St. Michael and the Scales

There is no excel spreadsheet in heaven of all the prayers or good works that you must do to be granted access to heaven.  We can do no action that benefits God in any way, because He is God, He is eternal, already complete and if we could do an action that benefited Him, then in some way He would be found to be lacking in something.  This is why the gift of the sacrifice of God's son, Jesus is completely, free and unmerited, because if all the human beings that have ever lived prayed constantly from their conception to their death could still not open the gates of Heaven and save us from the eternal suffering of hell they way that the blood of Jesus did.  

Yet, God gives us an 'action' plan of salvation.  We are not to just stay in our Churches and 'check the box' of Sunday Mass or Church service and think we are 'done' with God stuff for that week.  Have we basically gone up to God after a week of living the way WE choose and not the way GOD chooses and saying, "So God, are we good?"  These are the lukewarm most in danger of eternal fire because they seek only something for themselves and nothing for their brother or sister. 

This action that God seeks of us is an action of love for another that is completely hidden, between you and God alone.  If you are seeking notoriety, or to tell someone of the good works you do, then your audience is your God, not Jesus.  In being hidden we communicate more effectively  with God and He begins our path of purification.  But what action are we to do if we can do nothing for God?  What did God himself do?  He went forth from the Temple (Church), and preached the word of salvation, healing the sick, not only for their healing and wholeness but to show the truth of God.  But you would say that He was not hidden at these times, and you would be correct.  However, there were far more times that Jesus was hidden and spoke the truth of God and healed the sick that are not written in scripture.   Jesus wasn't doing anything for God, He is God,  Jesus was showing the truth of God and how we are supposed to respond to His word by His love and action for another.   

This is what Jesus is telling us...YOU ARE FOR THE OTHER, serve, pray, teach, heal, raise the dead.   Yes...MIRACLES are possible, but you must be COMPLETELY FOR THE OTHER, seeking NOTHING for yourself but the salvation of the soul that God has put in your path. 

There is a Jesus that you don't know, that can only be revealed through praying and studying the path of the Passion.  Jesus felt the sins of those around Him, and this sin was painful.  Jesus was fully God and His heart suffered feeling the sins of those around Him.   He then offered this pain back to the Father for them.  This was before the Passion.  Jesus was hurting for those in sin long before the Passion, but it is not recorded in scripture.   This is the hidden POURING OUT OF SELF FOR YOUR BRETHREN that Jesus is calling each of us to do.  

It is in this pouring out of self for another in a hidden way that is between you and God alone that our hearts begin the path of purification.  God shapes our hearts to be like either His Son's Sacred Heart, or the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Mother's especially are put on the path of purification toward the Immaculate Heart.  

It is not what we do that merits us heaven, for what we do shall not be weighed on the scales of infinite justice, but WHAT WE DO WITH THE INTENTION IN OUR HEART AT THE TIME OF OUR ACTION, WORD OR THOUGHT. 

The mystery of being hidden, is that right now, you have a hidden heart that only you know.  If you think that God does not see, or know what is deep in your heart, think again.  What is hidden on Earth will be revealed for all to see in Eternity.  

Right now, your hidden heart is either striving for heaven, or striving for hell, you can't straddle the fence with God.    So even if you donate to charity, or volunteer at a homeless shelter, but are in an adulterous relationship, God knows it all.  Don't' think that you can commit adultery and then do 'something for God' to make up for it like charity.  You are still on the road to hell.   God remembers everything we do, say and our intention for our actions FOR ALL ETERNITY.. REPENT while there is still time and return back to God, completely, with thought, word, action...and in the secret of our hearts. 

When you die and face the Judgement, it is your actions, WITH YOUR HEART that will be weighed against the Crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Will your heart be weighed against this eternal and perfect pouring out of the holy blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and found to be lacking?  Does the devil have his finger on your side of the scale, pulling you to him?

This is also why those that lay their life down for another, the martyrs who offer their life for the reason of love alone go straight to heaven and do not suffer Purgatory because their offering of their very lives for love alone mirrors Christ's offering on the cross.

Time is short...turn your heart fully to God while there is time. 

Fearless (Part 2)

NOTE: To understand this posting, you have to read Fearless (Part 1) which you can read...HERE

Sometime after my first experience as written about in Fearless (Part 1), I was again praying the Stations of the Cross.  I get to the fourth Station, the Station where Jesus meets His Mother and I the Lord reminded me of the day when the pews made all that noise and St. Michael and my Guardian Angel showed up.  

Then He said to me, "I want to show you what was coming after you that day." 

I said, "Uh...OK..."

I was transported to a red desert, like the picture above.  I knew there was nothing living in this place and that I was completely alone.  In the distance I could see thousands of red tinged creatures barreling down on me rather quickly.  Some of these creatures resembled very deformed, horrible looking humans, and some where deformed, demons.  They were terrifying to behold.  They had nothing but hatred in their eyes for me, there was no compassion, they wanted to kill me, and at the rate they were coming at me, they would reach me in a few seconds.   There were thousands of them, and was there with no weapons, no defenses and no where to run.  I was toast.  When they reached me, they were going to shred me like lettuce.  I was dead and I knew it.  I was terrified.

The next second I was back in the Church standing before the forth station.  I was trembling in my arms and my legs because I was so scared.  The Lord had to calm me down.  After a few seconds I had gotten my bearings and the Lord gave me a number of how many were coming after me that day in the Church.

Then He said to me, "If it had been all of Hell after you, I would have let St. Michael take care of it."

My first thought was, "One angel, under God's command could hold back all of Hell.  What are we afraid of? We should be completely and totally fearless!"

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Be Fearless in face of any evil, for God IS WITH US!!

We are Catholic! We are the front line in the battle for souls...join the fight!

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St Michael Video!

  

Fearless (Part 1)

So much has happened when I was praying the Stations of the Cross.  The demon has tried everything to scare me off.  He can't.  I won't say I haven't been scared, I have, but I have stood my ground.

On this day, I was praying the Stations of the Cross and begging God for those that were lost.  I was alone in the Church.  I had gotten to the 4th Station - where Jesus meets his Mother.  At that moment, from the back of the Church, every pew in the church sounded like there was someone pounding on it with a large sledgehammer.  It started in the back of the Church and every pew in the Church made the big "BANG!!" noise, and it moved from the back of the Church to the front of the Church in a wave, very fast - took maybe three seconds.

I wasn't afraid, like John Vianney said, you get used to it after awhile.  I know that the demon cannot hurt me unless God allows it.  I wasn't afraid, but then suddenly I felt "reinforcements".  I couldn't see them, but I knew that St. Michael was on my left, and my Guardian Angel was on my right - just behind me.  Whether I wished to continue was up to me.  I wasn't afraid, I knew nothing could touch me, no matter how mad my begging God that souls not fall into hell made the demon.

So I said, "OK, Let's go."  I finished the Stations.*

Be Fearless in face of any evil, for God IS WITH US!!

We are Catholic! We are the front line in the battle for souls...join the fight!

*Oh, and by the way, I checked the pews - there was no damage to them, which considering the noise that was made was astounding. 

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Part 2:  I am shown what was coming after me that day....

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Storm the Gates (Part 2)

NOTE:  The following of what you are about to read, is for your discernment.  I do not ask nor require anyone's belief.  Also, God did everything in what I am about to tell you, I only asked.  Even in the asking, God gave me the breath to speak it, the will to ask it, so really He did it all.  I am only writing this now because I was told to write, and write I will. 

Praying the Stations.  

A friend of mine at Church showed me how to pray the stations, and I had watched a show that told how powerful the stations where.  So, on my own, after church, I began to pray the Stations of the Cross in front of the Blessed Sacrament after I had prayed my Rosary.  I didn't know what I was going to pray for, but I found I was soon directed.  One day when I was about to start the Stations, I heard the Lord say to me, "Offer them."  I thought, "OK, I can do that." So I started offering each station to the Father for whatever I was praying for.  As I started to pray the Stations this way, as an offering to the Father, some things happened in the process.  It was over many Stations of the Cross offered over time that taught me a lot.  I will talk more about the Stations of the Cross and what I have learned about them, but let me share some basics for now. 

1.  The only way to the Father is the Son, His Cross and His Passion.  

2.  God hurt greatly while His son was going through his suffering, but desires that the       suffering of the Son be offered to Him in order to save souls. 

3. By offering the Stations to the Father, if you seek nothing for yourself but the things that God desires out of the love of your heart for God and for the ones He loves, is more powerful than I can ever describe.

4. If you want to know the Father's heart, offer Him the Stations of His Son.

5.  The Holy Flesh of the Son formed in the womb of the Blessed Virgin is so precious to God the Father, that if a request is made on the 11th Station, if it is considered just in His sight, the Father will hardly deny a request made on this Station because of the Holy Wounds.  

Storming the Gates (A Prayer Answered)

One day after Holy Mass, I was going to pray the Stations. My prayer that day was that the demons that come out of hell and tempt weak souls into mortal sin be prevented from coming to the earth.  Why did I pray this? What led me to this prayer?  Well to be truthful, when you pray the Stations of the Cross you also learn the state of souls in the world, and it is quite frightening how many are on the path to destruction.  (Jesus said this in Scripture).  My heart is for the lost souls and the blackest of hearts, and this is what I beg God for.  

So this day, I was asking that the demons be preventing from coming out of Hell and tempting weak souls into mortal sin.  I began the Stations, and at each Station I was begging God to grant my request with many tears for those that are already in mortal sin.  

I come to the 11th Station. 

I am crying and begging God for my request, because of my love for those that are weak and tempted.  I offer this Station to the Father and I hear our Lord say to me, 

"Send Michael Forth!"

Pray the Stations!


Next Installment:  Another Prayer Request and Answer on the 11th Station.

Where Does Evil Come From?

Where does Evil Come From?

In the beginning God Said, "Let there be light."  And there was light.  God creates with His word, and when He gave the angels free will He also gave them this ability to create out of their words, although to a much lesser degree. 

God is all good, there is no darkness in Him.  However, having infinite knowledge of all of His creation, He knew of evil as a concept (because God knows all things), but at this time evil only existed in the mind of God as a concept, a potentiality.  When he gave the angels free will they two had a knowledge of what rebellion was, and again evil was just a concept.  This knowledge was given for otherwise their will would not be free because they would have no other choice but the good God.  To truly choose God freely, they were given knowledge of "another way" and the fearful freedom to choose.  Again, this was only a concept in the mind of God and the angels, at this time evil did not yet exist.  

God did not create evil, even though He knew about it.  By his pride and arrogance when Lucifer rebelled against God, his words were, "I will not serve."  Lucifer spoke rebellion and evil into existence by these words. (This is why obedience of mind and heart is such a powerful weapon against the evil one.)  Rebellion and all that is evil is the sole creation of the evil one.    

Then Michael the Archangel spoke, "Micha'el! Micha'el!" or "Who is Like God!"  By this St. Michael spoke in defense of God out of love for God.  He had no fear of what the other angels would think!  By the power of God, Saint Michael was given the voice that would cast Satan out of Heaven.  By the words of Saint Michael every faithful angel in heaven was put to our defense if we would so call upon them.  These angels would protect and defend God's creation in complete obedience to God, which includes us.  

This is why when Jesus encountered demons, the first thing He ever said to them was, "BE SILENT"  He was taking away the demon's power to create any more destruction by his speech.  First He silenced them, then He expelled them.  

Didn't Jesus warn us about our speech?  "It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles that person; but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one."  Matthew 15: 11   

Think about that.  What comes out of our mouth, if evil, defiles us.   Of course it does! Isn't that what happened to Lucifer?  He spoke rebellion, and by doing so, his heart and his whole being was made evil by his speech.  He didn't become 'partially' evil, no, he was made wholly evil and no part of him could remain in heaven.  All of this from just four words..."I will not serve." 

What do you speak?  Do you curse regularly?  Do you laugh and joke when something bad happens to someone that you know, delighting in someone else's misery?  Or do you gleefully tell everyone around you someone else's misgivings.   We must be VERY CAREFUL with what we speak.   Speech is to inform, encourage, uplift and instruct...doesn't that sound like what Jesus did?   

We will reap every word that we have sown in our lives, whether evil or good.  One of the greatest evils one can speak is to deny God's existence or destroy someone's faith by your words.   Some of the greatest good that you can do with words is to teach the Gospel and/or seek forgiveness from God.  (The Act of Contrition in the Confessional is done with speech ~ not silently.) 

We should never be afraid of what is evil, God has all power over any evil.  Evil was not within his range of creation, but it is always within His domain to hinder or stop it according to His will, our faith, prayer*, and of course His mercy.   
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*This is also why spoken prayer can be so powerful. 

Battling the Demon...

Battling the Demon.

Jesus tells us that the demon is the prince of this world. And the battle with the evil one is a constant struggle.  For if we didn't have God to withhold the devil doing evil to us the tortures we would endure by the devil  would be UNIMAGINABLE.

There is two types of torture that the demon can deliver, torture of the flesh and torture of the spirit.
Those that were already bound for hell would be killed first, for the demon already has a firm claim on their souls.  Those souls that are bound for heaven or purgatory, would be tortured in the flesh and in the spirit to such a degree that they could not bear it. Without God's intervention souls that would endure this suffering at the devils hands would deny God in order to alleviate their suffering.  

Saints were burned at the stake, and tortured horribly before death, but NEVER denied God.  God allowed this suffering, for the good of their souls or the souls of others. This is a mystery which we, cannot comprehend.  But God alone is the final judge on when life and suffering ends.

Think about this.  Right now God Himself is holding back the devil from inflicting the evil upon your head that he so desires to give you. As you go about your tasks everyday the love of God surrounds every heartbeat and breath, protecting you from the evil one and guiding you on the path to Him.  From conception to natural death, we are under the love and will of God and life should not be prevented or ended by any means other then what God wills for it. 

Engaging the Demon.

But are we actively engaged in the fight against the evil one?  Do we realize that souls go to hell daily and what we, as Christians, can do to assist our lost brethren to keep them from hell and lead them to God?

Prayer, fasting, penance, sacrifice.

For if we truly love God, then we love those that He loves, which is all the souls on the earth, including those that are the farthest from HIM.  Atheists, Satan worshipers, those that do you evil... ALL.

For if we make an oblation of a heart that loves God, how can God deny a heart that loves Him so?  Such a  heart that beats only for Him will do much prayer, fasting and penance for those souls that God loves and desires not to be lost.  The farther a soul is from God the more right it has to God's mercy. 

So are we participating in daily sacrifice that leads souls to God?

For "Amen Amen I say to you that no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him."  John 13.16. 

So engage the demon, pray, fast, do penance for souls that are lost to God, and let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing.  For as St. John Vianney says, "Oh, how I like those little mortifications that are seen by nobody...

Mother Knows

Know what our Holy Mother knows:

For it is in humilty and lowness that the battle against the evil one is raged.... and won. 

Fear Not.

At first it is fearful to engage the evil one, but as time progresses, as you continue in your prayer, purification and penance, you will realize that the demon, no matter how he shows himself to distract you from your task for souls, is nothing but a gnat that unfortunately must be endured while in the flesh.

An Important Point.

One cannot battle the evil one for souls if he himself is "tepping" (associating) with the devil.  First go to confession, with a firm resolve to change your life in line with the teachings of the Church, otherwise you are encamped with the evil one and useless in this battle.  You must pick sides, are you with the devil or the King of Kings?

This is no joke.  Jesus's sacrifice was not a lark.  He looks at you and says, "Choose."  You cannot go to Holy Mass on Sunday and be disobedient or steal, or take into yourselves that which is unholy.  (Every really listen to what is said on some of those t.v. programs?). For obedience is the path to God.

Only purified souls can take up the standard of the Lord to battle the evil one.  Purify yourselves and join the fight!  Souls fall into hell every day and they ARE worth fighting for!

Purify your soul steps: 

1. Confession with resolve to change your life in line with the teachings of the Church.  And go to confession weekly. (Who can say they are totally sinless for a whole month? Not I.)

2. Holy Mass.  The best defense against the devil is the Holy Mass daily, for it is difficult to take up this standard without the Holy Eucharist daily.  The Holy Mass is the strongest weapon against the evil one and since the evil one does not sleep we should arm ourselves DAILY with the Holy Eucharist.

3. Being obedient to those that are over you, even in the littlest things.  For obedience is the path to God.

4. Expelling from your life what is not of God and taking in what is of God, scripture daily, holy books, life of the saints, etc.

5.  Rosary daily... preverably ALL mysteries if possible.

6. Humility.  Submit in humility to God in all things.  Pray the Litany of Humility daily if needed.

If you do the above, be prepared for what God will show you, for your eyes will be opened.

An offering prayer for souls:

Jesus it is love for you, love for your Sacred Heart, love for the Immaculate heart of Mary that I offer this (say offering - rosary, penance, etc) for the souls that you love, especially those that are in most danger of hellfire, and I beg the conversion of sinners.