For the past few months as you all know I have had my deep faith renewed, Every day it gets stronger and a battle goes on with the usual doubts etc but something keeps pulling me along something keeps tap tap taping willing me to get closer.I have been talking to my eldest two children about this and they too have expressed that its like being awoke from a long sleep, A little confusing to begin with but when awake its like being in a familiar place. A few days back I had separate conversations with them regarding my feelings and we talked about the importance of prayer,fasting,sacraments and of course the rosary (the armor of God as I have always told them) I told them that for a few weeks now that I have this deep deep feeling in my soul and I keep getting this voice or sound in my head saying with great urgency "up arms John" its like a battle cry. Well they were both at work last night they work in a VIP suite serving food,two men were in the suite and one of them asked my son a question he said " we both serve communion on a saturday night what are we" my son was a little bit startled at his question and thinking that the man was trying to find out what relegion he was so too mock him my son replied "well that would make you a Eucharistic minister" the man replied "very good answer that would make you a catholic,I could tell", My son did not want to engage with his remark because he felt as if the men were going to start having a laugh at him, as the night went on the other man said to my daughter "that young man who is serving us is a good man"she replied I know he is my brother" they both replied "well that makes you one of us as well" my daughter would be a bit more challenging and she asked "what do you mean by that" they both laughed at her and said "oh we love your vigor, don't worry we are not mocking you we can just tell that you two are good catholic's as we are good catholics too" they went on to have a conversation with her about the importance of prayer and the times that we are living etc my daughter explained to them that she already knew because her father had taught her,they questioned further and she told them about prayer,fasting etc,they told her that her dad was very right..But the most remarkable end to the story came as the men were leaving one of them waved at my children and shouted across the room "tell your dad to keep praying and remember UP ARMS"..my children were dumbfounded.??
Interesting story John, thanks for sharing. I think all of us here have the same sense. Sometimes I have to stop and reflect about whether it is all the reading i do that makes me think "up arms", or is it the Spirit telling me this? Because I have heard the battle cry for 30 years now, I have to step back and reconsider my thoughts as to whether I am talking myself into a battle cry or whether the battle cry is indeed blowing its horn louder ever day.
I think that prayer is so important for young people. We have tried to do family prayer off and on for years. It is a struggle, but I know it is crucial for the times we are living in. When I think up arms I guess I would have to show you what I recently read that is Our Lady's idea of arming ourselves in a prayer group. She asked a Medjugorje villager, Jelena in locution to start a prayer group of young people and here are the guiding points of how she wanted the people to pray... my family struggles with a tiny rosary before bedtime, but Our Lady expects much, much more from us. Thursday, June 16, 1983 On May 25, 1983, the Blessed Virgin has repeated her desire that a prayer group, totally abandoned to Jesus, be formed. On June 16th she dictated to Jelena the rules for this group: 1. Renounce all passions and inordinate desires. Avoid television, particularly evil programs, excessive sports, the unreasonable enjoyment of food and drink, alcohol, tobacco, etc. 2. Abandon yourselves to God without any restrictions. 3. Definitely eliminate all anguish. Whoever abandons himself to God does not have room in his heart for anguish. Difficulties will persist, but they will serve for spiritual growth and will render glory to God. 4. Love your enemies. Banish from your heart, hatred, bitterness, pre-conceived judgments. Pray for your enemies and call the Divine blessing over them. 5. Fast twice a week on bread and water. Reunite the group at least once a week. 6. Devote at least three hours to prayer daily, of which at least, half an hour in the morning and half an hour in the evening. Holy Mass and the prayer of the Rosary are included in this time of prayer. Set aside moments of prayer in the course of the day, and each time that circumstances permit it, receive Holy Communion. Pray with great meditation. Do not look at your watch all the time, but allow yourself to be led by the grace of God. Do not concern yourself too much with the things of this world, but entrust all that in prayer to Our Heavenly Father. If one is very preoccupied, he will not be able to pray well because internal serenity is lacking. God will contribute to lead to a successful end, the things of here below, if one strives to do his utmost in working on his own. Those who attend school or go to work must pray half an hour in the morning and in the evening, and, if possible, participate in the Eucharist. It is necessary to extend the spirit of prayer to daily work, that is to say, to accompany work with prayer. 7. Be prudent because the devil tempts all those who have made a resolution to consecrate themselves to God, most particularly, those people. He will suggest to them that they are praying very much, they are fasting too much, that they must be like other young people and go in search of pleasures. Have them not listen to him, nor obey him. It is to the voice of the Blessed Virgin that they should pay attention to. When they will be strengthened in their faith, the devil will no longer be able to seduce them. 8. Pray very much for the Bishop and for those who are responsible for the Church. No less than half of their prayers and sacrifices must be devoted to this intention. To Jelena: "I have come to tell the world that God is truth; He exists." "True happiness and the fullness of life are in Him. I have come here as Queen of Peace to tell the world that peace is necessary for the salvation of the world. In God, one finds true joy from which true peace if derived."
Quis Ut Deus, What an encouraging story! There are more faithful that stand with us than we realize! I am so happy to see that your children stand with you, especially that feisty daughter of yours! The battle we engage in is both intense and subtle, and very often wearisome. Sometimes my heart wants to retreat to the days of my childhood in the 1950s when the Church seemed more glorious. I believe it is important, rather, to keep our eyes focused on what is to come! Let me explain: On the Novena to the Holy Spirit thread, Padraig brought to mind a Charismatic Conference I attended back in 1988. In fact many details of that weekend remain with me today. One such instance is when a young woman, Mary Ann Barnes, stood up and read from the book of Haggai after the shekinah of God had fallen on those assembled! ...My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!' 6 "For thus says the Lord of hosts, 'Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. 7 'I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the Lord of hosts... 9 'The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,' says the Lord of hosts, 'and in this place I will give peace,' declares the Lord of hosts." You see, that word was for a little while yet. It was encouragement for the future, something to be held in our hearts, a word of hope! I am convinced that that passage is for these days! The Lord is shaking the earth with his judgments and in the short term they will intensify. Even so, the Lord will marvelously act through the Illumination and all that follows to bring in the wealth of all nations. And what is the wealth of nations, but souls! Jesus thirsts for souls and through these acts of mercy millions of souls will return to God. Last August 6, on Geralyn's and my 29th wedding anniversary, Padraig related a dream in which he saw the following: Next I found myself leaving a small town in county Cavan walking up a country road at night. But it was as though the star shine from the Warning was still present ;as though it was the lightest of mid summers night and I could see so clearly as though it were nearly day. Many people waled the road to my surprise.I looked through the windows of the houses lit up fully though it was very late. They had drawn up chairs for people to come calling in a state of spiritual great excitement. One large house I passed had rows of chairs drawn up, nearly like a Church in expectation of the callers. At the end of the row I looked into one house , it was one old man lived there and I felt sorry for him living on his own . But even he had chairs drawn round in a circle for callers and I knew he was a person of faith able to explain something of what the entire island, the entire world, had seen. And so it must be for us! This battle in which we struggle both interiorly and exteriorly, is our boot camp! We are in training! Let us be prepared for the harvest! Then will, 9 'The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former... Then will her Triumph and His Eucharistic Reign be ushered in: and in this place I will give peace,' declares the Lord of hosts." ...My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!' Up Arms! Alleluia! Safe in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!
Daniel 12:9 9And he said, Go your way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. 11And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. … Type, 'The stars will move, scripture' ,into google. See what you get. That's what my dream was all about.
