On Facebook this morning, Bishop Finn talked about today's Gospel she Jesus meets the possessed man.
ARMED FOR DEMONS – in today’s Gospel, (Mk 5:1-20) Jesus meets the possessed man. What can tame him? Chains and shackles: useless in restraining him. Could a clever apologist “reason him out” of his demonic disposition? Human wisdom does not repulse the juggernaut.
“… Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:12); no one is invulnerable (Mt 16:23).
In the supernatural battle, Jesus Christ repulses the demon. Sanctifying grace is the required disposition, prayer and penance, the ultimate weapons.
I've been thinking about this a bit lately because of what seems to me to be a few intractable situations that I've been praying about for what seems like way too long!
I'm pretty good about bombarding a situation with prayer. Penance, not so much, and I could do a whole lot more with fasting from comforts. I convince myself that I've had a full plate of suffering and sacrifice over the years and I remind Christ to dig into that treasure chest because this girl has had enough and is indulging in this or that.
It's also been on my mind because of the upcoming Nineveh 90 Novena which starts on November on February 13th and ends on May 13th (the hundredth anniversary of The Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima). The Novena is hard core, with various forms of fasting, lots of prayer, a consecration. I confess to needing to modify it a bit (a modified fast on Wednesday and Fridays and the television is staying baby! Can't do without movie classics!). but I'm jumping on board and hope TTC readers will also join at the link above. We can be our own Nineveh 90 squad!
There is a never-ending list of things we can give up. Here is some rocking theology on gossip. (This is the stuff we are missing in the Novus Ordo. Listen and weep!)
Read it over and modify to what is healthy but at the same time sacrifice and penance. Big things on the horizon over the next few months. Let's turn up the heat.
3 comments:
Thanks Carol. I signed up. Hopefully, Our Lady of Fatima will see to it that the devil is expelled from the Vatican.
Yes, thanks Carol, may I suggest everyone that joins "the Knights of Divine Mercy" spread the word. Send the link and invite all your friends.
Along with hopes for expelling the demons in Rome I'm praying we chase all the demons out of the U.S. Where Rome has infiltrated!
I signed up too.
Please pray for the people of Massachusetts. Cardinal Sean O'Malley, much like "pope" Francis, has made it clear he neither likes, nor even wants, his job. As a result, we the parishioners are endlessly fed a steady diet of left wing political rants masquerading as homilies.
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