by Sr. Catherine Marie Michael

“… forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who
                trespass against us…” (Matt6:12)



​Many saints like St. Maria Goretti, St. Monica, St. Patrick, and Pope St. John Paul II
suffered and forgave others imitating Jesus Christ who forgave on the Cross. Upon our
own journeys, if we are to become more like Jesus and share in His Resurrection, we
will experience suffering in this fallen world and have occasion to offer forgiveness. I’ve
heard it explained with a question: “how can we expect to be forgiven if we do not
forgive”? Motivated mainly by wanting to be forgiven, I think to myself that I had better
learn to forgive. Should forgiveness, however, be contingent upon my receiving some
benefit? Does forgiving as Jesus forgives, require something more?
 
Jesus, upon the Cross, forgives out of love and mercy. He is God made man in order to
redeem us from our sins that keep us apart from God’s goodness. In Christ who
divinizes, we might love without limits, without contingencies. Forgiveness is then an act
of love, offering those who trespass against us, God’s compassion, and mercy. In other
words, for us sinners who are in need of mercy, forgiveness expresses thankfulness for
God’s mercy, and further, the desire for all to receive His abundant, healing mercy and
love.

Many of us, when acknowledging our hurt or brokenness, might not yet feel ready to
forgive if the hurt continues, or we might bear a grudge out of bitterness or spite. It’s
important to notice that Jesus teaches us to forgive in the context of knowing God
as our Father. If we are secure in our conviction that we are sons and daughters of
God, our strength and confidence come through the Son who reveals the Truth, all that
we need for our salvation, not from worldly pride that stems from a false notion that we
can be self-sufficient gods without God (CCC 398, see Luke 15:31-32). Concerned with
being close to the Son, adhering to His commands, giving thanks for His Eucharistic
presence which divinizes and makes us His handiwork (Eph 2:10), and living with the
certainty of His Kingdom, we are no longer obsessed with our perceived place in this
world. We can then walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8) and with the help of the Holy
Spirit, show compassion and pray for those who do not understand what they are doing
(Luke 23:34, Matt 5:44), those who, in insecurity, become captive and conformed to this
passing world (Rom 12:2).

Christ, on the other hand, teaches us to walk upon the heights (Hab 3:19) as we journey
towards becoming saints and what God intended for us. In a way then, forgiveness can
affirm our intention to let go and not be conformed to the world, and to thankfully live in
Christ. We might then have the grace to forgive seventy times seven times (Matt 18:22).


CCC= Catechism of the Catholic Church

                                               By Brother Pio Benedict
​
​We've just past through the month of October,  that time of year when we see numerous stories of ghosts, goblins, vampires all in celebration of Halloween.  Stories that are  meant to scare the hell out of us. 

This year we even have a new theatrical version of "The Exorcist".   A movie made with that intention in mind and with all the special effects and gore.  But, what truly is an exorcism?  

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd edition, sect 1673) states "When the church asks publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and withdrawn from his dominion, it is called exorcism. Jesus performed exorcisms and from him the Church has received the power and office of exorcizing.  In a simple form exorcism is performed at Baptism.   The solemn exorcism,  called "a major exorcism " can be performed only by a priest and with permission of the bishop... .  Exorcism is directed at the expulsion of demons or to the liberation from demonic possession through the spiritual authority which Jesus entrusted to his Church."

In the words of Fr. Gabriele Amorth, a prolific and famous exorcist from Italy,  in his book titled "An Exorcist Explains the Demonic:  The Antics of Satan and his Army of Fallen Angels", "It is important to note that exorcism is included among the sacramentals, which according to the Catechism, are "Sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments.  They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through  the intercession  of the Church"... .  They are in effect spiritual aids, similar to but not as strong as the seven sacraments and almost extensions of them."  (p. 93)  He states further that "a person affected by possession desires to be liberated from the Influence of the demon and as a result will ask to be exorcised." (p. 98)

Fr. Vincent Lampert, the exorcist for the diocese of Indianapolis in his book, "Exorcism:  The Battle Against Satan and His Demons" states "in an exorcism Jesus is not a bystander-he is the Main Actor... the priest who trained me left me with these final words, "When you're doing an exorcism never think for a split moment , wow, look at what I'm doing, you've just walked on unholy ground.  The focus must never be on the exorcist.  The focus is always on Jesus Christ and his power and authority." " (p. 14).

So during our dark, current days, evil is present all around us with horrible acts being committed daily.  Prophesized in 1976 Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, who would later become Pope John Paul ll,  saw the future of the church when he commented to the Eucharistic Congress stating "...We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-church, between the gospel and the anti-gospel, between Christ and the antichrist. The confrontation lies within the plans of Divine Providence. It is, therefore, in God's Plan, and it must be a trial which the Church must take-up, and face courageously...".  As Pope, John Paul ll ordered that every diocese have an exorcist and even performed three exorcisms himself.

Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and the other evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.




     
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