all about: abandoning ourselves to the Divine Will,
letting Him, through the Holy Spirit and the Immaculate Virgin Mary, guide
us and mold us.
Yet, man has a history of fouling up what God desires. We think in finite
terms, God in Infinite. Not one person on the face of this earth can claim
to know what is in the mind of God or the Blessed Virgin Mary --His
emissary in these times. Yet, we all fall into that trap that we know how
God or His Mother would speak or wouldn't speak. And all we need do is
open our mouths and satan is there to twist the meaning around so that it
causes confusion and doubt where there should be understanding and faith.
It happened in the time of Moses and it's still happening now.
Those who are receiving the messages are not miracle workers. They are
not saints. They are not oracles. They are fallible human beings just
like you and I. They have said "Yes" to God and in turn He has bestowed on
them, the beautiful give of private revelation. But with that gift comes a
tremendous cross of responsibility, pressure, ridicule and persecution.
Contrary to what some may think; they don't have all the answers. But
they trust and know God does, and He is there to help inspire them through
the Father'' spouse. Our Lady is trying to guide us, but she needs us to
be her hands, her feet, her eyes, her ears, and her mouth. She needs our
cooperation. Unfortunately, because she is communicating with us through
private revelation we get so tangled up in our own perceptions of what
should be done that we hurt her plans rather than help her. No wonder she
weeps.
The only way to get untangled is to drop to our knees and ask forgiveness
for any wrongs we have done in placing an obstacle in Our Lady's plan for
all of us…and then to resume that same posture over and over until it
becomes a habit, until we are praying when we are awake, as we fall asleep,
when we are at Mass or in church before the Blessed Sacrament, while
meditating on the Rosary and Mysteries, while reading Sacred Scripture,
while reciting the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, while we are saying numerous
ejaculations throughout the day, while we are engrossed in constructive
spiritual reading, and while we are watching and taking in the wise words
and direction imparted by Mother Angelica and the programming on EWTN, a
true blessing in our day amidst all the evil on the "hell-evision" which is
truly satan's tabernacle!
These are all ways we can make our daily "devil-check" so that we can
check-mate satan and not allow him the advantage of jumping us. If we
strive to do this, we'll realize that we can't make a wrong move on the
chess board of life with God directing through the Holy Spirit and His
spouse the Blessed Mother.
Next installment: Part Three of SPIRITUAL WARFARE.
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