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FORWARD MESSAGE!
Medicine for Blood Cancer (Leukemia)
Medicine for Blood Cancer (Leukemia)
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Category: Cancer
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End is not the end. In fact E.N.D. is "Effort Never Dies" & if you get NO in answer remember N.O. is "Next Opportunity ". So always be positive in life !!!
PRIEST EXPLAINS HIDDEN AND MYSTERIOUS WAYS THAT WE CAN BE AFFECTED BY THE SINS OF OTHERS
God often works through
people in ways we least expect. He sends folks and events onto the pathways
of ours lives.
For this reason, we should always seek to look for the good
-- for God -- in a person (or circumstance).
Meanwhile, whatever occurs, we should always
remember that God
is the Creator of the universe and can
turn things that are bad (anything) into things that are good
(when we let Him).
This is also true with our families:
Relatives so often have good to offer us. They
have been set in place to help us, and us them.
There are times, however, when the influence
is negative.
A burgeoning number of books -- most by
priests -- are focusing on that issue: healing the family tree. For often, there are what seem like peculiar,
negative, harmful
traits that run through families.
Family members may be prone to jealousy,
anger, lust, pride,
alcoholism, timidity, failure, and other negatives
--
traits that can be passed down and may also be
transmitted by friends, co-workers, and others (in our paths) who are not quite
so positive and whose flaws may attach themselves to us because we have an
attachment to the person.
It's a serious and
mostly unrecognized issue, one addressed in a truly fresh and inspired
new
book by Father Yozefu-B. Ssemakula, who is
now ministering in the U.S. (based in the Pensacola-Tallahassee diocese)
and hails from Uganda. There is no more in-depth book on
this mysterious, important topic, nor one filled with such
powerful prayers (to cleanse and heal the family).
Although we rarely
recognize it, says Father Yozefu (for our consideration), evil of the kind that
contaminates a person from sinful traits or behavior can be spread from relatives and others in close
contact with us. Call it transference.
"In
general, I normally say if a problem shows up just twice in a family, you
can safely consider it a family bondage," writes Father Yozefu boldly.
"Do the family healing prayer. You will not
regret it. With time I have learned to begin any prayer for anybody by
[first] praying for the healing of their family -- and we are always surprised
about how much (bad) just quits even before you touch it."
In other words, many root problems are from
hidden familial or other relational circumstances.
The priest warns that evil in families often
materializes as untoward events like accidents, especially of children who
bear the brunt of generational baggage. Secret traits such as sexual
deviation may be inherited from relatives and ancestors or transmitted by
friends without our knowing it. At the root of many bondages is evil, he explains.
That's particularly true -- as we have often
emphasized -- of the wrongful sex or involvement with the occult. A visit to a palm reader or medium or psychic or astrologer
can contaminate a family line if such was done by a parent or grandparent
or even much further back -- and perhaps more than just a few generations, argues
Father Yozefu, necessitating prayers for the complete cleansing of a
lineage. Doing that leaves our children more of a spiritual
footing.
We certainly don't want to leave them what was heaped
upon us.
Nor should we resign ourselves to bearing
"sins of the fathers" (and the repercussions). Many problems can
be resolved by breaking free of family negativities -- and avoiding
contact with darkness.
It is a mission in life:
to cleanse. It is important to purge ourselves from wrong encounters and attachments
to negative people (for the devil also
puts people such as those onto our paths).
We are called to pray for their deliverance --
and move on. Especially potent: contamination that is transmitted through
carnality. For when we have a wrongful soul tie with someone, we are
exposed to their unfortunate aspects (and they to ours). How to
cleanse? "Given the spiritual 'stickiness' of the
sexual relationship, it is even more imperative to subject it to Christ's
salvific power," Father Jozefu writes in
The Healing of Families: How
to Pray Effectively for Those Stubborn Personal and Familial Problems.
"It is therefore good that one make a comprehensive list (may use
initials instead of names) of all people with whom they have ever had any inappropriate
relationship, physical or otherwise, as far back as they can remember,
even if all this has been confessed and repented of previously. This is
not a denial of the forgiveness already offered by God if these sins have
been confessed; it is merely taking care of another aspect of the effect
of those sins. Besides, many do frequently experience that, despite their
good will and prior sacramental repentance, they were not freed from
lingering on these past relationships. The prayer that we say to
specifically and consciously 'cut' these relationships in spirit is
experienced by many as a powerful enhancement of the effects of their
sacramental Confession." In other words, often, a residue -- a blotch
in the spirit -- must be expiated.
And it isn't just sex and the occult. We can
receive darkness -- or inherit it -- in many ways. "Satan promptly sets in
motion this 'electric shock' to contaminate not only that person but as
many as he can who are also attached to the person (i.e., family)," says Father Yozefu, pointing out
that materialism -- worship of man-made objects
-- is as bad as the occult because it is the reverence for -- idolatry of
-- man-made objects instead of God, "such as money and all its
derivatives," says the priest. In our modern time, there is much evil
because "the heart of man can be practically eaten up with materialism,"
he notes, which is just another trap set by Satan. "He seems to get the
same result [as with the occult], only in the second case, instead of
being clothed with Santeria, or African religion's messy rituals, for
example, it is clothed with sleek cars and luxury homes."
When there is pain in our lives,
we must look
to purge the hidden force or obstruction. Let us add that when there is
pain, often God is calling us to reflect and re-evaluate.
Once we get back to who we really are, we must
stay there.
How frustrated many are, when
-- because the block remains -- grace seems to bounce off. Prayers don't
seem to "work." Despite devotion, the path remains unclear.
The result can even be illness. In fact, the
result often is illness -- argues Father Jozefu.
People
die for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). As Father Jozfu also explains, we can also
suffer due to an attachment with someone who is deceased -- which is
another reason why it is so crucial to pray that souls of those we have
known ascend
into Heaven.
Father Jozefu, who offers page after page of
prayers (for breaking curses, for breaking evil "seals,"
for cutting bondages, for protection, for blocking access points, for
infilling with the Holy Spirit), recounts the case of a woman who came to see him
because suddenly -- in her fifties -- she had become an alcoholic.
Nor was it a family trait.
When
Father Jozefu searched further, he says, he
discovered that the heavy drinking began after a friend who was alcoholic
died. Though she had taken a little alcohol to keep her friend
company, the woman had never been intoxicated; now she was drinking until
she passed out.
The priest asked her, "Can you imagine that
you could be drinking your friend's alcohol?"
"What, father?" she replied. "What are you
talking about? She is dead!"
Notes the priest, "I explained how the whole
thing works, and how her friendship was also a spiritual connection
because she had consented to drinking -- however little -- with the
alcoholic friend. So I said, 'I will say a short prayer for you -- here on
the phone -- and I am going to ask Jesus to separate you in spirit from
your alcoholic friend, so you won't have to drink anymore.' She agreed.
The prayer was less than two minutes long and simply consisted of a format
that included the following: 'In the Name of Jesus, I cut you free from
your alcoholic friend. I put the Cross of Christ between you and her that
it may enhance in you the good qualities you appreciated in her, and that
it may block away from you any negative things that came to you through
your relationship. And that she may rest in peace. Amen.'
"You notice that alcoholism as such was not
the subject of our prayer, neither was stopping the drinking. We had
simply prayed that she be separated in spirit from her friend.
"And, as I was to learn later, it was the end
of her 'alcoholism.'"
Lest We Forget, The Ultimate Value Of Eucharist Is The Attainment Of Heaven
By Michael H. Brown
[from
Secrets of the Eucharist]
The ultimate value of the
Eucharist is attainment of heaven.
In his book Crossing
the Threshold of Hope, Pope John Paul II says the Eucharist and other
sacraments create in man "the seed of eternal life." When we receive Christ in
Communion we are exerting the ultimate faith in His ability to manifest among
us, and opening the door to realization that it is Heaven and only Heaven we
must aspire to!
Nothing else in life
matters. The afterlife is all-important. It's the reason for life on earth,
which is a test and preparation.
St. Margaret Mary said
that a soul in purgatory once appeared to her enveloped in fire and explained
that the greatest cause for his suffering (he was a Benedictine) was that in
life he had preferred his own interests to those of God. He had been overly
attached to his good reputation. His second defect was lack of charity to his
brethren, and a third was his all too natural attachment to creatures.
But after St. Margaret
Mary prayed and suffered for that soul, he was freed of his bondage. She saw him
radiant with joy and glory. He had finished his purgation.
Each time we receive Holy
Communion, according to St. Gertrude, something good happens to every being in
Heaven, on earth, and in purgatory. The Curs de Ars once added that a Communion
well received is worth more than a small fortune given to the poor. Each time we
receive Communion our place in heaven is permanently raised and our stay in
purgatory is shortened. While on earth, with limited vision, we will never be
able to appreciate the greatness of the Eucharist. We will never be able to
comprehend the real fact of reliving Christ's crucifixion.
But we know the
importance from places like Medjugorje. "Unceasingly adore the Most Blessed
Sacrament of the altar," said Our Blessed Mother. "Special graces are then being
received. Be kind to come to Mass without looking for an excuse. Pray, pray,
pray only. Prayer should be for you not only a habit, but also a source of
happiness. Abandon yourselves to God without any restrictions. Love your
enemies. Banish from your heart hatred, bitterness, preconceived judgments. If
you knew what grace and what gifts you receive, you would prepare yourselves for
(the Eucharist) each day for an hour at least. Pray, dear children, so that
God's plan may be accomplished, and all the works of Satan be changed in favor
of the glory of God.
"When I say `pray,
pray, pray,' I do not only want to say to increase the number of hours of
prayer, but also to reinforce the desire for prayer, and to be in contact with
God. Place yourself permanently in a state of spirit bathed in prayer. Dear
children, I want you to comprehend that God has chosen each one of you in order
to use you in a great plan for the salvation of mankind. You are not able to
comprehend how great your role is in God's design. The
Mass is the greatest prayer of God. You will never be able to understand
its greatness. That is why you must be perfect and humble at Mass. I beseech
you, pray to Jesus! I am His mother, and I intercede for you with Him, but
everything does not depend solely on me, but also on your strength and the
strength of those who pray. The Mass is the most important and the most holy
moment in your lives. If you abandon yourselves to me, you will not even feel
the passage from this life to the next life. You will begin to live the life of
heaven from this earth."
11/22/03
The Third Secret of Fatima and the Angel with the Flaming Sword
Although it often regarded by some detractors as somewhat of an anticlimax in comparison to the level of hype generated by the Fatima phenomenon, the published text of the Third Secret is actually one of the most profound, if not the most profound, private revelations in the entire history of the Catholic Church. With the level of focus concentrated upon the speculative content of the so-called "hidden text" of Fatima, the great depth of symbolism behind the published text of the Third Secret is quite unfairly overlooked. Yet once we begin to explore this material by applying a spiritual exegesis, the true prophetic depth of the Third Secret begins to reveal itself to us.
There are a number of highly significant themes touched upon in the Third Secret alluding to various passages in Scripture, which invites us to search the relevant portions of the Bible, allowing us to gain a better understanding of what this text is attempting to communicate. The aim is to draw us into a deeper understanding of Scripture, illuminating its Sacred words by helping us to connect important themes found throughout the Bible. It seems that the hermeneutical key to the Third Secret is to be found in the motif of the angel with the flaming sword:
After the two parts which I have already explained, at the left of Our Lady and a little above, we saw an Angel with a flaming sword in his left hand; flashing, it gave out flames that looked as though they would set the world on fire; but they died out in contact with the splendour that Our Lady radiated towards him from her right hand: pointing to the earth with his right hand, the Angel cried out in a loud voice: ‘Penance, Penance, Penance!'.
The "angel bearing a sword" motif has several important scriptural precedents which the Third Secret clearly alludes to. As I point out in the conclusion to my book Unveiling the Apocalypse, the primary biblical parallel which the angel with the flaming sword alludes to is found in the Book of Genesis, when God places a cherubim with a flaming sword in Eden to guard the way to the Tree of Life:
Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
(Gen 3:22-24)
In the book, I argue that Third Secret warns us that humanity is beginning to pose a very real threat to the sanctity of the "Tree of Life", through the manifold technological innovations that infringe upon the very source of human dignity. Just as Eve was tempted by the Serpent to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, now as we are approaching the edge of world history, her offspring is clasping for the most precious of fruit of all - that of the very fabric of life itself. Humanity is beginning to make an assault on the Tree of Life by abominations such as the possibility of human cloning, or by tampering with the genetic code through stem cell research. Many scientists have the ultimate goal of reaching the point of so-called "transhumanism" - when humanity will finally be capable of replicating "eternal" life through a combination of nanotechnology, bioengineering, and mapping the human brain through computer technology. Many futurists believe we are nearing the point where humans will be able to directly interface with computers - to the point of being able to "download" our conscienceness into a digital format, before "uploading" it again into a new synthetically created body, thus granting artificial "eternal" life. This ambition threatens to ultimately fulfil the promise of the Serpent - that we "will not surely die", but become "like gods" (Gen 3:4). The goals of transhumanism is the ultimate act of idolatory, with man placing himself in the role of the Creator - the chief aspiration of Lucifer, which caused his original fall from grace:
You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’
(Isa 14:13-14)
While the possibility of achieving a culture of transhumanism is still at some point in the future, the assault on the Tree of Life is already well under way in the present, with what Bl. John Paul II described as the rise of the "culture of death". The rampant spread of abortion and euthanasia, and the continued foray into exploring the very essence of humanity by grotesquely manipulating the genetic code - even to the point of splicing it with animal DNA. These actions usurp the role of the Creator, replacing him with a distorted abomination which feigns life itself, dictating who is worthy to live and who should be put to death.
It is this threat to the Tree of Life that will rouse the angel with the flaming sword, envisaged in the Third Secret as about to strike the world with blazing flames. It appears to have been this same threatening gesture that was symbolised by the whirling movement of the Sun at Fatima, recalling the sword "that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life" in Gen 3:24. One of the most respected original witnesses to the Miracle of the Sun, Dr. Almeida Garrett, Professor of Natural Sciences at Coimbra University, gives us the following testimony:
"The sun's disc did not remain immobile. This was not the sparkling of a heavenly body, for it spun round on itself in a mad whirl, when suddenly a clamor was heard from all the people. The sun, whirling, seemed to loosen itself from the firmament and advance threateningly upon the earth as if to crush us with its huge fiery weight. The sensation during those moments was terrible."
We find a similar account given by Dr. Manuel Formigão, professor of the seminary at Santarém:
"As if like a bolt from the blue, the clouds were wrenched apart, and the sun at its zenith appeared in all its splendor. It began to revolve vertiginously on its axis, like the most magnificent firewheel that could be imagined, taking on all the colors of the rainbow and sending forth multicolored flashes of light, producing the most astounding effect. This sublime and incomparable spectacle, which was repeated three distinct times, lasted for about ten minutes. The immense multitude, overcome by the evidence of such a tremendous prodigy, threw themselves on their knees."
So the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima on Oct 13th, 1917 appears to have symbolised the vision of the angel with the flaming sword described in the Third Secret - a threat which was first announced at the beginning of a century of genocide, and at the very moment of the rise of the militantly atheistic Soviet Union. And in the interpretation I forward in Unveiling the Apocalypse, this was the same time period which saw the opening of the first of the seven seals of the Book of Revelation (see the post The Four Beasts and the Four Horsemen).
We find the "angel with sword" motif arising again in another richly symbolic biblical passage - that concerning the collapse of Jericho, which is considered by New Testament scholars to be the template for the seven trumpet blasts of the Book of Revelation:
When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” And the commander of the LORD's army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so...
...Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. And the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. And when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.”
(Josh 5:13-15; 6:1-5)
We can find an analogy here between the collapse of the walls of Jericho, and the fall of Babylon described in the Book of Revelation - which is similarly overthrown after the Eschatological Earthquake occurs in Jerusalem. Jericho was encircled by the Israelites for a series of seven days, with seven priests bearing rams' horns before the Ark of the Covenant. The series of septets continues, and the walls of Jericho come tumbling down as the result of an earthquake after seven trumpet blasts by the Israelite priests. If we compare this passage with the relevant text in the Apocalypse below, we can see that this related septet of trumpet blasts also contains reference to the Ark of the Covenant and the eschatological earthquake:
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever”...
...Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
(Rev 11:15, 19)
The fall of Jericho thus seems to be envisioned by the author of the Apocalypse as a precursor to the fall of "Babylon" during the eschatological age. The seven trumpet blasts are recapitulated again in the seven bowl plagues - at the end of which we find the pronouncement of judgment upon Babylon at the occurence of the eschatological earthquake. A vision which once again is partly based upon the collapse of the walls of Jericho after a bout of seismic activity:
The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.
(Rev 16:17-21)
The sevenfold judgment by sword finds its origins in the Book of Leviticus, which we are told is the punishment that would be meted out to Israel for apostasy:
"And if by this discipline you are not turned to me but walk contrary to me, then I also will walk contrary to you, and I myself will strike you sevenfold for your sins. And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall execute vengeance for the covenant."
(Lev 26:23-24)
So there is an additional warning here in the image of the angel with the flaming sword, given that we currently living during the age of the Great Apostasy. This means that we are calling down the greatest sevenfold judgment of all upon our own heads - the series of septets described in the Book of Revelation. And if we look to the Book of Isaiah, the judgment by a flaming sword takes a decidedly eschatological character, which describes the reckoning of "all flesh" by a trial of fire:
“For behold, the LORD will come in fire, and his chariots like the whirlwind, to render his anger in fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire will the LORD enter into judgment, and by his sword, with all flesh; and those slain by the LORD shall be many."
(Isa 66:15-16)
The sword itself is ultimately a symbol of war, and it is in this context that we find another biblical passage that the Third Secret alludes to, in the Book of Ezekiel. In the below passage taken from Ezekiel, there are references to God announcing the punishment of Jerusalem with His sword, which like the Third Secret is described as "flashing" ("flashing, it gave out flames that looked as though they would set the world on fire"). It is important to note that the Book of Ezekiel is one of the primary sources from which the Apocalypse derives its imagery concerning the Battle of Armageddon - an epic struggle which is also centred on the location of Jerusalem.
The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel and say to the land of Israel, Thus says the LORD: Behold, I am against you and will draw my sword from its sheath and will cut off from you both righteous and wicked. Because I will cut off from you both righteous and wicked, therefore my sword shall be drawn from its sheath against all flesh from south to north. And all flesh shall know that I am the LORD. I have drawn my sword from its sheath; it shall not be sheathed again.
“As for you, son of man, groan; with breaking heart and bitter grief, groan before their eyes. And when they say to you, ‘Why do you groan?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that it is coming. Every heart will melt, and all hands will be feeble; every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming, and it will be fulfilled,’” declares the Lord GOD.
And the word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus says the Lord, say: “A sword, a sword is sharpened
and also polished,
sharpened for slaughter,
polished to flash like lightning!
(Or shall we rejoice? You have despised the rod, my son, with everything of wood.) So the sword is given to be polished, that it may be grasped in the hand. It is sharpened and polished to be given into the hand of the slayer. Cry out and wail, son of man, for it is against my people. It is against all the princes of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with my people. Strike therefore upon your thigh. For it will not be a testing—what could it do if you despise the rod?” declares the Lord GOD.
“As for you, son of man, prophesy. Clap your hands and let the sword come down twice, yes, three times, the sword for those to be slain. It is the sword for the great slaughter, which surrounds them, that their hearts may melt, and many stumble. At all their gates I have given the glittering sword. Ah, it is made like lightning; it is taken up for slaughter. Cut sharply to the right; set yourself to the left, wherever your face is directed. I also will clap my hands, and I will satisfy my fury; I the LORD have spoken.”
(Ezek 21:1-17)
Here we are told that the sword comes down three times, which could refer to the three woes of the Apocalypse - which I equate in the book with three world wars. When we read a little further into this chapter in Ezekiel, we find a reference to the Second Coming of Christ, which we have also connected to the Battle of Armageddon previously (see the earlier post on this subject here). An important aspect of this portion of Ezekiel is that it contains another motif alluded to in the Third Secret - that of the sheathing of the sword of judgment, which in the prophecies at Fatima we are told occurs through the intercession of Our Lady. Yet while the sword is said to have been returned to the sheath in Ezekiel, destruction still looms over the city:
Exalt that which is low, and bring low that which is exalted. A ruin, ruin, ruin I will make it. This also shall not be, until he comes, the one to whom judgment belongs, and I will give it to him.
“And you, son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach; say, A sword, a sword is drawn for the slaughter. It is polished to consume and to flash like lightning—while they see for you false visions, while they divine lies for you—to place you on the necks of the profane wicked, whose day has come, the time of their final punishment. Return it to its sheath. In the place where you were created, in the land of your origin, I will judge you. And I will pour out my indignation upon you; I will blow upon you with the fire of my wrath, and I will deliver you into the hands of brutish men, skillful to destroy. You shall be fuel for the fire. Your blood shall be in the midst of the land. You shall be no more remembered, for I the LORD have spoken.”
(Ezek 21:26-32)
We find that these same themes recur in the First Book of Chronicles, which also depicts an angel with a sword poised to destroy Jerusalem, centred on the threshing floor of Araunah (aka Ornan) the Jebusite - the future location of the Temple of Solomon:
And God sent the angel to Jerusalem to destroy it, but as he was about to destroy it, the LORD saw, and he relented from the calamity. And he said to the angel who was working destruction, “It is enough; now stay your hand.” And the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. And David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, and in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces...
...Now the angel of the LORD had commanded Gad to say to David that David should go up and raise an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. So David went up at Gad's word, which he had spoken in the name of the LORD. Now Ornan was threshing wheat. He turned and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David and went out from the threshing floor and paid homage to David with his face to the ground. And David said to Ornan, “Give me the site of the threshing floor that I may build on it an altar to the LORD—give it to me at its full price—that the plague may be averted from the people.” Then Ornan said to David, “Take it, and let my lord the king do what seems good to him. See, I give the oxen for burnt offerings and the threshing sledges for the wood and the wheat for a grain offering; I give it all.” But King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” So David paid Ornan 600 shekels of gold by weight for the site. And David built there an altar to the LORD and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings and called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering. Then the LORD commanded the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.
At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there. For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time in the high place at Gibeon, but David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
(1Chron 21:15-16, 18-30)
Another image of a heavenly "flashing sword" of judgment can be found in the Book of Deuteronomy - which importantly, closely parallels an otherwise deeply mysterious passage in the Apocalypse:
“See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my hand to heaven and swear, As I live forever, if I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand takes hold on judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and will repay those who hate me".
(Deut 32:39-41)
This passage echoes the sevenfold sword judgment described in the Book of Leviticus, and is likewise issued as a threat warning against apostasy. But its true significance lies in its relation to the angel of the seven thunders in the Book of Revelation:
Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.
(Rev 10:1-7)
Here, the imagery of the flashing sword of judgment described in the Book of Deuteronomy is merged and transposed onto that of the angel of the seven thunders. The shared theme of the raising the hand to heaven to swear an eternal oath helps us to make this connection, granting us with the insight that the angel with the flaming sword described in the Third Secret is the same as the angel of the seven thunders, who holds the open scroll in his hand. The content of the seven thunders issued by the angel with the open scroll is then sealed up, and we have to backtrack to find reference to it again in Rev 5, where we are told that the open scroll is now shut with seven seals:
Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
(Rev 5:1-5)
The description of the angel with the open scroll is highly symbolic in itself. We are told that his appearance is as if he is "wrapped in a cloud" with legs like "pillars of fire" - a scene which conjures images of the attacks on the Twin Towers during 9/11. The rainbow above the angel's head signifies the promise given to Noah in Gen 9:13-17 that God would not destroy the earth again by flood - instead 2Pet 3:10-12 tells us that the world will be consumed by fire at the end-time.
As we argued in the earlier post The Two Towers and the Sixth Seal, the 9/11 attacks appear to have been part of the sequence of events that occurred at the opening of the sixth seal of Revelation (which was marked by a series of astronomical omens) - and were connected to the Third Secret and "signs in heaven" described in the Apocalypse by no less a figure than Cardinal Tarcisco Bertone, the current Vatican Sectetary of State. And Cardinal Bertone's connection closely parallels the description of the "signs in heaven" given in the Book of Joel:
“And I will show wonders in the heavens and
on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be
turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of
the LORD comes". (Joel 2:30-31)
A further connection to New York may be made here in the fact that the
description of the angel with the open scroll is deliberately modelled
on the imagery of the Colossus of Rhodes - one of the seven ancient
wonders of the world. The angel is gigantic in stature - with legs
spread apart, one standing on land, one in the sea, with a hand
stretched up into the heavens - just like the Colossus.
It is a well known fact that the design, posture and dimensions of the Statue of Liberty was modelled after the Colossus of Rhodes. And a poem titled "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus is found engraved on a bronze plaque mounted on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. Catholic evangelist Mark Mallet has recently posted an excellent blog article detailing the occult symbolism behind the Statue of Liberty, and how this is related to the identity of the Whore of Babylon - which you can find here. And as Rabbi Johnathan Cahn argues in his massively popular book Harbinger, the 9/11 attacks appear to foreshadow a chastisement still to befall the great city - which I suggest will come in the form of the Mega-tsunami threat posed by the collapse of the volcano Cumbre Vieja in the Canary Islands - the "great mountain, burning with fire" being thrown into the sea in Rev 8:8.
A further connection between the flaming sword and the seven seals of Revelation can be found at the opening of the second seal, where we are told that one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse is given "a great sword":
When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
(Rev 6:3-4)
As I have already suggested previously, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse can be equated with the four major world powers of the Second World War. If so, then the Horseman being given the "great sword" here, would be a direct reference to the Manhattan Project and America's development of the Atomic bomb during the war. This "great sword" should be identified with the flaming sword held by the angel in the Third Secret - an insight that seems to have been shared by Cardinal Ratzinger in his Theological Commentary in The Message of Fatima:
The angel with the flaming sword on the left of the Mother of God recalls similar images in the Book of Revelation. This represents the threat of judgement which looms over the world. Today the prospect that the world might be reduced to ashes by a sea of fire no longer seems pure fantasy: man himself, with his inventions, has forged the flaming sword...
The world has already been brought to the brink of nuclear conflict before, with the Cuban Missile Crisis, which began on Oct 14th 1962 - the 45th anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun. This event was extremely close to the date specified by Sr. Lucia as to when the Third Secret should be published - 1960, since by then the text would be "better understood". It was during the 1960's that we saw the beginnings of the sexual revolution, with the introduction of contraception and abortion, which in turn has led to the Great Apostasy we are enduring today. Could the Cuban Missile Crisis have been when the angel was about to strike the earth with his flaming sword - at the moment when the first threat to the "Tree of Life" began to emerge? If so, then it seems that Our Lady has already stayed the hand of the angel once already to allow for a period of penance. We must therefore accept this threefold call to repentance before the the cherubim with the flaming sword is roused once more to action:
Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
(Rev 8:5)
Mary: A First-century Jewish Woman
Unlike her husband Joseph, the historical record abounds with information about this enigmatic woman. Unfortunately, however, in studying that history, it is often difficult to separate fact from fiction. Hopefully, as we carefully examine the various teachings and traditions surrounding her life, we will be able to peel away the myth and discover the reality.
It is unfortunate that much of the teaching in the Church regarding Mary has removed her from her proper historical, cultural, and biblical context, in many cases creating an image of a royal Mary and robbing her of the humanity that was integral to God’s purpose. Both her and her son Yeshua (Jesus) have been stripped of their Jewishness, resulting in a Church without roots that disgracefully mistreated the Jewish people for nearly two millennia. All Church doctrine aside, if we are to understand Mary and her place in God’s plan, we have to begin at the beginning with a biblical foundation and a sound grasp of the Hebraic world in which she lived.
A Respected Position
Any look at the everyday life of Mary must begin with a clarification regarding the role of women in traditional Judaism. That position was not nearly as lowly as many have understood; in fact, in many ways, the position of women in Jewish law that dates back to the biblical period was better than the position of women under American civil law as recently as a century ago. Those ancient ladies had the right to buy, sell, own property, and make their own contracts, rights which women in some Western countries did not have until the early- to mid-20th century.
From earliest biblical times, Jewish women have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with their male counterparts in times of feast and famine, peace and war, comfort and persecution. Miriam, for instance, is acknowledged as a co-deliverer with her brother Moses. Esther chose to risk her own life to save her people from annihilation. Ruth, though a convert, is one of the most respected people in the Bible. Seven of the 55 biblical prophets were women, and according to Jewish tradition, one of them, Huldah, played an exceptional role in Jewish history (2 Kings 22:14ff). Deborah was a wise judge, courageous leader and ferocious defender of Israel (Judges 4–5).
Respect has always been accorded women in Jewish tradition as part of their ethnic culture. Judaism maintains that both man and woman were created in the image of God, and accordingly, women were to be treated as equals. Even though Adam was created first, there is nothing in Torah that indicates that first means better. Women’s obligations and responsibilities were different than men, but no less important and, in some instances, were of even greater magnitude for the long-term good of the community.
—As Keepers of the Home
www.israelimages.com
Women were seen as keepers of the home, but recognizing the high level of importance placed on family in Judaism, that role must never be underestimated. From the most ancient of times the home was seen as the center of religious life. It was recognized as the fundamental building block of society, and the raising of children as members of a covenant community was the most significant responsibility that could be assumed. The Torahand the teachers of Israel made it clear that God’s ideal was a dwelling filled with love and tranquility where children could learn to know and love Him. The sanctity of the home was not to be desecrated by violence, impatience, hypocrisy, or disrespect.
It was because of this foundation of sacredness that the home would move with relative ease into the role of miqdash me’at as a “small sanctuary” following the destruction of the Temple in AD 70 and the ensuing dispersion of the Jewish people throughout the world. Elements of temple worship that might otherwise have disappeared became home rituals, revered by God’s people and recognized as the glue that would hold a dispersed people together.
Prayer, the study of Torah, and tending to the needs of the community, which had always been a part of Jewish family life, now became solely the purview of the home; the dinner table itself took the place of the altar. Although it had never been viewed as a place for serving food alone but also as a spiritual instrument set apart for the service of God, the role as “consecrated altar” took on deeper significance. Over it, songs of praise would be sung, the father would instruct the family in the words of Torah, the biblical festivals would be celebrated, and the religious values of love of God and respect for others would be inculcated.
Although Mary most likely would not have been alive to see the destruction of the Temple and the resulting changes to Judaism, her life as a first-century wife and mother, tending to the home she shared with Joseph and their family, would have helped to lay the groundwork for the transition of worship from temple to home.
—As Spiritual Partners
The synagogue was an integral part of Jewish life several centuries before Mary became the keeper of her home. Traditionally, it has been viewed as the realm of the male. Some have mistakenly taught that women have been restricted from participating in that life, prohibited from performing certain religious tasks, or mitzvot, that are required of men.
The truth, however, is just the opposite, and the underlying principle is found in the creation story in Genesis 2. Here, we are told that God removed a “side” from Adam and “made” Eve. The Hebrew word is banah, and it means “to build.” God took the feminine side of Adam and used it to “build” Eve. This word comes from the same root as binah, which refers to intelligence and an intuitive knowledge of God. In other words, Jewish scholars say, women have been given an extra measure of binah, with the Torah painting a picture of woman as superior in the spiritual realm, one who has greater faith and power of discernment than her male partner. Therefore, men are required to take part in certain religious activities, while women are not excluded but exempt; men have to, but women only need to if they want to.
The sages say the history of the Jewish people proves their theory. Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah were superior to the patriarchs in matters of prophesy and spiritual understanding. Their actions were sometimes unorthodox but were always prompted by binah and, therefore, were instrumental in building the Jewish nation. Further, they say, women did not participate in the idolatry regarding the golden calf, refusing to contribute their gold for its construction (see Exod. 32:2). The rabbis also teach that it is because of the righteousness of the women of Israel that the Messiah will come.
—As Students of Torah
www.israelimages.com
So we see that the world in which Mary lived was not nearly as hostile to women as some have suggested. Recent scholarship indicates that girls in the Second Temple Period may also have learned to read and to write and may well have studied Torah. Some rabbis believe that the educating of women was actually a part of Jewish life long before this period, citing the daughters of Zelophehad as examples of women who were well versed in the law. In Numbers 27, these women approached Moses at the entrance to the tabernacle where he and the tribal elders sat to instruct the people and to judge their disputes. Here they made the case for female inheritance. After bringing it to the Lord, Moses declared that they had “spoken what is right,” and their request is not only granted but becomes a part of the mitzvot that would govern the people of Israel for all time.
The sages have determined that this is one of only two times in the history of Torah that a mitzvah is given via someone other than Moses himself. Consequently, these sisters are considered to be among the most righteous and wise women in the entire Bible. Talmud (rabbinic commentary on the Hebrew Scriptures) tractate Bava Batra states, “The daughters of Zelophehad were wise women, they were exegetes and they were virtuous.” Clearly, the Talmud says these women followed a line of reasoning based on Torah law and principle and came to a proper decision, their petition including a legal argument and its logical ruling. This could not have happened, they reason, if the daughters were uneducated and ignorant of the legal system Moses was revealing to the Jewish people.
Whether or not Mary studied Torah, we know she would have spent her early years learning from her mother, and perhaps her grandmother as well, how to be in covenant relationship with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, a relationship that was as important for her as for any man among the Children of Israel. Certainly her response to Elizabeth in Luke 1:46–55 reveals a heart of true discipleship, echoing the words of Moses and David before her.
Mary, the Girl
Further, we know she would have been trained in the mechanics of keeping her home, appreciating that the influence for God that she would wield over her family would have everlasting implications for the Jewish people. Although life for a first-century woman was physically difficult in many ways, the historical record tells us that they were a joyful, vibrant people, and Mary’s life would have been filled with laughter and love. Her response to the angel Gabriel is that of a young woman, perhaps only 13 years of age, who was well acquainted with her God and accustomed to faithful obedience.
In that first-century Jewish community, physical beauty was important to young women as it is today. However, unlike today’s emphasis on outward appearance, true beauty was inextricably tied to the inner woman. Mary would have known that it was impossible to be genuinely attractive without a pure heart and the inner peace that comes from covenant oneness with God.
Archaeology has shown us, however, that it was customary for women even then to try to improve on the physical gifts they received from the Lord! Even for women who were not well-to-do, beauty was important. Archaeological digs throughout Israel have revealed many cosmetic items including eye shadow sticks, powder boxes, and perfume vials. Carved hair combs and decorated hair nets were also common, and women of this period were renowned for their love of jewelry. Mary would have served her God joyfully, and one of the goals of her life would have been to be a Proverbs 31 woman, ready to be presented, beautiful both inside and out, to the one God would choose to be her partner for life.
Mary’s connection to her community would have been strong, recognizing that her actions as a woman, wife, and mother were not private matters. Rather, the whole community had a stake in her life, and as much as she supported that community, she also relied upon it for support, nourishment, and blessings. This is underscored, says Marvin Wilson in his book Our Father Abraham, by the Hebrew word for family which is mishpaha. This word does not just include the nuclear family of mother, father and children but implies an extended family, often including grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins and even beyond. The strength and encouragement provided by the mishpaha and larger community was one of the hallmarks of Jewish survival.
Those responsible for Mary‘s education would have made sure she understood that marriage and the ensuing sexual relationship were gifts from God and were good. Torah taught her that God created man and woman in His image and declared that it was “very good.” She would have learned that marriage was so important, it was to come before even the study of Torah in a young man’s life. The rabbis decreed that if wedding and funeral processions happened to meet on the street, the wedding party was always to proceed first. Marriage is so esteemed in Jewish tradition, Wilson tells us, there is no Hebrew word for bachelor.
Mary, the Bride
However, throughout the generations, there has been much speculation as to whether or not Mary and Joseph actually “got married” and if so, when. It is important to understand that in this period of history, the Jewish marriage occurred in two stages. The first, called kiddushin, was actually the betrothal. Here, friends and neighbors would have gathered to be witnesses, as Joseph met with Mary’s father to finalize the engagement and the couple shared a cup to seal it. From this moment on, the couple would have been considered married in the ritual sense and would have been referred to as husband and wife. Absolute commitment and fidelity were demanded, and this arrangement was only dissolvable through the actual process of divorce.
The second stage, called nissu’in and often accompanied by a week-long community celebration, was the consummation of the marriage, which took place when the bride was brought to the groom’s chamber, or huppah in ancient Hebrew. Although this meeting often involved physical consummation, all that was required was a “meeting alone.” Since the rules of kiddushin prevented the couple from being together without at least one chaperone, this first meeting by themselves was considered critically important. Once the second stage was complete, the couple were married in the legal sense and liable to the responsibilities and privileges of that state, including governmental regulations of property distribution and taxation.
Although some translations of the New Testament refer to Mary as Joseph’s “betrothed” as they head for Bethlehem (Luke 2:5), it is unlikely that she would have accompanied him if they were not married in the legal sense. There would have been no obligation for her to do so, and given her advanced stage of pregnancy, it would have made more sense for her to stay behind and give birth with the help of her mother.
Once the betrothal was sealed, Joseph would return to his home and begin to prepare for his wedding, which would traditionally take place one year later. His fields were to be established, work done, crops planted, and a room built on to his father’s house ready to receive Mary. Everything had to be in order so that all of his attention could be directed to his new bride.
His excitement had to have been deeply marred when, during this period of preparation, he received the news of Mary’s pregnancy. How devastating this must have been; one can only imagine the agony of heart that Joseph went through as he sought the Lord to determine how to handle what seemed like an impossibly horrendous situation. At the same time, how difficult it must have been for Mary to reveal this potentially deadly secret to Joseph. Since betrothal held the same legal substance as actual marriage, Joseph’s choices were few. But God Himself presented Joseph with an alternative that would save Mary’s life and change the future of mankind forever: “…do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife…” (Matt. 1:20).
Since the New Testament is silent on the matter, we don’t know for sure what sort of celebration marked Mary’s marriage to Joseph. But we do know that a traditional wedding feast would have been a community affair. Invitations were not sent out; rather, it was considered a mitzvah, or holy obligation, for everyone in the village to attend the wedding. Every person was expected to comment on the radiant beauty of the bride and share in the responsibility for adding to her joy during the festival. The Talmud contains dozens of passages devoted to this topic, including a lengthy discussion of the types and lengths of dances. The custom of breaking a glass was actually instituted to bring a moment of sobriety to the outrageously joyful behaviour.
If the bride was poor and unable to acquire the necessary attire for the wedding and celebration, the community was required to supply her with what she needed. We don’t know what the financial situation of Mary’s father was. We do know, however, that she was part of a vibrant first-century Jewish community who would have embraced the responsibility of supporting the new family.
As Joseph dedicated himself to making preparation for the arrival of his bride, Mary would wait patiently for him to come for her. Her wedding garments would be prepared, and her maidens would be ready, attending her needs, even trimming lamps in case he arrived at her home in the night. Then, at last, Joseph’s father would survey the work his son had done and give him the go-ahead to retrieve his bride from her parents’ home.
Mary and her maidens would hear the sound of Joseph and his wedding party in the street. Quickly, Mary would be covered by her veil and escorted into the street to meet her bride-groom. With much noise and merrymaking, the party would proceed to Joseph’s home where the wedding party would already be in progress. After their meeting alone, Mary and Joseph would join the celebration, and for seven days, they would share their joy with their mishpaha. Only in the quiet of the night could they whisper together of the incredible message Mary had received from the angel, wondering in amazement at what this would mean for the rest of their lives.
Mary, the Woman
But what about Mary as a person? Scripture tells us very little about her personal details and leaves us to wonder in amazement at this very young woman who was chosen to give birth to Yeshua (Jesus), a miracle and a privilege no other human being in the history of mankind has experienced. She did not claim to understand it, but with a heart of great humility, she accepted it and worshipped God for it.“Then Mary said, ‘Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word’” (Luke 1:38). If nothing else, she should be a model of surrendered obedience, obviously living her life to please God and not herself. The hallmark of such a person would have been unshakable faith.She also had to be a woman of great courage. She faced trials and dangers unlike any before or after her. Her unexpected pregnancy could have led to her death, while the prospect of explaining this new development to Joseph, and to her parents, had to be daunting at best. Certainly they would have been disbelieving and horribly disappointed to begin with. Even though the truth was revealed to Joseph, we are not told if others in her community understood it. Perhaps the young couple had to endure gossip and judgmental stares from some who remained convinced of Mary’s infidelity. Making the five to six-day trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem when she was near her time to deliver would also have taken enormous courage, as would the act of giving birth far from her home and her extended family. Soon after becoming a mother, she found herself a political refugee in a foreign country, again requiring tremendous faith and courage.
I suggest that God chose Mary because she was a person of extraordinary strength and obedience, a woman who would endure the great suffering required of the one who would be, as Christians believe, the mother of the Messiah. She would raise Him in the ways of Torah, love Him as every Jewish mother passionately loved her children, teach Him how to live in covenant relationship with God, and encourage Him as a member of His Jewish mishpaha.And as He “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52), her critical role would continue.
She remained steadfast with her son throughout His life and after His death and resurrection. She joined His disciples in the Upper Room to experience God’s next great gift to His fledgling body of believers. Through it all, she knew the great joy that comes with motherhood, but she also endured incomprehensible pain, as the New Testament tells us she saw her son hated, reviled, and crucified. Only a personal conviction of the righteousness of God and His love for His people that translated into unshakable, faithful obedience could have been the governing force for this remarkable woman. Perhaps her life could be best summed up in the instruction she gave to the servants at Cana: “Whatever He tells you to do, do it” (John 2:5).
By Rev. Cheryl Hauer
International Development Director
PRAYING TO REMOVE WHAT IS DARK IN ANOTHER INSTEAD OF BUTTING AGAINST IT IS THE PATH OF DELIVERANCE AND PEACE
__________________________________________________
In a little-known but Church-approved set of
messages from the Blessed Mother at San Nicolás, Argentina, were these
interesting words: "Daughter, pride is a very serious sin, and like all
sins, is the work of Satan. Pride is evil against which I fight. I invite all
my children to banish it, to bury it, and they will please God." That was
on June 23, 1986, and reveals secrets to us -- one of which is the reason we so
frequently have trouble finding peace in our lives. Pride is not just an imperfection. It is
serious. We are told in Scripture that God gives "peace to those who find His
favor" (Luke 2:14) at the same time that He "resists the proud" (James 4:6),
as Mary at San Nicolás is saying. Our
time is the Era of Pride and Celebrity and Egocentricity. We have pride in our
clothes. We have pride in our cars. We have pride in our homes. We have pride in our education. We have pride in our
work. We have pride in our achievements (when nothing is a real achievement, but
through God). We have pride, sometimes, in our spirituality; we are proud that
we don't have pride.
Crucial it is to pray
with the heart to rid yourself of hidden arrogance and celebrate
God not self or others which is idolatry. When we are proud we judge instead of
praying in a fashion that has effects which is not with struggle or irritation or
impatience or anger or reluctance but for the subject of your concern to remove and lose whatever
bad, negative, or sinful traits and habits are causing the blocks and
resistance. If a person is greedy, pray that the person removes
this inclination toward selfishness. If a person is critical, pray that this
person is drained of that spirit of criticality. See it. If a person is himself haughty, pray
that he loses that haughtiness, or your prayers will bounce off. It is a very great plague in our time.
The Blessed
Mother said, "The world is condemning itself! Truth comes and is not heard;
there is great confusion in souls. All humanity is contaminated."
Be
humble. Until we remove the log in our own eyes we are confused and
don't have
the humility to pray that others be humble or lose whatever nullifies
the
effects of prayer. When a
person is contaminated we feel it and it may perturb or aggravate and
as a result we
often neglect to pray in the right way for the person due to
resistance and yet must
do just that: pray to
remove this contamination instead of butting up against it and
focusing on the insult or haughtiness or aggravation. See it -- any
bad thing -- flowing out of a
person. Here, you will find peace. Here, you will feel
love. In this way can you bless your enemies -- with the heart (which
exceeds the mind). Peace will come. Grace is your relief. If someone is
bothering you, pray for them in the correct manner
-- that is, for them to be delivered; pray for, not against. You need
them. We
are in it together and should seek to rise as inter-wound rings of
light. It is when we
focus on the negativity of a person and don't pray to remove it that
we
ourselves resist a person and thus prayers are not effective as oil
does not
mix with water because there is impermeability and resistance. Think
of
how many people you have tried to pray for and found difficulty in
doing so and now
during Mass go back and pray that they be delivered and healed of
whatever it was that blocked your previous (imperfect) prayers.
Powerful it
is to say, "I ask You Lord to bless everyone for whom I should have prayed
in a proper manner and grant
them benefit as if I had done so; please Lord, through a miracle of the Holy Spirit."
When
you do this, and feel no pride, you are imitating Jesus.
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