December 30, 2024
9:26am Central Time
It has been quite a
long time now since I have sat down and written anything considerably
satisfying for my own need to be heard and be of value.
Consider this my
attention seeking if you may. You are free to think whatever you
wish.
For me, this is my
armchair psychotherapy.
Too many things in
my head finding release.
Today is my dad’s
death anniversary. I prayed one Rosary earlier for all our dearly
departed relatives and friends asking God’s mercy upon them and His
Perpetual Light shine upon them and may their souls rest in peace.
Year end default
thinking...endings and beginning.
When is my own
expiration date here on this earth?
Would it be tragic
or peaceful?
Would it be sudden
or welcome?
All these anxious
thoughts I surrender at the foot of the cross of my Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ, asking Him to cover it with His Most Precious Blood to
release and cut away anxiety and sadness from my memories in mind and
body so I can be free to live a life in fullness and wholeness and
holiness.
Thank you Lord
Jesus, thank you.
Today’s gospel
reading tells us about the prophetess Anna who pointed to Jesus as
the future source of redemption for the people of Israel and the
world.
I, Anne, will now
likewise do the same in the context of my experiences.
For the last Friday
of Christmas week, Ruel and I decided to watch one movie. I chose
Kevin Sorbo’s Left Behind.
Towards the end of
the movie, my first born, Marina showed me a clip of another movie.
It kind of hooked me despite the fact that it was of the horror
genre...something I avoid like the plague.
With some bit of
curiosity and courage, we started watching the movie: Nefarious.
Ruel was bored to
death.
I was on the edge of
my seat.
Marina was
nonchalantly glued as well while holding on to her cellphone busy
multi tasking.
After we were done,
she suggested checking out Matt Fradd’s commentary on the movie.
I further researched
on the writer and the book it was based on.
It somehow blew me
away.
It somehow gave me
another understanding of mental health and demonic possession,
oppression and infestation.
Topics I want to
deal with with a ten-foot pole.
But, here I am
wanting to shed light on my key take away.
The line separating
mental health challenges, like Schizophrenia and demonic possession
is most probably as thin as a strand of hair.
Western medicine
would pursue medication while my faith belief would seek spiritual
deliverances and the sacraments.
I once again
recalled my first hand experience with a demonic attack on one sister
in the community of Single’s for Christ back in the mid-1990’s.
I was half-heartedly
attending the Growing in the Spirit talk of a 16 week Christian Life
Program which will prepare you to be a member of the young adult
organization.
The speaker was the
late Paulette Lirio, a full time mission worker who was based in
Singapore prior to her just recent death.
So, while she was
giving the talk, she tells us later, she had an impression that the
participants were like “ white washed tombs, beautiful on the
outside, but rotting inside.”
She was telling
herself, something is not right here, because the participants were
expected to be on fire with the previous week’s baptism of the Holy
Spirit.
Mid-way to her talk,
one of the sister in the outer hall/ entrance of the Divine Mercy
Shrine in Maysilo, Mandaluyong City, was having some sort of
emotional breakdown.
My attention was
caught, when someone was yelling for help, while a group were
struggling to bring this sister whom we shall call MAHAL ( not her
real name,) to the main church on the 2nd floor.
Confusion and chaos
ensued.
I tried to figure
out heads or tails of what was going on.
There was the nearby
hospital, but these group thought it best to bring Mahal upstairs.
Later on, I learned
MAHAL almost managed to PULL with her a handful of sisters and
brothers to cross the busy street and almost got bumped by speeding
vehicles away from the proper cross walk.
Fearfully I followed
them.
Once there, I saw
how MAHAL was like a crazy dog, lunging at people, 3 strong brothers
were trying to hold her, but, they were failing miserably.
One sister would
scream realizing rosary beads would be broken in the struggle.
I found myself
leading the group in casting out the evil presence that was
dominating MAHAL.
She leered at me.
She attacked me. She called out to me in a manner of familiarity. As
if she knew what I was thinking and that made me have a headache. As
If she knew how unworthy, unprepared I was to battle with IT.
She behaved like a
baby on another moment. As I screamed the script I picked up from
movies. My hand almost touching her forehead.
She whimpered and
curled up in a corner the next moment.
As she calmed down.
I told the group I
was going to get more help downstairs.
With teeth
chattering and my knees shaking, I met Paulette as she was quietly
going upstairs to us.
Just out of the
french doors, she hold both of my hands and says:
“The battle has
been won. Have courage. Jesus has won this battle already. Gather
some sisters, go infront of the tabernacle and keep praying. Not
minding whatever you hear. Do not stop until I tell you to.”
Looking back as she
finished her instructions, I saw MAHAL right behind the glass door,
looking at us as if she was from a psycho movie and the rest of the
sisters and brother’s once again attempting to restrain her because
she had KILL & HATRED written in her expression.
After gathering some
sisters to pray with me, I made sure, we used the opposite staircase.
The howling and
screaming that we heard was something else.
Surreal.
After all the chaos,
Paulette gathered all the service team and reminded us of our
failures. Attempting to serve in the Lord’s work, while we forgot
the basics of seeking the sacraments especially the Sacrament of
Reconciliation or Confession prior to serving and empowering
ourselves with the Eucharist.
The dreams I had
prior to this event, what I saw right before I entered the Shrine’s
perimeter wall were of the kind that warned me of things to come.
Things that we already know as we attempt to remain children of the
LIGHT, that the forces of DARKNESS will not give up without a FIGHT.
We are in a battle
whether we like it or not.
We cannot remain
lukewarm.
We have to choose
sides and draw the line on the sand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5ydZO7yFUQ&ab_channel=NOMAD2
Gospel
| Luke 2:36-40
Anna
dedicated the remaining years of her life to serving God in prayer.
May we follow her example as our situations permit. There are moments
when we can call to mind the needs of the Church and intercede for
God’s people. Let us pray that our hearts go out to praying for and
serving our brothers and sisters.
Gospel
Acclamation
A
holy day has dawned upon us. Come, you nations, and adore the Lord.
Today a great light has come upon the earth.
36 There
was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of
Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her
husband after her marriage, 37 and
then as a widow until she was eighty four. She never left the temple,
but worshipped night and day with fasting and prayer. 38 And
coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke
about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of
Jerusalem. 39 When
they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they
returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 The
child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of
God was upon him.
Reflect:
How
has God brought along an “Anna” to confirm something in your
life? How did this affect you?
( Kerygma Daily
Bible Reading/Reflections)
