Aug. 18 - "They belong to the world; accordingly, their teaching belongs to the world, and the world listens to them.." - (1Jn 4:5)

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We continue the 33 Day journey towards Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary, as St. Louis de Montfort wrote it, in “True Devotion”. While we are ending this first part, our journey is far from over, in many ways. Prayerfully seeking "to empty ourselves of the sprit of the world is a “life-long battle” and we find as we continue the journey, God is giving us more grace the more we ask and seek and knock (cf Mt 7: 7-11).

Today let us listen again to God’s Word in the Apostle John’s First Letter to help us deepen our understanding of what the spirit of the world is, and thus recognize it and turn from it for it opposes the Spirit of God. We need to remember: satan deceived our first parents. He was liar from the beginning and continues to deceive human persons today. We cannot trust every spirit because we cannot trust liars. We need to keep seeking the Truth of God from God.

Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh belongs to God, and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus does not belong to God. This is the spirit of the antichrist that, as you heard, is to come, but in fact is already in the world.

You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them, for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They belong to the world; accordingly, their teaching belongs to the world, and the world listens to them. (1Jn 4:1-5)

St. Louis de Montfort gives us a good picture of satan’s method:

90… The devil, like a counterfeiter and crafty, experienced deceiver, has already misled and ruined many Christians by means of fraudulent devotions to our Lady. Day by day he uses his diabolical experience to lead many more to their doom, fooling them, lulling them to sleep in sin and assuring them that a few prayers, even badly said, and a few exterior practices, inspired by himself, are authentic devotions. A counterfeiter usually makes coins only of gold and silver, rarely of other metals, because these latter would not be worth the trouble. Similarly, the devil leaves other devotions alone and counterfeits mostly those directed to Jesus and Mary, for example, devotion to the Holy Eucharist and to the Blessed Virgin, because these are to other devotions what gold and silver are to other metals.

Tomorrow, God willing we begin Week 1 in the journey and by God’s Grace begin to seek a true knowledge of ourselves. Not only can satan and those in the world who are deceived by him lie, but we can also deceive ourselves and forgetting the beauty of humility, begin to think more of ourselves than of God.

Come Holy Spirit, teach us the fullness of Truth. Mary, Mother of the Church pray for us. Jesus we trust in You!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Stephie,

Thanks again for your “ever-Faith-Full” heart. How difficult these days are for so many, yet I believe God remains close to us, inviting us to come closer to Him. I believe our Mother Mary likewise is interceding for us that we may Listen to Him and do whatever He tells us!

May you have a blessed evening, in the “Crossing of our Mothers Arms”. I often remember that phrase from her words to St. Juan Diego when he was so worried about his sick uncle: Mary gently asked her “Juanito” (little John) as she called him:

Am I not your Mother? Are you not in the crossing of my Arms?

Mary, by God’s grace, healed his uncle.