Ijournal entry 012317 #04. January, Month of The Holy Name of Jesus. Truffles, The Rule of St. Benedict. Quotes by St. Vincent De Paul, Sr. Wendy Beckett, and Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin. Article: "5 Ways to Live Like A Monk in the WorldHere are five tenets of Benedictine monasticism that you can cultivate in your life", by Fr. Paul Sheller, OSB . Article: "Armageddon? Exorcist Advises: Don’t Even Think About It", by Patti Armstrong. Anthony Mullen, at St. Michael's Church, Exeter, NH, talk on The Flame of Love Cenacles (Part 1)
"Does one of us feel sad? Let the Name of Jesus come into his heart...
And where is that man who, terrified and trembling before impending peril, has not been suddenly filled with courage and rid of fear by calling on the strength of that Name? Where is the man who, tossed on the rolling seas of doubt, did not quickly find certitude by recourse to the clarity of Jesus's Name? Was ever a man so discouraged, so beaten down by afflictions, to whom the sound of this Name did not bring new resolve? In short, for all the ills and disorders to which flesh is heir, this Name is medicine". By St. Bernard of Clairvaux
And where is that man who, terrified and trembling before impending peril, has not been suddenly filled with courage and rid of fear by calling on the strength of that Name? Where is the man who, tossed on the rolling seas of doubt, did not quickly find certitude by recourse to the clarity of Jesus's Name? Was ever a man so discouraged, so beaten down by afflictions, to whom the sound of this Name did not bring new resolve? In short, for all the ills and disorders to which flesh is heir, this Name is medicine". By St. Bernard of Clairvaux
The Rule of St. Benedict
"But this obedience itself will then be acceptable to God and pleasing to men, if what is commanded be not done timorously, or tardily, or tepidly, nor with murmuring or the raising of objections. For the obedience which is given to superiors is given to God, since he himself said: He that heareth you heareth me.
1. And disciples should give their obedience with a good will, because God loveth a cheerful giver.
2. For if the disciple obey with ill-will, and murmur not only in words but even in his heart, then, even though he fulfil the command, his work will not be acceptable to God, who sees that his heart is murmuring. For work such as this he will gain no reward; nay, rather, he will incur the punishment due to murmurers, unless he make reparation and amend"
MC= We really do have to be mindful when people speak to us, and have the Holy Spirit dwelling within to discern God's voice. From the person least expect, God's words may come forth. Also a big eye opener is the fact that murmuring & grudging while helping someone is incurring condemnation, so it's best to refrain, since God hears and sees what man can't. Thank God for available grace that allows us to be able to see our errors and make amends, rather than blindly continuing in errors that will to punishment. A stubborn heart can't possible lead one towards reparation and the amendment of errors, which is a sad plight.
"But this obedience itself will then be acceptable to God and pleasing to men, if what is commanded be not done timorously, or tardily, or tepidly, nor with murmuring or the raising of objections. For the obedience which is given to superiors is given to God, since he himself said: He that heareth you heareth me.
1. And disciples should give their obedience with a good will, because God loveth a cheerful giver.
2. For if the disciple obey with ill-will, and murmur not only in words but even in his heart, then, even though he fulfil the command, his work will not be acceptable to God, who sees that his heart is murmuring. For work such as this he will gain no reward; nay, rather, he will incur the punishment due to murmurers, unless he make reparation and amend"
MC= We really do have to be mindful when people speak to us, and have the Holy Spirit dwelling within to discern God's voice. From the person least expect, God's words may come forth. Also a big eye opener is the fact that murmuring & grudging while helping someone is incurring condemnation, so it's best to refrain, since God hears and sees what man can't. Thank God for available grace that allows us to be able to see our errors and make amends, rather than blindly continuing in errors that will to punishment. A stubborn heart can't possible lead one towards reparation and the amendment of errors, which is a sad plight.
🌑 "Since we are serving God we will always choose God-related ways for accomplishing our work, and see and judge things from Christ’s point of view and not from a worldly-wise one; and not according to the feeble reasoning of our own mind.” By St. Vincent De Paul
🔵"We all want to be esteemed by people we value, it would be unnatural nit to wince if one thought that "X" had a rather belittling view of one! But:
a.) the sting of this little humiliation should make us resolve even more explicitly that we know and believe that only what God thinks matters. And therefore I choose to bear a human humiliation in peace if it pleases him.
b.) And then I leave all judgment to Him. Neither do I judge myself,M says Paul, wise man! Only He knows what we are really like, we certainly don't know ourselves!" By Sr. Wendy Beckett
🔴"The greatest sin which we can commit against God is to doubt His love and mercy, for it is questioning the universality of His power, which is the persistent sin of the prince of darkness". By Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin
🔵"We all want to be esteemed by people we value, it would be unnatural nit to wince if one thought that "X" had a rather belittling view of one! But:
a.) the sting of this little humiliation should make us resolve even more explicitly that we know and believe that only what God thinks matters. And therefore I choose to bear a human humiliation in peace if it pleases him.
b.) And then I leave all judgment to Him. Neither do I judge myself,M says Paul, wise man! Only He knows what we are really like, we certainly don't know ourselves!" By Sr. Wendy Beckett
🔴"The greatest sin which we can commit against God is to doubt His love and mercy, for it is questioning the universality of His power, which is the persistent sin of the prince of darkness". By Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin
Recently God used Sherry as the instrument, in a round about way, to contribute to the application of the rule of St. Benedict that is the assigned reading for the day. If she had not said what she said, attention may not have been given to the day's rule reading. After church we were talking (OUTSIDE), and in our wonderful spiritual conversation she mentioned that we are alive to love God. A + Sherry, she was not speaking from the head, be Use we know that. Her comments were from the heart, like when you really get it and are ready to truly live life to the full spiritually. Some, find myself still lost in the woods there sometimes, know it in the head, but fail to make the heart connection. We have to keep praying and begging the Holy Spirit to come and enlighten our to understand the knowledge we have and out it into practice.
The day before my conversation with Sherry, something was written in the veggie section of an Ijournal that was being prepared which confirmed what she said. My comment in my veggie section was this: "God finds a million ways to get us to do one simple thing: that one simple complex thing is to know, love and serve Him, and to love neighbor as thy self". Then the reading that day in the Rule of St. Benedict gave the answer as to the "why" we are given how much time we each are allotted individually. Praise the Lord we have until our death, allotted time most generously from God to: "amend our evil ways".
"And the days of our life are lengthened and a respite allowed us for this very reason, that we may amend our evil ways. For the Apostle saith:"
The day before my conversation with Sherry, something was written in the veggie section of an Ijournal that was being prepared which confirmed what she said. My comment in my veggie section was this: "God finds a million ways to get us to do one simple thing: that one simple complex thing is to know, love and serve Him, and to love neighbor as thy self". Then the reading that day in the Rule of St. Benedict gave the answer as to the "why" we are given how much time we each are allotted individually. Praise the Lord we have until our death, allotted time most generously from God to: "amend our evil ways".
"And the days of our life are lengthened and a respite allowed us for this very reason, that we may amend our evil ways. For the Apostle saith:"
To me one good reason we might not be understanding, growing, and changing as we ought, is that we are not seeing our ways as "evil". It may be seem that we aren't "too bad", or "God will understand", or that "we are just human", but those lame excuses won't fly when it's time for us give an account.
"God will understand"... Oh, He will? When this scripture comes into play, then the case is settled because if we let Him, God will be able to work in us:
"God will understand"... Oh, He will? When this scripture comes into play, then the case is settled because if we let Him, God will be able to work in us:
"We aren't too bad"...
"We are just human"... No, no, with so much potential because of our God:
Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. |
Jeremiah 1:5 - Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, [and] I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. |
What set the tone for this meditation was spending time in Holy Hour and doing my regular scripture readings. That proved to be beneficial for meditation and reasoning that was to follow, as these words were written down: "Wondering how in the world can after reading these two verses from Ephesians 1, anyone give the excuse: "we are just human", to support mediocrity. We are able to do as God wishes, because of Christ Jesus. We either have Him in our lives as a dominant presence, or He is not. Our behavior will give proof to the truth. The magnificat reading for that day was by Peter Kreeft, and it says it all:
" Jesus is the light and He simply does not and can will not coexist with any darkness at all. Either He casts it out, or it keeps Him out"
In the case at hand, it's not "mediocrity" that is the subject, but our "evil ways". We are just human, oh really? Well the Lord have a remedy for that, in Scripture it says:
" Jesus is the light and He simply does not and can will not coexist with any darkness at all. Either He casts it out, or it keeps Him out"
In the case at hand, it's not "mediocrity" that is the subject, but our "evil ways". We are just human, oh really? Well the Lord have a remedy for that, in Scripture it says:
If we process the harshness of the word evil, then we will not want to be identified with that, no, not us, "church" going folks, daily Mass goers, frequent fliers Eucharistic Adoration adorers, praying mantas, Bible reading, retreat attendees, ministry maids, and third order professed people. If humility rises to the top, then we will see that our ways are evil, no if's, ands, or buts. Lord help me to see and in obedience change, turning away from sin and becoming more like Jesus. If someone disagrees, well you don't agree, so we keep moving on and may all end up right side up in the kingdom of God.
Two day after writing up this veggie, an email post arrive entitled: "Armageddon? Exorcist Advises: Don’t Even Think About It". In the article the name of a priest is mentioned, Fr. Vincent Lampert. Googling him resulted in me viewing a video presentation. After listening, a connection could be seen praise da Lord, and a confirmation for the meditation was forthcoming. It was helpful to have the points made by the Holy Spirit beforehand solidified. Fr. Lampert spoke about
demonic activity belonging to two categories
1. ordinary activity like temptations
2. Extra ordinary activity consisting of 4 types
(A). infestation
(B). Vexation
(C).obsession
(D). possession
So therefore we do need to see that we do need to view our behavior from an evil standpoint, then we'll be more apt to want to change, and not just see things as being not too bad. How providential that the right video was viewed at the right time, all because of an " on time" post. My response is Alleluia, alleluia, praise the Lord.
Two day after writing up this veggie, an email post arrive entitled: "Armageddon? Exorcist Advises: Don’t Even Think About It". In the article the name of a priest is mentioned, Fr. Vincent Lampert. Googling him resulted in me viewing a video presentation. After listening, a connection could be seen praise da Lord, and a confirmation for the meditation was forthcoming. It was helpful to have the points made by the Holy Spirit beforehand solidified. Fr. Lampert spoke about
demonic activity belonging to two categories
1. ordinary activity like temptations
2. Extra ordinary activity consisting of 4 types
(A). infestation
(B). Vexation
(C).obsession
(D). possession
So therefore we do need to see that we do need to view our behavior from an evil standpoint, then we'll be more apt to want to change, and not just see things as being not too bad. How providential that the right video was viewed at the right time, all because of an " on time" post. My response is Alleluia, alleluia, praise the Lord.
Article: "5 Ways to Live Like A Monk in the WorldHere are five tenets of Benedictine monasticism that you can cultivate in your life", by Fr. Paul Sheller, OSB, Vocation Director, Conception Abbey
Info from this site:
www.conceptionabbey.org/5-ways-live-like-monk-world/
🌵"1. Cultivate Silence
St. Benedict wrote, “Speaking and teaching are the master’s task; the disciple is to be silent and listen” (RB 6:8). Silence is the environment that allows you to listen to God’s voice and the voices of those around you properly. Many people are uncomfortable with silence or they find it awkward, so they fill their days with needless noise and distractions. Turning off the music and radio, especially when you are in the car, moderating television or Internet use will challenge you to listen to the God who dwells within you and speaks in the depth of your heart. Additionally, being silent helps us to avoid the sins of gossip or detraction. St. Benedict echoed the wisdom found in the Book of Proverbs which says, “In a flood of words you will not avoid sin,” (RB 6:11). By avoiding unnecessary noise in your life, you learn to cultivate inner silence, which is the ideal setting for prayer.
🌵2. Be Faithful to Daily Prayer
St. Benedict said, “Prayer should, therefore, be short and pure, unless perhaps it is prolonged under the inspiration of divine grace” (RB 20:4). This instruction is comforting for those who have a demanding workweek, hectic schedule, and are burdened with numerous responsibilities at home to the extent that they may not be able to dedicate large periods of time to prayer. Nevertheless, you should find time in the morning to praise God before your day begins, and pray in thanksgiving during the evening before going to bed. You can pray the Liturgy of the Hours to sanctify the day, specifically being faithful to Morning and Evening Prayer. Whatever your practice, you want to be concerned with developing a heartfelt attitude to God while you are praying, offering yourself and your loved ones into God’s care. Many opportunities will arise throughout the day to offer brief prayers of trust in God. The aim of monks (and all Christians) is to pray without ceasing, and you can do this by keeping the memory of God alive in your heart and mind at every moment.
🌵3. Form Authentic Community
Monks support and encourage the brother encountering difficulties, and they celebrate with one another during joyful times. St. Benedict instructed, “No one is to pursue what he judges better for himself, but instead, what he judges better for someone else. To their fellow monks, they show the pure love of brothers” (RB 72:7-8). In a world of individualism, social media and superficial relationships, all people long for a deep sense of belonging and communion with one another. The spiritual life is always a journey that we undertake with others. You have to be willing to invest the time and energy to engage personally with other people and show interest in their lives, allowing your conversations to pass from surface level topics to the more meaningful areas of life. You may wish to gather with others who share your faith, values, and desire for God. Praying together, reading and discussing a spiritual book and Bible studies are all ways of coming together to grow in faith.
🌵4. Make time for Lectio Divina
The ancient monastic practice of Lectio Divina or “sacred reading” emphasizes a slow, prayerful reading of Sacred Scripture that is intended to allow you to listen to the Word and seek peace in God’s presence. St. Benedict warned his monks, “Idleness is the enemy of the soul. Therefore, the brothers should have specified periods for manual labor as well as for prayerful reading” (RB 48:1). Reflection on the Word of God, if done intensely and prayerfully, has the power of calling you to a continual conversion of life. Familiarize yourself with the method and take between 15-30 minutes a day in a quiet environment to practice lectio divina with Scripture or prayerfully read from the writings of the saints or other great spiritual works. Spiritual reading nourishes your mind and soul and often provides those inspired words that you needed to hear. Encountering the Word of God each day in a prayerful manner draws us into deeper communion with the One who speaks the word to us.
🌵5. Practice Humility
Numerous parts of the Rule of St. Benedict highlight the importance of humility, most notably in Chapter 7 where St. Benedict depicts humility as a ladder with twelve rungs which the monk is to ascend. The first step is that a monk keeps the “fear of God” always before his eyes (RB 7:10). When you fear God or are in “awe” of God, you maintain a right relationship, realizing that you are a creature and not God. Humility is a virtue that needs to be developed, and it entails being down to earth, honest, and truthful, both in prayer, at work, and in everyday matters. St. Benedict wrote, “Place your hope in God alone. If you notice something good in yourself, give credit to God, not to yourself, but be certain that the evil you commit is always your own and yours to acknowledge” (RB 4:41-43). Being a humble person means being grateful for the blessings and opportunities that God gives you and recognizing that your gifts and talents have God as their source. Allow daily struggles, and even falling into sin, to be an invitation to humility, where you admit without hesitation that you must depend entirely on God’s grace, and not on your strength."
Info from this site:
www.conceptionabbey.org/5-ways-live-like-monk-world/
🌵"1. Cultivate Silence
St. Benedict wrote, “Speaking and teaching are the master’s task; the disciple is to be silent and listen” (RB 6:8). Silence is the environment that allows you to listen to God’s voice and the voices of those around you properly. Many people are uncomfortable with silence or they find it awkward, so they fill their days with needless noise and distractions. Turning off the music and radio, especially when you are in the car, moderating television or Internet use will challenge you to listen to the God who dwells within you and speaks in the depth of your heart. Additionally, being silent helps us to avoid the sins of gossip or detraction. St. Benedict echoed the wisdom found in the Book of Proverbs which says, “In a flood of words you will not avoid sin,” (RB 6:11). By avoiding unnecessary noise in your life, you learn to cultivate inner silence, which is the ideal setting for prayer.
🌵2. Be Faithful to Daily Prayer
St. Benedict said, “Prayer should, therefore, be short and pure, unless perhaps it is prolonged under the inspiration of divine grace” (RB 20:4). This instruction is comforting for those who have a demanding workweek, hectic schedule, and are burdened with numerous responsibilities at home to the extent that they may not be able to dedicate large periods of time to prayer. Nevertheless, you should find time in the morning to praise God before your day begins, and pray in thanksgiving during the evening before going to bed. You can pray the Liturgy of the Hours to sanctify the day, specifically being faithful to Morning and Evening Prayer. Whatever your practice, you want to be concerned with developing a heartfelt attitude to God while you are praying, offering yourself and your loved ones into God’s care. Many opportunities will arise throughout the day to offer brief prayers of trust in God. The aim of monks (and all Christians) is to pray without ceasing, and you can do this by keeping the memory of God alive in your heart and mind at every moment.
🌵3. Form Authentic Community
Monks support and encourage the brother encountering difficulties, and they celebrate with one another during joyful times. St. Benedict instructed, “No one is to pursue what he judges better for himself, but instead, what he judges better for someone else. To their fellow monks, they show the pure love of brothers” (RB 72:7-8). In a world of individualism, social media and superficial relationships, all people long for a deep sense of belonging and communion with one another. The spiritual life is always a journey that we undertake with others. You have to be willing to invest the time and energy to engage personally with other people and show interest in their lives, allowing your conversations to pass from surface level topics to the more meaningful areas of life. You may wish to gather with others who share your faith, values, and desire for God. Praying together, reading and discussing a spiritual book and Bible studies are all ways of coming together to grow in faith.
🌵4. Make time for Lectio Divina
The ancient monastic practice of Lectio Divina or “sacred reading” emphasizes a slow, prayerful reading of Sacred Scripture that is intended to allow you to listen to the Word and seek peace in God’s presence. St. Benedict warned his monks, “Idleness is the enemy of the soul. Therefore, the brothers should have specified periods for manual labor as well as for prayerful reading” (RB 48:1). Reflection on the Word of God, if done intensely and prayerfully, has the power of calling you to a continual conversion of life. Familiarize yourself with the method and take between 15-30 minutes a day in a quiet environment to practice lectio divina with Scripture or prayerfully read from the writings of the saints or other great spiritual works. Spiritual reading nourishes your mind and soul and often provides those inspired words that you needed to hear. Encountering the Word of God each day in a prayerful manner draws us into deeper communion with the One who speaks the word to us.
🌵5. Practice Humility
Numerous parts of the Rule of St. Benedict highlight the importance of humility, most notably in Chapter 7 where St. Benedict depicts humility as a ladder with twelve rungs which the monk is to ascend. The first step is that a monk keeps the “fear of God” always before his eyes (RB 7:10). When you fear God or are in “awe” of God, you maintain a right relationship, realizing that you are a creature and not God. Humility is a virtue that needs to be developed, and it entails being down to earth, honest, and truthful, both in prayer, at work, and in everyday matters. St. Benedict wrote, “Place your hope in God alone. If you notice something good in yourself, give credit to God, not to yourself, but be certain that the evil you commit is always your own and yours to acknowledge” (RB 4:41-43). Being a humble person means being grateful for the blessings and opportunities that God gives you and recognizing that your gifts and talents have God as their source. Allow daily struggles, and even falling into sin, to be an invitation to humility, where you admit without hesitation that you must depend entirely on God’s grace, and not on your strength."
Armageddon? Exorcist Advises: Don’t Even Think About It, by Patti Armstrong
"Are the End Times upon us? You could make a case for it. But don’t. That’s the advice of Father Vincent Lampert, the designated exorcist for the archdiocese of Indianapolis, who trained at the North American College in Rome and assisted with over 40 exorcisms with longtime Italian exorcist Father Carmine De Filippis.
As an exorcist of 12 years, Father Lampert knows well what evil looks like. It’s all around us. It always has been and always will be until we leave this earth, trusting that is, that our destination is ultimately heaven. Father Lampert admits that he’s seeing more of it these days but not because there is more of it. “The devil has not upped his game, but more people are willing to play it,” he said.
I interviewed Father Lampert regarding 2 future articles for the National Catholic Register and was curious what an exorcist thinks of so much talk about the End Times and this being Armageddon—the final battle between good and evil.
I appreciate that Father Lampert does not treat such questions as too sensational. He knows that the devil and spiritual sensationalism drives our curiosity. For instance, if he gives a talk on Jesus and another one on the devil, ten times more people show up for the one on the devil. So, he patiently addresses all inquiries, but then points us to where we need to go: God and the Church. Thus, our curiosities are satisfied and we end up directed to God and comforted by the Church.
And so it is with talk of the End Times. “I would go to Scripture,” Father Lampert said and referred to Matthew 24:36. “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
“God warns us not to get involved in the End Times,” he said. “Instead, it’s important, every day, to live our life as God calls us.” The end itself is not even something we should fear, according to him. “If we are living our lives the way God calls us, then whenever he does call, he will find us worthy,” he explained. “Talk of Armageddon often instills fear, but an authentic relationship with God is one of love and mercy.”
Fear is the enemy of true faith, Father Lampert pointed out. “I don’t think faith is authentic if we are living in fear,” he said. “Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, but that is about being in awe of God. Worrying about the End Times is about the loss of hope, and it brings fear, and anxiety, and destruction. All of those things are contrary to faith.”
As an exorcist, Father Lampert said that although he fights evil head on, his ministry is about restoring a sense of hope into people’s lives. “I do that as a parish priest as well,” he said. “It’s about helping people discover hope and joy and love. That’s the foundation of the Church and it is echoed in a lot of what Pope Francis tells us.”
How does an exorcist and parish priest find peace and comfort during these times? In God, according to Father Lampert. “I always find my sense of solace in the fact that God is in charge,” he said. “It puts everything in perspective, and then the worry and fear dissipates. When we put ourselves in charge instead, that’s what happened with Adam and Eve.”
Putting God in charge gives us the power and strength not to let the world overwhelm us, Father Lampert explained.“The human person is made for more than this life,” he said.“It’ not just an earthly perspective but a spiritual perspective that makes us realize we are called to be in relationship with God.”
A relationship with God is what gives us true freedom in this world, Father Lampert said. “But freedom doesn't mean we get to do whatever we want,” he said. It means having the freedom to be obedient to God. Otherwise we become slaves to our own passions.
“Freedom and obedience go hand in hand with a relationship with God,” Father Lampert said. And with such a relationship we have nothing to fear."
"Are the End Times upon us? You could make a case for it. But don’t. That’s the advice of Father Vincent Lampert, the designated exorcist for the archdiocese of Indianapolis, who trained at the North American College in Rome and assisted with over 40 exorcisms with longtime Italian exorcist Father Carmine De Filippis.
As an exorcist of 12 years, Father Lampert knows well what evil looks like. It’s all around us. It always has been and always will be until we leave this earth, trusting that is, that our destination is ultimately heaven. Father Lampert admits that he’s seeing more of it these days but not because there is more of it. “The devil has not upped his game, but more people are willing to play it,” he said.
I interviewed Father Lampert regarding 2 future articles for the National Catholic Register and was curious what an exorcist thinks of so much talk about the End Times and this being Armageddon—the final battle between good and evil.
I appreciate that Father Lampert does not treat such questions as too sensational. He knows that the devil and spiritual sensationalism drives our curiosity. For instance, if he gives a talk on Jesus and another one on the devil, ten times more people show up for the one on the devil. So, he patiently addresses all inquiries, but then points us to where we need to go: God and the Church. Thus, our curiosities are satisfied and we end up directed to God and comforted by the Church.
And so it is with talk of the End Times. “I would go to Scripture,” Father Lampert said and referred to Matthew 24:36. “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
“God warns us not to get involved in the End Times,” he said. “Instead, it’s important, every day, to live our life as God calls us.” The end itself is not even something we should fear, according to him. “If we are living our lives the way God calls us, then whenever he does call, he will find us worthy,” he explained. “Talk of Armageddon often instills fear, but an authentic relationship with God is one of love and mercy.”
Fear is the enemy of true faith, Father Lampert pointed out. “I don’t think faith is authentic if we are living in fear,” he said. “Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, but that is about being in awe of God. Worrying about the End Times is about the loss of hope, and it brings fear, and anxiety, and destruction. All of those things are contrary to faith.”
As an exorcist, Father Lampert said that although he fights evil head on, his ministry is about restoring a sense of hope into people’s lives. “I do that as a parish priest as well,” he said. “It’s about helping people discover hope and joy and love. That’s the foundation of the Church and it is echoed in a lot of what Pope Francis tells us.”
How does an exorcist and parish priest find peace and comfort during these times? In God, according to Father Lampert. “I always find my sense of solace in the fact that God is in charge,” he said. “It puts everything in perspective, and then the worry and fear dissipates. When we put ourselves in charge instead, that’s what happened with Adam and Eve.”
Putting God in charge gives us the power and strength not to let the world overwhelm us, Father Lampert explained.“The human person is made for more than this life,” he said.“It’ not just an earthly perspective but a spiritual perspective that makes us realize we are called to be in relationship with God.”
A relationship with God is what gives us true freedom in this world, Father Lampert said. “But freedom doesn't mean we get to do whatever we want,” he said. It means having the freedom to be obedient to God. Otherwise we become slaves to our own passions.
“Freedom and obedience go hand in hand with a relationship with God,” Father Lampert said. And with such a relationship we have nothing to fear."
Anthony Mullen, at St. Michael's Church, Exeter, NH, talk on The Flame of Love Cenacles (Part 1)
YouTube video link:
https://youtu.be/f18dkxz2ZJ8
YouTube video link:
https://youtu.be/f18dkxz2ZJ8