False Holiness

At times we may all fall prey to a false sense of holiness and humility, for instance if we pronounce ourselves 'very humble' simply by that pronouncement, we are the exact opposite. It can be a dangerous thing to think oneself a 'better' Christian than another, in that pride gains a foothold and the person fails to recognise the sin within.

It is to those who rely on fulfilling their 'duty' in that though they may attend Mass, yet they know nothing of God or Scripture. Yet many feel themselves superior to others in that they are followers of the 'Law' and make sure they fulfil all the requirements that they think is expected. Those who follow this procedure are little more than Sunday Christians, who show up when required and forget God for the rest of the week.

There are also those who have gained a great deal of knowledge of Scripture and the Teachings of the Church, these people then expound on deep theological issues and long discourses not to evangelise the Faith but to simply impress those around them with their intellect.

Yet another motive is those who feel Jesus needs them to 'save' the Church, so they embark on bitter arguments over every piece of Scripture, and in so doing they condemn and belittle those with a differing opinion. The Church has lasted for over 2,000 years, when did God need man to fulfil His Will and protect what is Gods?

God does not need man, but rather man needs God and it is also man who is needy in that God is sufficient unto Himself, we understand this more when we realise that we are not the source of goodness, and that every good word, thought and deed has its origins in God and not ourselves! Going to Church does not make a great Catholic, but allowing the indwelling Spirit free access to every part of our being will permit God to transform us into living reflections of Himself and it is this that makes us Holy the indwelling Spirit working through us.

We cannot fool God by 'going through the motions' we may fool our fellow man but never God! For those who think they may behave badly with the excuse that they will go to Confession yet on Monday they exhibit the same behaviour are fools to themselves and God is far from their hearts. They are also opening themselves to God's anger in that they are abusing a Sacrament for their own ends, which is to behave as if God were the fool!

We all fail and fall short of the Glory of God; this should make us aware of how much we owe God and how we all measure as nothing if it were not for God acting within our Soul. God loves the repentant sinner, the man who with true remorse opens his heart and weeps for his sins against God, but then upon receiving absolution through the Sacrament of Penance he goes forth with the intention of not to committing that sin again.

We must remember that nothing is hidden from God, let us remember the example of Judas Iscariot who walked with Jesus, yet in his heart he had already decided to betray his Lord, so when Jesus said at the last supper that one of the disciples would betray him, Judas along with the others said," Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" He (Jesus) answered, "You have said so." Judas thought that he could fool God with empty words as he sat with the disciples.

Judas opinion of himself far outweighed his opinion of God, and like many he went through the motions, fulfilled his religious obligations then went on to betray the Son of God. The actions of Judas is a warning to us all when we attempt to try and make our appearance and our actions seem 'holy' when one's motive is to make oneself admired and to take by stealth the honour due to God alone!

Until we realise that we too can become like Judas, we are in danger of becoming what we hate.

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

Trusting in False God's

In an age of consumerism where money speaks louder than words we can become side tracked on what is truly essential for our spiritual wellbeing. This is why we must gain a greater understanding of how Satan will use even our conveniences which was supposed to make our life easier anything but that!

How many of us have decided to spend more time in prayer only to find that the phone decides to ring constantly, or that the door is continually being buzzed to distract us away from our Holy pursuit of quiet prayer.

In an age where food can be served in minutes, clothes washed and dried within the hour, yet we still can find no time for God or prayer, but is this truly so? For is it not that though our intentions are good we allow ourselves to be side stepped away from prayer as we linger that extra minute in front of the TV or computer and other entertainment facilities? Can we truthfully say we truly long to spend that time with God or do we make God wait upon us?

The subtle seduction of the senses begins in the mind, as it tries to engage us in useless activities such as spending too long in front of the TV or in spending copious hours in front of the computer. It can also be in trying to keep a 'perfect' home therefore one's whole occupation is in keeping up appearances for whom? Does God care if our homes are not immaculately clean 24 hours a day or is that an onus many have placed on themselves?

When we place God at the end of our day and spend the smallest amount of time with Him in prayer, how then can we be strengthened for the daily grind? Did not Jesus Himself also walk long distances, preached to many crowds, yet it is our Lord who teaches us how important prayer is to withstand worldly temptations. For it is an old saying but a true one in that 'the family that prays together stays together'.

Especially in a world where the emphasis is on how one looks or behaves, and where our Laws and statutes support freedom even to kill and murder the unborn, do we really wished to be ruled by the world? We may turn away from unsightly horrors, where children are murdered and the killers receive minimum sentences, why are so many shocked and appalled is it not the case that babies are now being euthanized in their incubators so they do not 'suffer' anymore!

The worldly teaches us that it is ok to murder so long as it is 'mercifully done' was not St. Maximilian Kolbe killed by lethal injection? Yet we reel in horror at such a crime done against such a Holy Saint, but for our children today, where is the outcry? The world will try and tell us that all these new laws are for our own good, and to decide for us how we should all live even unto taking innocent lives of the unborn and those who are unable to protest against a 'mercy killing'.

It also tries to dictate to us what is rightful living, in that same sex marriages are now considered 'normal' and in some Church's active homosexuals are accepted into the Priesthood and Ordained as Bishops....What happened to God's Word? Are we to negate it's teachings in favour of a more sophisticated thinking, which is basically an acceptance of sin as a right! For we are told by many institutions that God's Word is now a 'hate crime' and that prayer anywhere is to be banned, as some may find it offensive!

If many are feeling overwhelmed at the constant drip, drip of negativity then it is time to refresh the soul with prayer, and to recognise the worldly seductions which try to induce us away from this relationship with God. In order to be strong we need to become strong and this only comes from God and not to be found in any one thing or person.

As the world rationalizes sinful behaviour as a right and murder is being promoted even to our youth, then it is time to fight the good fight. We do this by turning away from the very things which distract us from our one on one relationship with God and that is the influences of the multi-media and satanic music which is wreaking havoc on our youth!

Where you spend your time will either strengthen your resolve to fight the good fight or dissolve and dissipate your energies on other useless efforts and endeavours. In order for us to recognise the father of lies we need to understand the Goodness of God not by theory but through relationship!

In essence the most important relationship in your life is neither with your life partner nor even your children; it is with your Creator! And it is when we fail to make God the centre of our lives that we have will have already lost the fight before it had begun.

Where you spend your mind is where you spend your time.

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

When The Enemy Comes With a Smile

In order to fight our enemy which is Satan and his demonic hordes, we need to be able to recognise him as he is, rather than what we assume he is. We also need to understand that the battle has been won by Jesus and so it is to Jesus, our Lady, the Angels and the Saints that we need to rely on and not ourselves.

This is why in order to become a strong spiritual warrior we need to admit our weaknesses and allow Jesus to heal and strengthen us through prayer and participation of the Sacraments. For remember though God forgives a soul through the Sacrament of Penance, and upon receiving Absolution God also forgets our transgressions, Satan is not so forgiving!

So even though thoughts of previous sins may intrude to make one feel guilty or fall into scrupulosity, remember that is one of the weapons that Satan uses to make you falter before you begin. If you have repented sincerely of your previous transgressions and have atoned with your penances then do not allow this absolved sin hold you prisoner, especially as Jesus has set you free!

It is wise to remember that Satan is the great accuser who never wastes a moment to weaken those who love God with a sincere and zealous passion, and his weapons are always underhanded and full of venomous malice. When thoughts of previous sins occur to accuse you, then turn to prayer and seek the guidance of our Lord, our Lady, and all our Heavenly Helpers, remember there is a Holy Army in Heaven who are there to assist you. Also do not allow pride to gain a foothold and lead you into thinking you can fight our foe which is Satan single handed, the simple truth is you cannot!

In order to recognise our enemy we need to understand that at times, evil can approach us with a smile, which hides the malicious intent, and as we become seduced by tales of woe and catastrophe, we then succumb to the tale rather than the Truth! This can lead us into following a single individual rather than the Divine Creator! For like the children who have embraced the Light which is God, we have the opposite of the children who have embraced the dark and allow the father of lies to use them in order to seduce and fool the soul who seeks to help but instead hinders its own spiritual journey.

Rather than speak the Truth these children of the dark spin stories of woe and heartache in order to fool even the most compassionate of souls so that they no longer focus on God but instead allow their hearts to be led astray by the manipulator of emotions. When this happens we no longer worship God but instead we begin to worship and follow the person, who then becomes an emotional dictator as they order who they can fraternise with and who they cannot!

This is why it is essential to maintain a deep and strong prayer life and to pray for the gift of discernment and to rely solely on God through Scripture and the Teachings of our Church. And as we discern the evil even if it comes with a smile, rather than follow the spilling of emotionalism we instead remind the person that our focus is centred on God alone and for that person to seek God for themselves.

We cannot allow an emotional extortionist to cloud our view of God's revealed Truth, in that if a person is still weeping over past hurts which have occurred years ago, then why have they not sought out God in prayer for their own inner healing? Could it be that they are using their purported pain to gain the sympathy of the unsuspecting soul who then compassionates with them.

It is always best to look at Jesus, our Lady and the Saints and to discern from their example if the person seeking an audience is truly concerned for others or are embarking solely on a mission to make themselves the focus of attention at any price. And if the unsuspecting soul then believes the lies and distortions they then make this manipulative person their focus which will lead to disappointment as no one can take the place of God.

If a person brings up a painful past and hurtful situations remind them gently to take their pain and hurt to God in order to be healed from such anguish, a person who truly does long for this healing will find it. But it is the manipulator who will not seek this freedom from the tyranny of their own memories, for they have become addicted to the pain and the attention it gives them when they remind one and all how badly they have 'suffered', usually at the hands of another, never themselves!

Beware the enemy who seeks to seduce with a smile and a sad story, for they seek not their own healing, but to gain your attention at the expense of God. Remind these tortured souls with their sad stories that God is only a prayer away, and if they persist even after many years of regaling one and all with their litany of woe, they seek not God's attention but self attention!

Upon reminding such an attention seeker of God's Healing Grace, through the Word and the Sacraments of the Church, if they then refuse to partake of this healing the onus is on them and not on you! Do not allow these manipulators access to your heart for they are like thieves in the night who are bent upon destroying and stealing your peace of heart, for if you focus on them and their perceived 'hurts', they will then turn the screw and begin to play with your emotions by manipulation and aggression.

In the end remember our Lord and Saviour paid the price for us as He took our place and a sword pierced His Heart, which poured forth Living Water...We do not have to pass a litmus test for God's Forgiveness, it was paid in full by The Son!

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

Choose Your Battles Wisely

At times we can be confronted with situations, that need careful discernment but instead many tend to leap in without prayer or preparation. We are not meant to fight and bicker with each other or those who question our beliefs.

We need to carefully discern the motives of the questioner, especially when it concerns our Faith, in that those who are not open to the indwelling Spirit may be following the spirit of dissension, which is of Satan. If someone has a sincere question concerning our Faith then that person is open to your response and shows respect as you explain the reason for your joy. But if the person behaves in a way that is contradictory to the Holy Spirit, one must be aware of the Principality guiding the questioner.

Peter says very distinctly," Now who is going to harm you if you are enthusiastic for what is good? But even if you should suffer because of righteousness, blessed are you. Do not be afraid or terrified with fear of them, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame."

To defend the Faith is to not only to speak it but to live it. We are not meant to lower ourselves into futile bickering which only inflames those involved and brings discontent and a lack of peace to the believer. For in the end by involving us in heated debates which then dissolve into ill feeling, we have already lost the battle for as Scripture reminds us, "Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces...."Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit."

This is one of the reasons why the Church’s instructs Catechists to learn and then explain what we believe and why in a constructive manner. And we are all encouraged to study Scripture in line with the Church's Teachings and Traditions in order to speak eloquently and gently about our Faith without need of confrontation. As the Catechism instructs us, 'The Church "forcefully and specially exhorts all the Christian faithful...to learn 'the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ' by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures...Let them remember, however, that prayer should accompany the reading of Sacred Scripture, so that dialogue takes place between God and man. For 'we speak to him when we pray; we listen to him when we read the divine oracles."

We must also take our Lords example in that He did not go on long, ranting discourses to the Pharisees and Sadducees, in an attempt to explain Himself to them, but instead He spoke the Truth to them and left them to themselves. For Jesus knew the motivating force within the Pharisees who were not there to learn the Truth but to try and discredit it, therefore Jesus reproved them and moved on.

There is also a cautionary note in that we are also not to think that God needs us to uphold and lift up the Faith as if He were powerless and in need of our help! This is why long and involved heated arguments over our Faith and Scripture are indeed damaging to the believer and not the dissenter! For the dissenters sole motive is to gain a negative reaction by confrontation rather than discourse, when that reaction is forthcoming this brings much joy to Satan and his hordes as a Christian loses their temper and their peace of heart.

It is also very dangerous to think we are smarter than Satan and can confront him on an equal footing. There is nothing that Satan loves more than a prideful heart, which the Christian does not recognise in himself, therefore he walks into a minefield of angry retorts and responses, that is not edifying for anyone. This is why we must not engage in open confrontational arguments over our Faith and beliefs, but instead to explain our Faith with gentleness and respect. Once we have explained the reason for our joy and find that the questioner has become confrontational it is for us to discern what Principality is the guiding force behind the questioner.

In order to recognise one of the signs of a true enquirer and a confrontational dissenter we look at their capacity to listen in a respectful manner. If that respect is missing and the enquirer does not wait upon your response but instead immediately embarks on arguments we can then discern the best course to take being mindful of God's Word and the Church's Teaching.

It is then best to leave the argumentative person, and upon leaving him to pray much for his soul as we go forth and live our Faith, as taught by the Church.

We may not always have the answer for every question but we do have the ability to pray for those who lack the peace that has been given to each of us.

For at times Prayer achieves much more than the spoken word, in that conversion lay with God and not man.

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

Morality in Crisis

In order to fight the good fight we need to recognise the tools being used by Satan and his hordes of demons. One of these weapons is vocabulary confusion, where words such as 'gay' which no longer means happiness but is used to describe a lifestyle that is sinful, there is nothing gay about sin! There is also the expression 'players' which is used to describe adultery, there is nothing playful in sin! Another word is 'wicked' which now means exciting; there is nothing exciting about becoming wicked! How Satan must gloat at the distortion of that particular word, for a whole generation is now using the vocabulary of the Devil!

The next tool of Satan is to distort the truth, in that many politicians, artists and activists are engaged in emotional extortion. This happens when a crisis may occur and in a call to duty many of our fighting men and women take up arms in the cause of freedom against tyranny. The cost of maintaining the freedom we enjoy comes at a cost as was shown during the Second World War. Now once again our soldiers answer the call to serve their country, in order to protect our freedoms and to liberate those who have been held in the vice like grip of tyranny by despotic dictators! But instead of receiving the support our brave soldiers deserve they and their relatives are being used in a cynical fashion by so called 'activists' who use the grief of loved ones for emotional extortion to further the activist extremists own Agenda's!

And as these politicians, artists and activists yell for our brave fighting men and women to be brought home, so that no more soldiers will lose their life, they are equally vocal when it comes to the brutal murder of the unborn! As these activists rant about the death toll of our brave soldiers, they are silent about the billions of babies who die each year from deliberate and intentional murder!

Satan's greatest tool is to confuse us over what is truly worth fighting for and what is truly evil. For though it is a tragedy to lose one soldier in the field of battle, it is downright evil to deliberately murder the unborn! Yet these same activists not only fight for the right to murder the innocent unborn babies who have no voice they also actively promote and support abortion as a 'woman's choice'. Any attempts to stop the legalised death camp clinics where women can legally murder their own unborn babies bring cries of outrage to these very same activists. To lose any life is a tragedy, yet to the extremists it is perfectly alright to murder our unborn babies on a scale that Herod would envy!

Another distortion is when the Sacrament of Marriage is devalued by the voice of the 'activists' who promote and fight for the right to endorse and legitimise same sex marriages! And many more 'liberally minded' people who applaud this decision by using the excuse that it is not 'harming their own families' fail to understand that it is against God's Moral Law which overrules man made laws that promote sin! Some will even say that the sin of homosexuality is rarely mentioned in the Bible; once again they fail to understand that if God says it once then once is enough! Some Christians also support 'same sex marriage' as viable as we live in a grey world of compromise and distortions, this is incorrect in that God does not live to do our will, we must live to do God's Will! Their own personal opinions is not an option if it opposes the Divine Will of God, and sin is never acceptable to the Triune Spirit or to the Church which teaches that active homosexuality is a sin!

The sins of active homosexuality and abortion are two of the sins that cry out to Heaven for Divine Justice, yet the 'extremist’s activists' once again promote these sins as viable lifestyle choices. How Satan must be rejoicing, as we corrupt our language to equal that of the tower of Babel! With terms such as 'lifestyle choice' or 'liberating influences' and again 'pro choice' which is essentially pro murder, the demonic Principality must indeed be gleeful as even Christians buy into this immoral phraseology!

This is also a century where the divorce rate has sky rocketed as the pornographic industry thrives and is now embraced by many as an 'art form', and the owners of these pornographic magazines are seen as innovative 'artistes'! We are subjected too advertisements on the television where near naked women cavort in suggestive poses to promote hamburgers, cars and sundry other products! The feminist’s movement has also tried their hardest to derail the family unit by promoting a lifestyle that says 'women can have it all', this may work well for the wealthy who employ other women to do their housework rather than break their own nails! As homemakers are sniggered at by choosing to stay at home and nurture their families which is a full time job in itself. As these mothers try and provide the best environment for their husbands and children, to grow and thrive, yet the feminists deplore these choices as archaic. And with true horror many feminists deplore families which may choose to have more than two children, and are outraged at large families, citing the growing population rate, as they demonize the family unit. And as the feminists scream for equality and liberation, and women buy into this propaganda what price will they pay in the end for their so called liberation....the separation of their own families as children pay the price!

Let us face it unless we become wise to Satan's wiles he will continue to rule the world we all inhabit. As many rather than fight the good fight and remain firm on moral issues instead embrace and compromise their principles, in order to get along in a 'grey world' which doesn’t exist.

Satan's Rules and Guidelines:

Modesty is mocked

Chastity is ridiculed

Piety is scorned

Truth is despised

Honour is loathed

Decorum is blasé

Meekness is weakness

Humility is hypocritical

Homosexuality is natural

Abortion is a right

Lust is sophisticated

Pride is assertive

Divorce is liberating

God's Word is a hate crime

Anger is self expression.

In order to win this battle we must understand and then with all confidence speak God's Truth with fierceness, lest we become what God hates, a lukewarm soul. As Dante once said, ' the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in a time of great moral crisis maintained their neutrality'!

Peace of Christ to you ALL

Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.