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On Spiritual Warfare

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 16:00:13 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

EVERYDAY SPIRITUAL WARFARE Do you ever think of yourself engaged in spiritual warfare? Often times those words bring up thoughts of exorcisms and heads turning around three hundred sixty degrees. However, in reality fighting temptation and living the gospel are themselves forms of spiritual warfare. Therefore, believe it or not we actually engage in this battle everyday. Further, do not forget that the prize is the most precious treasure we possess, human souls: our own and those of others.

Are there rules of spiritual warfare? Sure there are, in fact St. Paul has a famous passage where he describes the tools to fight this battle. He reminds us in the sixth chapter of his letter to the Ephesians that our battle is not against human forces, but against prinipalities and powers the evil spirits in regions above.

This is an important distinction because whenever we are in battle, it is important to define our enemy. This is no less true in spiritual warfare. If we do not do this, then our response may appear to lead us to victory when, in fact, it leads us to defeat. This is because we fight the wrong enemy and if that is the desire of the forces of evil; they win.

There are, therefore, three steps in engaging in spiritual warfare that are important in order to be successful.

1) DEFINE THE ENEMY

The enemy can be blatant or subtle. The enemy could be the temptation to sin or could manifest itself in the person who tells you to reject Christ. In either case, the person or desire that wants you to act contrary to Christ can define the enemy. Do you find yourself in a position where people dismiss you as inferior because you are practicing your faith as a Catholic? You are not smart enough to realize your own foolishness will be the line of thinking that they say to you in all its various forms. Then they will usually give you a new mark to seek, a new path to follow.

The enemy can also be defined by lies. When some one is trying to convince you that black is white and up is down and good is bad, you could be dealing with the forces of evil. There are other manifestations as well. Basically look for what force leads you away from Christ, usually with a smile, by the way.

2) DETERMINE THE DESIRES OF THE ENEMY

If it is the tempter, the desire is to lead you into sin. If it is someone trying to lead you away from Christ, this desire will become obvious, if you are attentive to it. Watch out for a goal commonly seen in our Church today; it is to get the people against each other. Looking at the crisis in the Church, look back and see how much work was put together to get the people to focus on the sins in the Church and turn people against their bishops and priests. Notice how much effort was put into leading people to believe the Bishops had lost their moral voice, especially those most faithful to the Magisterium. Further, look at how little effort was spent in calling all Catholics closer to Christ through repentance. Do not think that some of these actions were not manifestations of the forces of evil. The Devil is the accuser who teaches you to focus on sins in condemnation with no desire to call you or anyone else to repentance. The one who leads you to repentance is from God. The one who leads you to self-condemnation or that of others may be of a demonic origin.

Watch out as well for those forces trying to get priests and bishops, as well as married laity, to reject their vows or even walk away from their vocations.

3) DO THE OPPOSITE

If the tempter is leading you into sin, walk the other way: If you are dealing with those trying to prevent you from going to Church, go to Church. If they are trying to get you to reject your priest and bishops, support your priests ‘and bishops. If it is to be proud, be humble. If it is to procrastinate on your prayers, begin to pray. The reality of spiritual warfare is not something we should relegate to movies about possession. It is real and is literally as common as sin. Yet, the closer we walk to Christ, the more we can see the wiles of the evil one. We can see what it wants and do the opposite.

Fr. Robert Carr

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Mar 15 – Homily – Fr Dominic: Satan is Real

apostolate — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:36:02 +0000

Homily #120315 ( 08min) Play – Satan’s kingdom is here on earth. Our Lord confirms the reality of Satan. Satan is very real – Jesus himself tells us. Our major concern is the influence satan can have in the world and in us. Beware of the wiles and the tricks of Satan. We have been given many weapons to fight Satan.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Ordinary Form – Thursday 3rd Week of Lent
Readings:
1st Reading: Jeremiah 7:23-28
Responsorial Psalm: 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
Gospel: Luke 11:14-23

Audio (MP3)

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May 31 – Homily – Fr George: Mary, Queen of Heaven

Griswold Friars — Fri, 31 May 2013 12:37:34 +0000

Homily #130531 ( 12min) Play – Father explains the reasons for Mary’s elevation of Queen of Heaven and Earth, and then elaborates on how Our Lady, as Queen, is continually at war with Satan and his demons.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary – 2nd Cl – Form: EF,
Readings:
1st: sir 24:5-31
Gsp: luk 1:26-33

Audio (MP3)

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Nov 11 – Homily – Fr Benedict: Spiritual Warfare

Griswold Friars — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 15:20:13 +0000

Homily #131111 ( 14min) Play St Martin of Tours had some similarities with St. Francis. Both were soldiers and great saints who engaged in spiritual warfare. In spiritual warfare we storm the fortifications set up by the devil in men’s hearts. Through humility and charity we can break down walls in order to bring the spirit of Christ into places that are empty of God’s presence.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Martin of Tours – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Monday 32nd Week of Ordinary Time
1st: wis 1:1-7
Resp: psa 139:1-3, 4-6, 7-8, 9-10
Gsp: luk 17:1-6

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Mar 09 – Homily – Fr Maximilian W: How to Battle Satan

apostolate — Sun, 09 Mar 2014 15:48:15 +0000

Homily #140309n ( 09min) Play – Father reflects on today’s readings, first on the Fall of our first parents, and then on the Temptation of Jesus in the Desert, and emphasizes that while Jesus can do direct battle with Satan, we cannot, and are only able to rise in victory over Satan by uniting ourselves to God in prayer and sacrifice.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Sunday 1st Week of Lent – Sunday – Form: OF
Readings:
1st: gen 2:7-9, 3:1-7
Resp: psa 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17
2nd: rom 5:12-19
Gsp: mat 4:1-11

Audio (MP3)

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Mar 27 – Homily – Fr Benedict: Know the Enemy

apostolate — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 14:45:51 +0000

Homily #140327 ( 00min) Play In today’s Gospel our Lord is falsely accused of driving out a demon with the help of Be-el’zebul. Our Lord answers:”Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?” The reality of the state of warfare between the fallen angels and the Kingdom of God is one that touches our lives daily. In this war we must know who the enemy is and who our allies are. Along with this we must also know the armor and weaponry the Lord has given us.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Thursday 3rd Week of Lent – Wkdy – Form: OF
Readings:
1st: jer 7:23-28
Resp: psa 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
Gsp: luk 11:14-23

Audio (MP3)

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Video – Fr. Cassian – Lenten Reflections on the Rosary – Spiritual Warfare – CONF 250

apostolate — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 14:16:32 +0000

Conferences #250 – ( 43min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Fr. Cassian Sama, O.P. gives the second of three talks on the Rosary at our day of Lenten Reflections on the Rosary at the Mother of the Redeemer Retreat Center in Bloomington, IN. This talk is called Spiritual Warfare and the Holy Spirit where he points out that our most important struggle in our life is a spiritual battle against the Devil and how we must ask the Holy Spirit and Our Lady to help us and the Holy Rosary is best way to do this.

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Sep 29 – Homily – Fr Matthias: St. Michael and the Popes

apostolate — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 15:21:38 +0000

Homily #140929n ( 11min) Play – Father Matthias shows us the importance of having recourse to St. Michael by pulling from the words and actions of the modern Popes. Let us call upon St. Michael to defend us from sin and evil, from that which is outside of us and especially that which is inside of us. We cannot overcome evil with evil, but only with good!
Ave Maria!
Mass: Sts. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael (alt Reading) – Feast – Form: OF
Readings:
1st: rev 12:7-12
Resp: psa 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5
Gsp: joh 1:47-51

Audio (MP3)

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Dec 08 – Homily – Fr Matthias: (S)he Will Chrush Your Head?

apostolate — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 00:42:54 +0000

Homily #141208n ( 12min) Play – In recent times, there has been a departure from the tradition of translating the protogospel as “She Will Crush Your Head” to “He Will Crush Your Head.” Leaving this controversy aside, Father tells us that both are valid, and the ambiguous language in the Hebrew underscores the indissoluble union between Jesus and Mary in the work of redemption. Quoting from the Fathers and the Magisterium, Father proves that this prophecy is indeed a reference to the eternal enmity between the Blessed Virgin and Satan. But not just between Her and the Serpent, but also between Her offspring and his. In the end, mankind will be divided between to sides, the offspring of the Woman, and the offspring of the Serpent, and we must choose our side right now.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Solemnity – Form: OF
Readings:
1st: gen 3:9-15, 20
Resp: psa 98:1, 2-3, 3-4
2nd: eph 1:3-6, 11-12
Gsp: luk 1:26-38

Audio (MP3)

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Aug 15 – Homily – Fr Maximilian W: Mary, Scripture, and Spiritual Warfare

apostolate — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 14:25:08 +0000

Homily #150815n ( 10min) Play – Father asks if the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is scriptural, is it found in the Bible? Is it explicitly in there? No, but neither is the Trinity, the Hypostatic Union, nor the inerrancy of Scripture. This are all inferred from Scripture. Father points out where we find this scriptural backing for the Assumption in Luke and Revelations. He focuses on chapter 12 of Revelations which speaks of the battle between the Blessed Virgin Mary and Satan, and tells us that this spiritual warfare is still going on today, in fact, it is particularly intense today. If we are with Mary, we will triumph over the dragon, but if we are not, we will be consumed.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Solemnity – Form: OF
Readings:
1st: rev 11:19, 12 1-6, 10
Resp: psa 45:10, 11, 12, 16
2nd: 1co 15:20-26
Gsp: luk 1:39-56

Audio (MP3)

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