Bishop Morlino to Speak at St. Mary of Pine Bluff. Calls for Spiritual Warfare

by Fr Richard Heilman | December 11, 2017 6:06 PM

Please join us this Friday night, December 15, for an “Evening with Bishop Morlino.” The night begins with 6:00pm Adoration and Confession, 7:00pm – Bishop speaks, 8:00pm – Benediction. Social to follow.

Sign-up here (for a head count for the social): SIGN-UP[1]

Recently, in his weekly column, Bishop Morlino asked his entire diocese to begin offering prayers to defeat evil in the world. Specifically, Bishop asked for intercessions against evil, during the Mass, and to have the General Intercessions conclude with the St. Michael Prayer.

This whole idea of spiritual warfare has been a steady theme with our good bishop, especially more in recent times. We are expecting a rousing talk, this Friday, that will inspire all of us to engage in this spiritual battle.

Bishop Morlino writes[2] …

This world is not the way God intended it.

 

The sin of our first parents (Adam and Eve) changed that for everyone. And just as the rebellious fallen angels, led by Lucifer himself, were at work, encouraging Adam and Eve to choose something other-than-God then, the “Ancient Serpent” remains at work in our world to this day, encouraging each of us to that which is other-than-God and other-than-His-plan.

 

And while we know that Jesus Christ, through His obedience in suffering and death, and through His glorious Resurrection, has defeated sin and death once and for all, we also know that this world has not yet experienced the deliverance which will come with the creation of the new heavens and the new earth.

 

Christ’s victory is thus “already” and “not yet.” And so, we continue to toil and to struggle as a pilgrim Church, awaiting the second coming of the Lord, and inviting all to meet Him and to know His plan for their salvation, for their joy and peace.

 

It is therefore our duty to pray and to work for the coming of Christ’s Kingdom. (And we should be all the more mindful of this need to pray for Christ’s coming during the Season of Advent, in which we recall Christ’s coming in the first place.)

 

It is our duty to pray and to work for the triumph of good in our world, for the triumph of Christ the King, and it is our duty to pray and to work for the casting out of evil, and for the binding and casting of the one who is called the enemy of our human nature and the father of lies, so that all that is not of God might be defeated.

 

The power of our prayer in this regard is certainly a great mystery, and yet as Catholics, we believe strongly in the efficacy of our petitions to the Father. We know that He hears our cries for help, and we know that our submitting to His will and our reliance on His help is, in itself, an act of faith that is pleasing to Him.

 

And so, I have asked for a particular petition or petitions to be added into the General Intercessions at all Sunday and Solemnity Masses, and for the petitions to be offered always to the Father and through the Son, but also with a particular prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, who in Scripture is called “the great prince,” and “guardian of [God’s] people (Daniel 12:1).” And who, through Scripture, we see as the great warrior angel who defeats Satan himself and drives him into hell.

 

Thus, as a local Church, we will intensify our prayers for the particular intention of the defeat of evil in this world and for the triumph of good.

You can read the entire article HERE[3].

Please don’t miss this amazing evening with Bishop Morlino, this Friday, December 15.

Source URL: https://romancatholicman.com/wp/bishop-morlino-speak-st-mary-pine-bluff-calls-spiritual-warfare/

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