# 20 – FATIMA.

The power of prayer.

 

I have recently visited Fatima in Portugal. Among others I have been there at the 13^th of October which was the day when the Sun Miracle was given 95 years ago which even the atheistic journalists wrote about because they were there and saw it..

Of course nobody is obliged to believe in private revelations, even if they are recognized by the Church as valid. According to the Church's teaching there will be no further revelation after Christ (CCC 66). We know, however, that there have been private revelations through the ages. «It is not their role to improve or complete Christ's definitive Revelation, but to help live more fully by it in en certain period of history». The apparition in Fatima is recognized as valid by the Church.

 

In this blogpost I will not go into details about the apparitions. Instead I will leave references for you to study if you find the topic interesting enough. Here I will look at similarities between then and now. Is the message of Our Lady of Fatima, also called Our Lady of the Rosary, still a message for our time? If you never have heard about the apparitions in Fatima, I'm sure you will be curious enough to find out the exact happenings of 1917! So here we go:

The apparitions in Fatima occurred 95 years ago. Have they anything to teach us today? Are they appropriate for our time in history? Many people think so! Why?

First we have to look at the time when the apparitions happened. What characterized the time around 1917? There was war. WWI had not ended. In Portugal where the apparitions happened there was political instability. In Russia we had the Russian Revolution. In February 1917 the Russian revolutionary started to to be violent and in the same year at November 17^th (October 25^th according to the Julian calendar) the first communist party started to rule in Russia. As we know religion became forbidden in Russia. Some years later we had the economical crack in America (1929).

In our time (2012) we also have dangerous forces of different kinds. Terror is a real threat. We have war several places in the world. People are murdered with cold blood. We have economical problems in the West (America and Europe). We have a growing population in the western world saying that they don't believe in God. Our time have to some degree some similarities with the time when Our lady appeared in 1917.

 

There are written lots of books about the apparitions and some movies are made too. I highly recommend those written by Sr. Lucia herself (the oldest seer). For the Norwegian speaking I recommend: Bjerke. P. B, Mirakelet i Fatima 1917 (...århundrets Mariaåpenbaring i lys av Bibelen...), 1998, Mazmillian Kolbe Utvivelser. I found the Norwegian book informative. I also felt that the book «Fatima for Today: The Urgent Marian Message of Hope» by Andrew Apostoli and the films «The Call to Fatima», Film Director & Producer: Thomas McCormack, gave me a lot. For a quick updating on the happenings i 1917 here and now; go here:

http://www.ewtn.com/fatima/news/children1.htm

http://www.ewtn.com/fatima/apparitions/BVM.htm

So what was it that Our Lady of Fatima wanted in the turbulent times of 1917? She wanted people to pray more every day, especially the Rosary. She wanted the people to pray for sinners to repent and avoid hell. She wanted prayers for peace. If not there would come another war much worse than the one already ongoing. (The second world war came). She recommended penance. She also wanted people to partake in 6 successive first Saturdays. (First Saturdays are the first Saturday in every month: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Saturday_Devotions ). The first Saturdays were mentioned in a later revelation when the oldest of the seers had become a nun. Our Lady especially asked for the consecration of Russia (in her 1917 apparitions) to avoid Russia spreading her evil to the rest of the world (atheism I suppose). The final consecration was done very late, but it has been done (1984). After the consecration the Soviet Union fell apart.

No history book will tell us that a new war broke out because people didn't pray enough (WWII ...). May be that is a very important part of the message, that prayers might change the course of the history? We may feel that we are too few to pray for peace, since more and more people leave faith. Well, perhaps that's so in the Western world, but even so, I think that Our Lord will appreciate our prayers and our trust in Him. Because that is what it is about. It is about our understanding of the faith. It's about our way of practicing our faith. It's about if we are lukewarm or not. As it was said to the the church of Laodicea: «I know thy works, that thou art neither cold, nor hot. I would thou wert cold, or hot. But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, not hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest: I am rich, and made wealthy, and have need of nothing: and knowest not, that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked» (Rev 3:15-17).

When we trust ourselves more than God, our attention to God will be weakened. To pray is to trust. To pray and to do penance for others are to show that we care about them. To pray the Rosary is to tell the LORD that we have understood that He gave his mother to us when He hang on the cross. It is to take Mary's «YES», when the angel came to her, very seriously. When we say yes to God we must do it wholehearted. That includes thinking about others, praying for them to have peace and to reach Heaven and avoid Hell (that there is a Hell is a catholic dogma. There is no use in trying to hide that part of the faith. Those who don't believe in God and don't live after His will have judged themselves into Hell. (It's a choice ...). They need our prayers before it comes so far and we ourselves need them. There might be may snares on the road to heaven, even for those that think they are strong in faith.

I agree with those who see the Message of Fatima just as actual today as it was 95 years ago. To visit Fatima is to be filled with peace and being grateful to God. When we visit it on the 13^th in the months between May and October we will be at the same place where the miracle happened. We will stay in a crowd of people and remember. We will see the place where Our Lady of the Rosary occurred, and we will also remember the Miracle of the Sun that occurred at the 13h of October in 1917. Just as tight as we stand, so they stood 95 years ago (2012 now). They understood the message! Do we?

To walk at the roads in the village where the children lived gives an extra dimension to our lives. Their lives were so different from ours. They didn't have mobiles, electronic toys or electrical light. The grown ups had to work hard and so did some children too. Their help where necessary for the families to survive. Sometimes we need to remember that much of the luxury that is to find in the Western world of today are only distractions that might lead us away from God.

God bless you all for reading and reflecting!

The angel who appeared for the second time before the apparitions of Our Lady, and whom the children are kneeling in front of (the statues are at the actual place) at the well at the land of Lucia's (the oldest seer) parents, taught the children this prayer:

«+My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You! I ask pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You! AMEN+»

# 19 - Don't waste actual grace!

It's some time since I have had the time to write. I have not forgotten you or to comment the questions in blogpost # 3. The blog follows the same principle as before. New readers ought to start at blogpost # 1 «God's ways can be mysterious» (the First of August 2012) to benefit from the blog because the structure of the blog is like the structure of a book. It starts in the beginning and builds upon that.

I will write a special blog entry for now. Next time I will reflect about my trip to Fatima of October this year. Then I want to go back and try to go on talking about the questions I asked you to reflect upon in blogpost #3 (2012).

Have you ever thought about what it means to lose sanctifying grace?

Some of the the readers of this blog might have lost their sanctifying grace. That means that they might have been away from the Church for a long period of time, have sinned grievously, and have not been to confession. It can also mean that they never have been a member, but are thinking of it, so to speak, but have lost their sanctifying grace due to grave sin. Some practicing members of the Church might have lost it too, because they have failed to confess grave sins. Never baptized persons don't have it.

So, what is the difference between sanctifying grace and actual grace? We talked a bit about it in blogpost # 18. Sanctifying grace is what is poured out upon us in our baptism. The Holy Spirit dwells inside us. Sanctifying grace is grace from within. With grave sin The Holy Spirit leaves us and we will be without the holy push from within. God loves us dearly and will in such circumstances pour of actual grace. Actual grace is grace from without.

When God tells us from without, by actual grace, that he loves us dearly, we have to respond to that and not let it pass. If we let it pass, it's not so sure that we will recognize it next time. The more often we overlook it, the less we will hear it. This is what we call «to harden ones heart».

«Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation; in the day of temptation in the desert» (Hebrew 3:9 Doey-Rheims).

This is very important knowledge to reflect upon if you are doubting for a long period or have not got the guts to find an introduction course (RICA in America) as a stepping stone to enter the catholic church if you don't belong to her, but might have wanted to ....

If you are without sanctifying grace (which will be given back to you at confession) you only have to rely on the actual grace. You might easily become a victim of all the evil in the world without sanctifying grace ...

So please listen to God when he calls you! As long as you want to believe God will follow you at the path that leads to salvation.

More about grace:

http://www.catholic.com/tracts/grace-what-it-is-and-what-it-does

#18 - Is it because you feel ashamed of being a believer among atheists (No valid proof)?

So we are back to  the next question from blog-post #3 where I asked you to reflect upon why you have difficulties with your belief in God. To day it's not only when one enters the University that one might stumble across people that make a bombardment of arguments about how little we can trust that there really is a God. You might even meet them before you leave high-school. It is not easy to be a believer and to be met with such arguments, because the nonbeliever is very clever to make one doubt.

I want to quote two arguments of all I have met in my life about why one shouldn't believe in God.

1. «Scientists cannot believe in god, because it is not to be a true and honest scientist to choose to believe in something you cannot prove».
2. «The arguments presented to me as indirect proof of the existence of a god, are not arguments that my scientific friends will accept.»

To the first one: To be a scientist is to know about the methods that are to be used, their strength and their limits, to be able to make a research with those methods and do that in a way that others can repeat to reprove the results. If you want to find out if there is a new and better drug to be produced to cure depression, that means that you have to do that correctly in a scientifically way. If you are an atheist or a believer will not have influence on your work, because it is a work were you have to show that you can master the methods correctly. The same goes if you are trying to find a cure for cancer or if you are looking for a scientific way of improving an airplane or whatever you are studying.

How can you answer a person that comes with such a ridiculous postulate that you are not honest? It's not easy, but there are some ways.

Examples:

 a) My mom and dad have told me that I came into being in the womb at a Friday. I have no way of proving that, but I have chosen to believe that my mother and father have told me the truth because they normally do so.

b) Do you mean that my belief in God has spoiled the scientific project that you and me have done together? If that is the case you have to show me were the failure is.

When the other person tells you that he is sure the weather will be fine to morrow when your group of students will be going for a local expedition, you can ask him how he can believe that without knowing for sure (no valid proof)?

There are lots of other tings you can do. Try to sit down and find some answers for yourself (answers that fall naturally for you).

.............................................

When it comes to the statements that no scientist will accept your indirect proofs of a god, the only way to go on is to claim that Jesus never promised to give scientific proof for his existence after rising from the dead. He said to Thomas who distrusted him: «Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed» (Jn 20.29).  To be a Christian is to believe that what is told about God is true without 100 % proof. To do scientific work has to do with using scientific methods to find out of things in the world (universe).

To be honest, the argument of not being willing to accept the arguments normally given as indirect proof of God because friends with scientific education will not accept it, is the most stupid I have ever heard. (My education is scientific).

People are different, some will never give in and be a daily plague to you by their insistence of scientific proof for a god (with the little 'g').

The point is that to such people it's very difficult for God to enlighten them because He has given them a free will to chose to believe and keep his commandments. To force faith on them is not the way of God. It's also important to know that people who have locked the door to God by refusing to stop sinning, do not have sanctifying grace inside themselves. Such people don't have access to God because of this. When such a person is trying to ridicule you, it is important to remember that you are talking to a person who is spiritual dead. The Holy Spirit is not inside her/him. Such persons are spiritual empty vessels and cannot be different. Please remember that you are standing at unholy ground when you are surrounded by nonbelievers. It's their chosen state of being. You can of course pray that God will give them a  moment of actual grace in the hope that that moment will help them to repent, but remember that they have to accept this moment freely. God can give them many moments of actual grace (a moment of spiritual enlightening to be received if they are willing to open up), but without cooperation from those given actual grace, it is like trying to feed a dead person. There is no entrance!

The best you can do when you are ridiculed for your faith, is to bear it with dignity. Beg God for His Grace to stay in this anti-Christian rain. You cannot leave you work if you don't are assured another job. When you have done your best to explain, you don't have to be a scapegoat for the people that won't understand that you don't need proof for your belief and that to be a good scientist or not has to do with how you relate to your project and how clever you are in using the scientific methods right. In stead you can remember in your heart that Jesus said: «And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off even the dust of your feet, for a testimony against them» (Lk 9:5).

As I mentioned in blog-post #3, I don't know you. You might, as an example, be full of anxiety or you might feel safe and secure in your relationship with others.

If you have it the first way (anxiety), the best you can do is  write down your arguments and practice how to say them at home until you feel sure enough. If you have a body-gesture that signals insecurity, try to look at people that look secure and copy that gesture at home. Use a camera to film your «secure gestures». That will help you to to remember how to signal security when you are among these confronting people. I have used videotape with some clients of mine. They were very satisfied to see that their anxiety didn't show outward.

Don't be ashamed of your faith. Try to find others at your age that share your values to be together with in your spare time. If you cannot find a proper group near you, try to find somebody at the Internet. That is better than nothing. Later on you can move were your real friends are. In the meantime pray for God's grace to keep your mood up!

Here are some resources for you if you need them:

«How The Catholic Church Built Western Civilization» by Thomas E. Woods jr (a book were it, among others, are told how modern science grew out of the Catholic Church).

http://www.catholic.com/magazine/articles/why-believe

http://www.catholic.com/radio/shows/religion-vs-science-7196

http://www.catholic.com/radio/shows/the-historical-jesus-can-we-trust-the-gospels-4655

Good Luck!

#17 – Nine-eleven!

Yes, yes, I know I promised to come back and talk about the other questions of blog-post #3 (2012), but today is a special day in the history. It is 11 years since the terrible terror attack at the 11 of September in the US. We had our own gruesome attack and killing on the 22 of July 2011 at Utøya here in Norway.

Violence and terror are against God's love. It is the quite opposite of love either the terrorist(-s) is (are) doing it out of this of that personal value. There is no excuse for killing innocent people!

Since many of my readers are here because they are close to lose their faith, are doubting or want to find ideas to be able to help friends who are doubting, I want to mention a trait that these two different terror attacks had in common afterward (and of course I'm not thinking about family, relatives and friends of those who lost their lives when I mention this "common trait") .

In the US we saw (at TV) many people praying together at street-corners. In Norway people flocked to the Church to comfort others and to be comforted themselves.

For the «think-tank»: If it's only when you feel depressed and full of sorrow, you talk to God, then it's not strange that thoughts of doubt sneaks in more often than once a while. (We all doubt a little from time to time).

To keep the relationship with God going, you have to do a little talking with him every day. Talk to him when you are sad, when you feel that your life is hopeless, but don't forget to talk to Him when days are ordinary and especially when they are good. Remember to thank him! I know that many do that every day. Their private  prayer life don't show outward. When I'm talking about the "think-tank", I'm addressing those who try to find their way back to God and don't understand that the relationship with God has to be something we participate in daily by prayers. I haven’t always had a regular prayer life, but now, as a catholic, I feel the need for daily prayer. That is the best way to secure that we are doing our part in our relationship with God.

If you have lost you former practice of prayer or never have prayed before, it might be wise to decide a time for praying and let your mobile remind you when it's time for prayer. A note placed at a spot where it is easy to see may function well as well. If you are here because you want to help somebody else, you might advice them to start their journey back to God by making a fixed daily prayer-time to get used to pray again.

Just tell God about what is in your mind. If you or your friends find that difficult, it might be wise to use a prayer somebody else has written.

Lord, teach us how to pray:

http://www.cptryon.org/prayer/index.html

Sacred Space:

http://www.sacredspace.ie/

#16 – The stumbling of Benedict Groeschel.

I will continue to discuss the other questions from blogpost #3 (2012), but I think there is a little «potato» that has to be looked upon while it's still a little hot.

According to The New York Times, N.Y. Region, (2012, August 30) we can read that Rev. Benedict Groeschel has said something very unpleasant when it comes to child-abuse. I have two of his books in my bookshelf. To be honest I felt for throwing them out of the window, when I read that he blamed (perhaps unintentionally) the victims for being abused at a program at EWTN (a catholic TV station).

Revered Groeschel isn't only a priest. He is also a psychologist. Knowing that some of the abused people might have their life destroyed for the rest of their life, I cannot say that I felt happy about this. A psychologist shall not leave utterances that makes the victim the one who is to blame. Many priests have protested too.

He did apologize the next day. N.Y. Times wrote: «“I did not intend to blame the victim,” Father Groeschel wrote in a statement published on The Catholic Register’s site. “A priest (or anyone else) who abuses a minor is always wrong and is always responsible. My mind and my way of expressing myself are not as clear as they used to be.”»

This about «mind and my way of expressing myself are not as clear as they used to be» made me think of Sirach 3:12-13; «My son, help thy father in his age, and grieve him not as long as he liveth. And if his understanding fail, have patience with him; and despise him not when thou art in thy full strength».

Father Groeschel is really old. A man who has used his whole life to help people are not to be «thrown away» in his old life when he isn't so clear in his thinking as he was. I'm sure the devil is laughing because of this: «The old Groeschel have made a mistake. He, He ..... Nobody will read or benefit from his books now! Ho, Ho ...».

Well there is an old saying that the one who laughs last, laughs best!!

Before I recommend the two books I talked about I will link you to Mark Shea's prayer request for Revered Benedict Groeschel:

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/markshea/2012/08/prayers-for-fr-benedict-groeschel.html

The books that I have read and highly will recommend, written by Rev. Benedict Groeschel, when his thoughts were clear as crystal, are these:

«Arise from Darkness: What to Do When Life Doesn't Make Sense» by Benedict J. Groeschel.

 

«Stumbling Blocks or Stepping Stones: Spiritual Answers to Psychological Questions» by Benedict J. Groeschel.

Have a nice day!

#15 - The celebration of the birth of Virgin Mary.

To day the Church celebrates the birth of the Mother of Jesus Christ. You can read about it here:

http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/MARYBRTH.HTM

More detailed about Virgin Mary here:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15464b.htm

# 14 - Is it because others have pointed out to you that they don't like the «cruel god» in the OT? (Part 2).

I promised to tell you the difference about a biological father who kills his children and God the Father who let Korah (Cora) and his men perish in a gap in the earth.

To try to get an answer we have to start at the beginning. Why did God create us? He wasn't lonely because he already lived in a family of three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. My belief is that He created us because He was full of love and wanted to make someone to take part in that happiness. He was generous and not afraid to share Heaven with both angels and men. So he generously created all of us. To be generous is not to force people, but to give them a choice: «I have created you for everlasting life. Do you want to be with me in Heaven for all eternity or not? If you want to be with me you have to keep my commandments and you have to love each other». To let someone with hate in his heart into heaven would be to open the gate of heaven to evil and to let that evil destroy the peace in Heaven. There is no way that evil can live in heaven, that's why people have to choose, Heaven or the other alternative.

After the fall by Adam and Eve, God gave humankind a new chance by slowly, slowly building them up. For each step he made a covenant with them, first with Noah (the family man) then with Abraham (the tribe-leader), then with Moses (the leader of the people - the Sinai-covenant- the ten commandments), then with king David (the king of a country) and at last with all the people in the world by giving us Jesus (the savior of all people on earth).

Some would put in extra covenants, but the exact number of covenants is not the point here. The point is that God let his immature creatures, the humans, have the time they needed to become more mature, to grow in understanding of what it meant to be God's chosen people. After the death and resurrection of Christ, all baptized people are among God's chosen people and the door stands open for every person who want to become a Christian and be baptized.

I have learned about the covenants from different sources. Two of these are from the «Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Book of Genesis» by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch and the «Exodus: Ignatius Catholic Study Bible» by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch». In 2012 there came a new book that I haven’t read yet, but I think it seems worth the time studying it: «Bible Basics for Catholics: A new Pictuere of Salvation History» by John Bergsma and Scott Hahn.

According to Hahn et al it is important to understand where we are coming from to understand where we are going. That is exactly what I mean too.

If we don't understand God's wonderful work with humankind after the fall of Adam and Eve until the death and resurrection of Christ, it's easy to loose track. God created us and he is the one who decides what is good and evil, not us! The democracy is a good way for humans to run our countries. God, however, rules in other ways ....

Yes, it is evil if a biological father kills his children. God has not allowed a father to treat his children in such an evil way. «Thou shalt not kill» (Exodus 20:13) To kill another person is against the 10 commandments (the Sinai Covenant). It is also against the love-commandment that Jesus (second person in triune God) gave us: «Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind: and thy neighbour as thyself» (Luke 10:27).

So now we have made it clear that no good father kills his children; but God killed Korah (Cora) and his men (250 persons). Did he kill? No, he didn't.

Korah (Cora) chose to die! To understand this, we have to look at the Salvation history. Nowadays Jesus has come already. He isn't the Messiah who is to come (if we don't count his second coming). He has come! In Korah's (Cora's) days it was otherwise. Jesus had not come and God was training his people to obey his will. Korah knew how God helped the Israelites out of Egypt. He knew that God was special. He had no reason to doubt God. He also knew the ten commandments and he knew about the promised land. He knew that Moses was the leader God had chosen. If he wanted to obey God, he  would have respected God's chosen leadership.

In the end of Numbers 15 (right before the happenings with Korah (Cora), after God had given Moses some teachings for the people, we can read: «... they may remember all the commandments of the Lord, and not follow their own thoughts and eyes going astray after divers things, But rather being mindful of the precepts of the Lord, may do them and be holy to their God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that I might be your God» (verse 39-41).

It is after Moses has pointed out the wishes of God, that Korah (Cora) rose up against Moses and said: «Let it be enough for you, that all the multitude consisteth of holy ones, and the Lord is among them: Why lift you up yourselves above the people of the Lord?» (Numbers 16:3) 

 

In fact Korah (Cora) is doubting the authority that God had given Moses as their leader. It is almost the same as if you and me had rose up in the Church and said to the priest/deacon: «I'm a catholic too, and I want to take your place when we are going to hear the Gospel* to day. You are not the only one who can teach us about God.» Imagine a lot of the parish members shouting: «Yeah, that's right, you are not the only Catholic in the Church. We want to instruct ourselves and read the Gospel ourselves. We don't need any priest or deacon to do that».

If we had done so, do you think that God would have killed us? Nope! No way! But what is the difference between then and now? Moses was chosen by God as the Israelites leader. Our leader that God has chosen is the pope. The priests of our days are by apostolic succession heirs of the first apostles. They function after Gods will (what private sins they must have done doesn't matter for the fulfilling of their call from God). When Korah (Cora) and his men protested, they did that, as already mentioned, when God was trying to make mature men out of children in grown ups bodies. We might not be so mature either, we all need correction from time to time, but we live after Jesus resurrection,  - after the Church was instituted. The Church is under the mandate of God through the pope and the magisterium. There are no places were you and I will be thought that we are allowed to read the Evangelium in our parishes before the priest by the authority of God changes bread and wine to the body and blood of Jesus.

Perhaps you think that Korah (Cora) didn't understand the consequences of what he was doing when he wanted to conquer Moses? He might have suppressed it, but if so it was a free choice. He knew what had happened to the people that had worshipped the golden calf (i.e. opposed God). If he didn't want to remember that, that was his choice!

We must remember that when God plotted Korah (Cora)  and his men out He knew their hearts. He knew their true motives ... If Korah and his men had been innocent and really wanted a close relationship with God, God would not have plotted them out. In Numbers, chapter 15, it is made clear that those who sinned without understanding that they sinned, only had to make an offering  to be forgiven (a goat if it was one person, an ox and more if it was an assembly).

So it is with us, too. We might want to suppress what we know about how to live as Catholics, but no suppression can come about if we don't will it. It's not wise to try to change God's teachings into what we want them to be, instead of accepting what God wants us to understand. (If we haven’t followed God's will because we didn't know better it is only to go to confession and start trying to do right after that. Remember God knows our hearts and how hard we try to please Him if that's what we are doing).

I think that if we tried to take a power God had not given us, the Church would have excommunicated us and that would have been right. (See the example I have used about laypeople trying to take the power to read the Evangelium abow). The excommunication could end in spiritual death or in growth. That would depend on how much pride there would be inside you and me. If we would be humble, regret and beg for forgiveness which we always can be given after the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross, the doors would be opened up for us again.

If we didn't repent, our fate would be almost as the one given Korah (Cora) and his men. We would probably not enter the kingdom of God when it would be our time to leave this world!

I think we would do wise to remember what Moses answered Korah (Cora) and his men: «In the morning the Lord will make known who belong to him, and the holy he will join to himself: and whom he shall choose, they shall approach to him» (Numbers 16:5).

God showed everyone what he meant. The next day 250 persons was cast out of the flock because they disobeyed God when they were on the road to the promised land.

Obedience to God's will is still what is expected of us. Jesus himself said: «Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves» (Mt 10:16). «And fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell» (Mt 10:28). We have got the choice. If we don't want to be God's on the premises he has given us, we have (unless we repent) chosen our destination which is to be without God forever. The naturally consequence of that is that God opens the door to hell when we die, because he already knows that we don't want to be in the presence of Holiness.

If you play some sort of game in a group, football or something else, there is a leader (the trainer) and there are rules to follow. If you show the leader again and again that you don't want to follow the rules, the leader one day will have to throw you out. He might like you very well, but with your behavior and none-compliance you have shown him that you don't want to be a part of the team.

We all have to chose! Since our intelligence is limited, it is good that God gives us the time to think and pray when we are uncertain about faith. After all he wants many to be saved.

Next time someone claims that the God of the old testament seems cruel, try to think about the deception in the Garden: «Did God really say that it is forbidden to eat that fruit?». "Do you really believe that the monster-god that is described in the OT can be related to the kind Jesus in NT"? Think of the consequences after the fall in the Garden and try to remember that it is God, our Creator, who decides what is good and evil. Try to remember that what you read in OT is part of the Bible and is there to teach us something just like the words in NT. Try to remember that OT tells the story about Creation, Fall and Gods plan for giving us a Savior (the salvation story were people are trained to love God the way He wants).

Democracy is, as said, a good way to govern things on earth. But when it comes to the spiritual, it is wise to remember that God is not limited to think in our terms. He loves everyone of us, but we have to answer that love by freely choosing Him. Love is always mutual self giving, not a struggle for power ...

May God bless you and help you to see His path!

* In a catholic church, lay people read the readings of the day, while the deacon (if there is a deacon) or the priest (when there is no deacon) reads the Gospel (the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament).

# 13 - Is it because others have pointed out to you that they don't like the «cruel god» in the OT? (Part 1)

My second question to you in blog-post #3 was if you doubted because you didn't « like the «cruel god» in the OT»? One of the atheists best trick is to point at some sentences in OT, taken out of context, and tell us how cruel God is. As an understatement they write God with the small «g». They use lots of examples, among other this one about Korah (Cora) and his followers: «And immediately as he had made an end of speaking, the earth broke asunder under their feet: And opening her mouth, devoured them with their tents and all their substance. And they went down alive into hell the ground closing upon them, and they perished from among the people. But all Israel, that was standing round about, fled at the cry of them that were perishing: saying: Lest perhaps the earth swallow us up also. And a fire coming out from the Lord, destroyed the two hundred and fifty men that offered the incense» (Numbers 16: 31-35).

The atheists or some parts inside you protests: «How can you love a god who is so cruel that he let 250 men be punished in that way? Is this what they call a good god?»

This is a question about who has the power to define what is cruel or not.

If it is true that God created us out of nothing, then He is the one who decides what is cruel or not. Wether you like it or not, if it is true that God created man, then we can say that it is Him, not his creatures, who defines what is good and evil.

If he created us, you can of course turn you back at Him and say that you don't want him, but what good does that do to you? You have two choices, 1) to believe in God and follow his will, 2) to decide that you dont' like God and don't want to follow his will. The first choice place you on the road to heaven. The other choice place you at the beginning of the way that ends in hell if you decide to walk that path to the end. These are the only two choices that you have.

The Catechism defines God like this: «God is infinitely good and all his works are good» (CCC 385).

God is infinitely good! That's what the paragraph said. Infinitely good!

CCC 385 continues like this: «Yet no one can escape the experience of suffering or the evils in nature which seem to be linked to the limitations proper to creatures: and above all to the question of moral evil. Where does evil come from? "I sought whence evil comes and there was no solution", said St. Augustine, and his own painful quest would only be resolved by his conversion to the living God. For "the mystery of lawlessness" is clarified only in the light of the "mystery of our religion". The revelation of divine love in Christ manifested at the same time the extent of evil and the superabundance of grace. We must therefore approach the question of the origin of evil by fixing the eyes of our faith on him who alone is its conqueror».

What was  origin of evil? Did God create it? No, he didn't. His creation was perfect. Still he didn't want to force somebody to be close to Him if they didn't want to. Satan and his angels didn't. (See blog post #6 and #7 -2012 for some reflections about Satan if you want to).

After  the fall (Genesis) we get glimpses at the the evilness of man. Cain murdered his brother Able because he was jealous about how much God liked Able's sacrifice. The evil traits in men continued to spread and one day God found only one righteous man, Noah. The flood destroyed everything and only Noah, his family and the animals in the ark survived and was ready to start anew.

Let us jump seven generations forward. Abram (Abraham) is called to be a blessing for humankind.

We know that evilness still lurked around the corners. Lots city, Sodom, was destroyed – Ishmael had to be sent away. Jacob had to flee from his brother after steeling his blessing, Joseph's brothers sold him to slave traders ....

In spite of all this God was with the mankind he had created. He had promised Abraham to be a great nation («And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and magnify thy name, and thou shalt be blessed.» [Genesis 12:2]) and a blessing for all nations («And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice.» [Genesis 22:18]).

Here we se the catholic «principle»: When humans work together with God (obedience), good things happen, not always at once, but they happen).

We also see how God can make good out of evil. Joseph's stay in Egypt becomes a blessing for the whole family. Later on with a new Pharaoh, the Israelites become slaves in Egypt (like we all are «slaves» in one way or another). God led them out of Egypt as he through Jesus leads us all out of our private Egypt's to safe ground if we want to be led that way. Our safe ground is in Christendom, our Catholic Church, the sacraments, the word of God (the Bible) and the teachings of the Church.

Perhaps you don't feel that I have answered your question, if you are among them whom find God to be described as evil? I have said that if God is the creator, it is him, not us who define the content in the word 'evil'. I have showed you that the catechism defines God as infinitely good (CCC385). If you cannot accept that, may be there is something wrong with your understanding of the concept 'evil'?

Who has taught you what is good and evil? Your grandparents, your parents, your parish priest, your friends, the media, the modern world? Please be honest with yourself? Were did you learn that God is cruel (if that is what you think) and is to be addressed 'god' (with the little 'g')?

May be you don't remember? Well I can give you some of my thoughts. If a biological father killed his children because he found out that they had done something that didn't please him, that would be written as evil in all papers. People would look scared and angry at each other and say: «What a father! He ought to have the hardest punishment that is possible for doing this cruel thing!»

I agree about that! Be sure, I really agree! And now you think that I have come to the conclusion that God really was cruel in the Old Testament?

No, I don’t!

Let us look more at that in the next blog post:

«Is it because others have pointed out to you that they don't like the «cruel god» in the OT? (Part 2).»

# 12 – Why the Father, why not the living Christ in the Eucharist?

Well, in blog-post # 11 I told that none of the other religions can address God as Father. This is a very big difference. A God who is high above us and still makes himself familiar to us! I did not forget about the Eucharist. I only wanted to make it clear how much it really tells about God when we are allowed to speak to God as our Father.

When Adam and Eve fell for the trick of the Evil One (they were tricked to doubt what God had taught them) and hid in the bushes instead of confessing their sins witch God gave them the opportunity to do when he said: «Where art thou?» to Adam (Gn 3:9) and «Why hast thou done this?» to Eve (Gn 3:13).

Have you ever thought about how different it all could have been if our first parents had had the guts to stand up in front of God and begged for forgiveness?

Well, they didn't and because of that they had to face the consequences of their choice. They were thrown out of the garden. But still God loved mankind so much that he wanted to give man a new opportunity. The Father gave us a his Son who freely gave up his life in Heaven to meet us in flesh here on earth and to, after some years, pay the prize for our sins at the cross.

A lot of «things» happened between the fall of the humans and the birth of Jesus Christ. A lot of things also happened in the years between the birth of Christ and his self giving sacrifice for us on the cross. Here I will only remind you about what he said at the last supper: «And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke: and gave to his disciples, and said: Take ye, and eat. This is my body» (Mt 26:26). He also said after taking the chalice: «And taking the chalice, he gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: Drink ye all of this. For this is my blood of the new testament (...)» (Mt 26:27-28).

In Mt 28:20 Jesus says: «and behold I am with you all days». It is in the Eucharist that Jesus keeps the promise to be with His Church all days to the fullest. When the Catholic priest repeats the word of Christ in the Catholic Mass, Jesus becomes really present trough transubstantiation. Can love be greater than when God (second person in the trinity) gives himself to us through his body, so that we slowly can become holy (some of us use a rather long time – but God is patient)? This is God's love indeed! Once (in the year 1263) there was a priest who doubted that Christ was really present in the Eucharist. When he celebrated Mass above the tomb of St. Christina (located in the church named for this martyr), something happened. The blood of Christ started to come out of the host. The priest, who had doubted the word of God about the promise of Christ to always be with us in the bread and in the wine, stopped the Mass and went to confession at the confessional of Pope Urban ban IV who stayed in the nearest city (a long way to travel in those days, but he did it). This priest sat a good example for us. He had doubted like Adam and Eve once did. Unlike them he understood that hiding was not a good idea. Trough the Church's ministry of «God's Mercy-seat», the confessional, he got absolution (forgiveness). So it is with us, also. The best cure for doubt is to go to the confessional. Remember that temptations don't always come from within alone. I have already (in blog-post 7, 2012) recommended you to read «The Deceiver – Our Daily Struggle With Satan» by Livio Fanzaga to get a better understanding about how this demon over all demons use our week sides to draw us away from God. From the book you can also learn how to resist this fallen spiritual creature as well. I recommend the book once more. Back to the miracle of 1263. The miracle was investigated and found to be true. In 1264 Pope Urban IV instituted the feast of Corpus Christi. The following link tells more about the events around the miracle: http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/bolsena.html

# 11 – Why Catholic? (continuation from # 10).

+

In Christendom we have no need to believe in reincarnation as some of  Eastern religions do. That's because Christendom can be illustrated as going from one point to another. Recycling is not a part of the Christian Faith.

Creation out of nothing ------------------------------------------------------------------> Eternity

But couldn't the Jewish faith and Islam also be illustrated this way? Probably, but if we place certain happenings on the line they would not correspond totally. The Jews will not find it important in their religious understanding to put the birth of Jesus on the line. The Muslims will, among other, put Ismael on the line were Christians will put Isaac as the son that should have been scarified if not God had stopped it.

Most important when it comes to Christendom, however, is the catholic interpretation of who God is. He is self-giving love in relationship. One God in three persons.

God the Father loves the Son. The Son loves the Father so much that He is totally obedient to the Father's will while the Holy Spirit might be seen as the person who brings the love between them. As you probably have learned at school the Trefoil ("three-leaved plant») can be used to illustrate the relationship between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. If we break off one leaf and throw it away, the plant is not total. All the three leaves have to be intact to form the unity that can be used as an illustration for the Trinity, the ONE God that we worship. I know it's difficult to understand, but try to accept it for now (while I'm trying to explain in a simple way) what this Unity, the Relationship in God means to us.

While Jesus was on earth, He called God his Father. In Jn 17:19-21 Jesus says: «And for them do I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. And not for them only do I pray, but for them also who through their word shall believe in me; That they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.»

From this we see that Jesus himself tells that He and the Father is one. We also see that he prays that the apostles and those who will believe in them (when they preach the the good news) also must be as one (unity of the believers) and that this unity must be one with the Father and the Son (and with the Holy Spirit which had not been sent to the believers at the moment of the prayer).

In Jn 19:25-27 we can read that Jesus gave his mother to John and John to his mother. That means as, you probably already know, that Mary is our mother. She adopted John (as he adopted her - he already had a mother). So now we have become the siblings of our Savior and as Him we also have a Father in heaven. THAT is a really important difference! None of the other religions can tell their members to address God as FATHER. 

It doesn't matter how your relationship  to your biological father is or have been. If it is/was good, it can serve as an example on how good it can be to acknowledge your relationship to your heavenly Father (much better). Was it or is it complicated and hurtful? Well then you still have a perfect Father in heaven!

The argument about that there are so many religions that one cannot chose, is not valid when one becomes aware of the uniqueness of the Christian faith. We have a Father that loves us dearly, a brother and Saviour that paid the prize for the sin of Adam, so that we as heirs of Eve and Adam can be able to live for all eternity if we want to do that. We have the Holy Spirit to enlighten us through the Church and personally when we need guidance. Think about it! Were do you find a religion that is so complex and where God is so caring and familiar?

I have already recommended you to read «Catholic for a Reason: Scripture and the Mystery of the Family of God» by Scott Hahn and Leon J. Suprenant (in a former input). I recommend it once more for a better understanding of the relationship between the persons in the one God and for a better understanding of our relationship to God.

If you also want to learn more or to repeat your knowledge about Virgin Mary as our mother and about how we become connected to God through the Eucharist in the Mass I also recommend from Scott Hahn:

«Hail, Holy Queen: The Mother of God in the Word of God»  by Scott Hahn.

«The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth» by Scott Hahn.

As far as I can understand Scott Hahn is very good to explain things, so what you never understood before you will probably understand while reading some of his books. I have heard others say the same, so I think I can stand for the recommendations. If you want to know about his education, among other Amazon, US, has a Scott Hahn page were you can read about his qualifications.

May God bless you and enlighten you!

# 10 - Is it difficult to believe because there are so many religions and you don't know what to believe anymore?

I promised to talk about the questions I asked you to write down and think about in input # 3 (2012) at the blog (if you wanted to...):

If I never had heard about Jesus, I think that to become a Sikh would become very attractive to me. The Sikhs value all people and look away from casts. It is not important if you are a man or a woman. You are just as much valued as a woman as a man. All people are to be treated with respect wherever they come from and the Sikhs believe in trying to live happily, work hard and help others regardless of what religion they belong to. God, the Creator, is highly respected and one is supposed to set apart daily time for reflection on God and his name. There is more to it, but I think this is enough to explain the willingness to not only believe in God but to live in a way that might suit God also.

I think a lot of people in the western world today are seeking for something more than to live in a superficial way and try to pick a view of life that they find attractive. Some chose this religion, others that religion. By that way they stop to reflect about Christendom and cling to the new path they have chosen."The grass is always greener on the other side." Or is it really?

Just as the Sikhs I also respect people of all religions, but I'm a catholic. According to the catholic faith God has created us all human beings in His image and given us a free will. So we are to respect the Muslims, the Jews, the Sikhs, the Hindus, the Buddhists and more ... as human beings that have the same needs as ourselves (because they are created by God).

I have deep respect for the rituals in other religions (because it shows the love they have for God the way they know him), the Ramadan of the Muslims (and the Id), the Rosh Hashanah (New Year celebration) ten days before Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) of the Jews , the «Obon» practiced as a Japanese Buddhist-Confucian custom to remember and feel united to their dead ones ... and much more, but I am not a part of these religions. To respect someones religious customs is not the same as to believe in them. One can even share a meal with people of other religions on their festivals if one has a friend or two who belong(-s) to this or that none-Christian religion, as a way of showing respect for the friend's religious belonging. In such cases, however, your friend(-)s have to know that you are Catholic (Christian) in your services to God. If your faith is week, don't go! Cooperation between members of different religions is important to create world peace.

To mix religions on the other hand (the one faith is just as good as the other) might be dangerous, because the message of the savior, Jesus Christ, might be lost in all the adjustments!

CCC 842 – 843 proclaims «The Church's bond with non-Christian religions is in the first place the common origin and end of the human race: All nations form but one community. This is so because all stem from the one stock which God created to people the entire earth, and also because all share a common destiny, namely God. His providence, evident goodness, and saving designs extend to all against the day when the elect are gathered together in the holy city. 843 - The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as "a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life.»

This doesn't mean that you are free to chose whatever religion you want if you already are baptized or have known enough about Jesus to understand who He is. CCC 848 says: (...) «Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it». It continues in CCC 849: « This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church (...).»

Of course if you are a doubting or fallen away Catholic, you are free to reject God as Catholics see Him, but if so, your choice will have consequences for you if you have not repented before you die.

When it comes to the people of other religions, it is not up to us to judge who understands the Gospel or not and who forsakes it for belonging to a fellowship in an other religion. Only God knows. In my thoughts it seems as a solution to this «problem» that God shows Himself to those from other religions in the moment they die, if they sought Him at earth, but never found Him fully. They will then have the free will to say the necessary yes or no ....

With that said, nobody can of course guarantee others a path to heaven. Only God know their true hearts!

In blogpost # 11 I will talk about what is so special about the Catholic faith that it would be wise to continue to stick to it or to come back to it.

# 9 – The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Today, the 15. of August, is the day for celebration of the assumption of our Blessed Virgin Mary, the one who said yes to be the mother of God (the second person of the triune God).

If you have forgotten how to pray the Rosary, may be this is the day to try again? It's enough with one decade if you feel for it. God is merciful and patient. He never force you to go quicker than you want to!

Just in case (but please remember you don't have too):

http://www.easterbrooks.com/personal/calendar/rosary/glory.html

http://www.comepraytherosary.org/

# 8 – What is the most beautiful about you?

We have had two inputs about the devil an how dangerous he is. I hope you did understand that I did not want  scare you. The devil is only dangerous to those who deny him. It is them that it is most easy to lead away form God. He is very silent when they declare their none-belief in God and happiness without God. There is no more need to to disturb them. If they, however, in some way or other start thinking about that perhaps it was wrong to leave God, he will throw out his poisoned arrows again. Many get hit by the first arrows and pack down their «childish thoughts about an almighty God» and Satan can leave them to intensify his attack on somebody else. Others are not so easy to attack. They want to think it all over again and in that process they don't want to let themselves be disturbed by a lot of contradicting thoughts.

I think that we ought to know that we are not so rational as we like to believe. If the supernatural world exists as I do believe, than one ought to be aware that one's doubt can be continued and made bigger and more intense by the devil.

No one can say that the devil made them do this or that, because he has no power to force you! You and you alone have to be responsible for what you decide.

It is wise to be aware of ones weak points, because it is trough them the devil will attack, but never forget to be aware of your good sides/good talents.

What beautiful, wonderful, lovable traits do you have that the devil wants to destroy? May be it's time to write a list of all your good traits and think about how you will protect these valuable treasures in yourself ..., and please don't forget that you have your own good guardian angel, only for you to protect you. He is God's gift to you!

+Dear Angel, in His goodness
God gave you to me to guide, protect, and enlighten me,
and to bring me back to the right way when I go astray.

Encourage me when I am disheartened,
and instruct me when I err in judgment.

Help me to become more Christlike,
and so some day to be accepted
into the company of Angels and Saints in heaven. + Amen.

# 7 – Our daily struggle with Satan.

Yes, you are reading right. The heading says daily struggle! The title is from a book written by Rev. Livio Fanzaga. The full title is: «The Deceiver – Our Daily Struggle With Satan». The picture I have photographed is from  the cover of the book.

I had been catholic for a couple of years when I stumbled upon the book in a catholic online bookstore. The word «daily» made me curious and I bought it. I received it in my post box at a day when I was going to a party with other Catholics who were in the same Bible study as me. Since I always seem to  get some sort of problems with my concentration if there are too many hours between meals, I always eat something light before going out. So I did that day too! I ran from the post box to my home and put on the stove to heat a little meal. I was curious about the book and unpacked it immediately in front of the stove in the kitchen. It caught my attention so completely that I forgot the stove. Suddenly, as if it was taken out of a fictional movie, there came smoke out of the stove and it passed right beside my book avout the devil and hit me in my face. Guess who was quick to turn the stove off?

Later on that evening, I told the person sitting next to me at the table at the party, about the book and the episode about the stove and the smoke. He seemed a little bit scared and didn't seem interested to hear about the devil. Who wants too, at a party ...? Still I have never forgotten that he seemed a little scared before we changed the topic to speak about.

I wonder if all the jokes we can hear about the devil, is because deep inside people are afraid of the big demon. May be they feel better if they pretend that he is a joke?

If so, they are wrong! Father Fanzaga tells in his book that nothing suits the devil better than that people try to tell themselves that he doesn't exist. This is because the more people think that the devil is of no danger to them, the more easy it is to deceive them. Let us look at a common example wich I know happens to some people: If a person goes out with some business-partners, get too much to drink and have forgotten the idea about the temptations of the devil, than he will be much more easy to deceive into being unfaithful to his wife than if he in his despair remember the fallen angel.

May be you wonder if I have bought Father Fanzaga's ideas to easy? If a man (or woman) deceives the one he (she) is married to, doesn't that come from himself? Why does he need the devil to do evil? Yes, you are right. He (she) doesn't need the devil to deceive him (her). He (she) is capable to do evil on his own.

Let me try to explain where the devil fits in. If a person is living as a Christian who take his (her) faith seriously, that person will be aware of his (her) inner weaknesses and try to protect himself (herself ) against these weak sides. In the case about the business dinner the person who feels that he is drunk, will stop drinking immediately and say no to all sort of temptations if he is aware of the existence of the devil. He will know that now that he has become drunk by an accident he has to guard himself. Maybe he folds his hands beneath the table and asks for Gods protection.

When I talk about temptation, I think of all kind of sins, not only sexual sins. The example above is just an example for illustration. As soon as the person starts to practice his (her) faith with lesser intensity, some of his (her) inner defense will fall. Let us imagine that a person likes to sleep so long that he (she) will miss Sunday Mass if he (she) doesn't force himself (herself) to get out of bed. Some day the person says: «I'm too tired today. To miss Mass only once cannot be such a big failure». He (she) stays in bed and miss the grace of the Eucharist. Afterward the person regrets and wants to go to confession, but in some way manage to forget that. The Sunday thereafter the same happens and the next and the next. The will to chose between good and evil is weakened. The person stops to go to Mass and tell his (her) family that he (she) loves God, but God is everywhere so why bother to get out of bed when he (she) can have a much needed rest instead. It is Sunday and he (she) rests in bed. No offense is done he (she) tells himself (herself).

This about missing Mass for no valid reason (being sick, have to stay home with sick children/parents etc) is just an example. For some people the Mass becomes a habit that one doesn't think about other times in the week. It is something one do out of habit and not because of a hunger to meet Jesus in the Eucharist. Only one hour with a habitual meeting with God  without thinking so much about what is really happening ... During the week there are no prayers, no reading in the Bible, no thoughts about God ... That person is just as much at deep water as the person who never goes to Mass.

May be you are curious about where the devil comes in, how I explain it? After all, everything I have said so far can be explained through the psychological learning theories. There is no need to drag the devil into it to explain it. Yes, I agree with that if we presume that there exists no supernatural world. If we, however, are willing to accept the doctrine that there is a supernatural world that we cannot see, then there is a place for the devil in our understanding of the total reality. After all we say in the creed: «I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all that is, seen and unseen.»

In his book Father Fanzaga explains that the devil's pattern after his fall has been the same as we have read about in the Genesis in the Bible. Satan twists things around for Eve. He asks his questions in such a way that Eve starts to doubt what God really said. After starting to doubt she suddenly experience the lust to taste the fruit. It's no accident that the devil is portrayed as a snake in the Bible. A snake lurks around his prey until he find the best moment to suddenly bite.

That's how the devil use our weaknesses to deceive us in the moments we are most weak and not prepared to be in a battle with evil forces. According to Father Fanzaga that will also happen at our deathbed. We have to be prepared for the last battle also if it comes. I know about people that died smiling, safe and in the belief that Jesus was around the next corner.

Whenever we lower our inner defense against the devil, the more easy we become his prey. I'm not talking about possession. One don't have to be possessed to get tricked by the devil. One only has to lower ones inner defense. 

I'm not talking about the sins that we seem to not gain control over and confess again and again and again. Our willingness to go to confession is the proof that we don't want to be a slave of this or that sin. God is always merciful to the sinner that never stops to repent, who always is willing to receive His grace and mercy. This is one of the «things» we mean when we talk about free will. We might fall into sin, but we are free to chose to go where we know that we will receive the mercy of God. We are also free to decide if we don't want that mercy. If the devil had hands, he would have clapped them when he saw us decide to not receive God's mercy, - when he saw us decide to slip away from God, just one tiny bit at a time. According to Father Fanzaga the devil's aim is to draw us away from God, so that we will chose the same destiny as himself, to be outside of God's mercy. In that way he thinks he is hurting God who lose so many of his loved ones to this traitor and deceiver.

How do we get outside of God's mercy? By hardening our hearts and make decisions that are not good according to the will of God. (See the ten commandments and the commandment about loving one's neighbor as oneself).

God is willing to be merciful toward us as long as we are on this side of life (that means in our bodies before body and spirit departs when we die). God doesn't force us to accept his mercy. We have to be willing to receive it. The more we harden our hearts, the less willing we will become.

The lesson is to understand that to believe in God as a catholic is that we take the whole packet about the Church's teachings, not only parts of it.

To me it has been a blessing (as I have already told in blog-post #6) that I found the book written about the devils techniques that Father Fanzaga once wrote. And so it will be to you if you take the time to read and to try to really understand what is in that book or a similar one.

When we know the deceiver's techniques, it's more easy to remember to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-19); prayers, holy water, crucifix, read in the Bible, use 20 minutes daily to pray the Rosary (Virgin Mary is one of the devils worst enemies because she said yes to let God share in her flesh).

One of the most interesting topics in the book is about how the devil can use people to destroy other people. Let's say that a person you like has a trait that is difficult to live with for you. Since there is so much about the person you like, you do the best to overlook the trait you could have been without in the other person. One day, however, you feel that now the person shows too much of that trait that you don't like. Suddenly you find yourself talking behind back about that person and as a coincidence the person you are talking to feel it the same way. Both of you start to demonstrate your irritation (without a word when the other person is around so he (she) feels it and starts to feel unsure). As if that isn't enough, one of you, or both, start(s) being hen(s) that loose your feathers here and there ..., like poisoned bombs you don't have to take responsibility for.

Father Fanzaga says that when a group, a family, a school class who were at peace with each other suddenly starts being angry at each other, there is one or more people in the group that the devil wants to destroy. It could be wise to stop up and think about what is so important about this group that the devil wants to destroy it? Is it worth to give in to the devils temptation to try to break down the once really well functioning group? Since family is one of the most important pillars in the society, how much wouldn't it «gladden the devils heart» to see it destroyed? Think about it.

I highly recommend Father Fanzaga's book about the deceiver and our daily struggles with him. I think it's out of print now, but that it still can be bought used by some book sellers online. If you cannot find it, I would advice you to seek for a book about the same topic in a catholic bookstore. It's well worth to learn about the strategies of the evil one, how to recognize him and how to protect oneself when temptation comes. Remember he can do nothing to you when you fight him with God at your side. God has already thrown him out if Heaven. For you God is preparing a place in Heaven if you want to have that place.

Remember Satan and his demons have no power to place thoughts or desires in your mind that weren't there from before. What he might do, however, is to "help you" to use your bad traits (sinful sides) more and more: "Did God really say that? The Bible is about 2000 years old, so everything in it cannot be valid today .... ".

Please remember that it is not necessary to  go around thinking about the devil all day long! If you do that I presume that it will not take long before you have turned yourself into a paranoid type. It is important to have the knowledge about him stored in your memory for use when you need it (when you feel that you are about to give into temptation), but not to use too much of  the time God has given you to fear the fallen angel. God should be your center, not the devil.

Back to the reason that perhaps keeps you reading here. I'm sure you didn't expect to find stuff about the fallen angel and his demons. Well, as said in former writings, I believe that people who are doubting and curious enough to try to find out if their doubt is valid, will not give up reading ...The same goes for them who want to help others to not fall away from Church.

In my next inputs, I will try to say some words about the the questions I recommended you to write down your personal answers to.