Deliver US... Part 2:

Fr. Joe at his celebration of mass always, after Communion recites the prayer to St. Michael.

Satan wants us to think he's not real so we don't expect the attack. But the battle is real. Trying to sow doubt is a main weapon of the Devil. He will show us the reasons why we are not good enough to do what God wants us to do.  

Our greatest choice is to choose and embrace love. Choosing God means that we try to live only for Him and that we accept His gifts of love and forgiveness. God strengthens us against evil. 
The "Our Father" has great power to dispel evil forces. Deliver us from evil simply means, asking Gods help. Jesus was tormented every bit of the way to being crucified. Hell threw its rage. One realizes it when one prays on the wounds inflicted on Jesus and when one makes ‘The way of the Cross’(If for some reason you cannot be in the Church-that is okay, but picture it in your head-walk with Jesus.). This is the truth the devil never wants us to know, for if we did know what hell was really inflicted on Jesus, and how Jesus bore everything for love of us, we would see ourselves in a different manner altogether and we would understand that the enemy wants only our destruction. Jesus is for us.

Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.  
Jesus Himself was tested in the wilderness by Satan. Jesus asks the Father not to allow His people to face an insurmountable test in which our enemy tempts us to sin. “but deliver us from evil” - we should pray for protection against Satan and to not be exposed to a time of testing in which we will face the fury of the Devil’s assault. When we are faced with temptation and evil, let us implore the Lord for rescue.
Satan is called the accuser of the brethren - because he likes to make us feel as if God has not forgiven us. 

Human beings are naturally evil. Mark 7:21-23 says, "For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery,  coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man." The Devil uses these weak spots to tempt us.

No matter what tricks Satan uses, God is stronger. Christ, self–sacrifice has broken evil's hold. And by dying on the cross, He did deliver us from evil.

Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dream. Paul Coelho.

I am weak but I do find my strength and peace, in the wounds of Jesus. I go through with Jesus recalling all His wounds. At each stop (at each torment) I tell Jesus, how much I love Him and how sorry I really am on behalf of others and on my behalf. There are times I want to kiss every wound of Jesus. I kiss the Cross. I want to help carry the Cross and I want Him to know how sorry I am for my wretched ways, my wretched thoughts. 

Though there be a catastrophe and the devil lays his snare, I cannot fall, for my feet are planted on firm rock. I have sinned and as I recall the wounds of the Lord - I remember: Isaiah 53:5 states: But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Jesus was flogged and tormented. HE was sentenced to death by crucifixion. The scourging produced deep lacerations and blood loss. Jesus was too weakened to carry the cross to Golgotha. At the site of crucifixion, His wrists and His feet were nailed to the Cross. 

The 15 secret tortures of Jesus (above picture):- when you read it for the first time, it is difficult to comprehend that anyone would cause someone so much of torment. And yet that is what Jesus is inflicted with. It is not just mere men who did this to Jesus, but the force of evil at work.

Satan is determined to insure that humanity would not have a chance for redemption. He began in the Garden with the temptation put to Adam and Eve, but was himself defeated by Jesus and Mary. The temptation in the desert is the beginning of the end of the enemy, who was definitively conquered by the Cross.

I don’t know but maybe you can recall any instance in your life, when you may have refused to help someone (for whatever reason) and then maybe that person retaliated in a revengeful way or may have been nasty towards you. Sometimes it could be our close associates who put obstacles on our path so that we won’t be able to achieve what we are so close to achieve. It’s human nature to throw things in a fit of rage. It’s human to want what we want and want it our way. We give in to the evil within us. The devil tried and failed to tempt Jesus, in the wilderness.

The devil threw everything he could possibly at Jesus, every torment that he had up his sleeve. He did everything to humiliate, but Jesus is teaching us to be humble, not because we are to lose but when faced with adversity and when humiliated it is then we must be most sure of victory. With every torment, Jesus knew He was close to accomplishing VICTORY!

As for me, I know the heart of the Lord abounds in mercy. They pierced His hands and feet and opened His side with a spear. Blood and water gushed out: as a sign of His infinite love and mercy. I remember: John 19:34 states: But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. At the crucifixion, a young soldier, Longinus, thrust a spear into the Heart of Jesus. Water spilled forth and Blood followed washing and giving Longinus the grace of conversion. Having been touched by Our Lord's Sacred Heart, Longinus became a martyr. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is open and ready to receive all. How we respond to that invitation is dependent on how much we love.

The sword pierced and came close to His heart. Through these sacred wounds we see His great love and compassion. He bore it all for love. He lay down His life so that we may live a life to eternity. Left to ourselves we were doomed. And if the Lord’s mercies are from all ages, I too will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. I remember: Romans 5:20 states: But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

St. Bernard asked Our Lord which was His greatest suffering and Our Lord answered, "I had on my shoulder while I bore My cross on the Way of Sorrows a grievous wound which was more painful than the others which is not recorded by men."

The Hope of Christ remains, no matter what calamity may come. Thank God... for a Good-Friday because Easter Sunday is the answer to everything that a Good Friday stood for.

Mary, felt every pain and every humiliation and every ridicule heaped upon Jesus by the crowds. As I make this journey with Jesus, from His heart-may I feel the walk of love to mine..

The First Station: Jesus Is Condemned To Death
To understand what it meant for Jesus to be condemned to death. To be silent and steadfast and to be calm when all seems lost. Be willing to be deprived of all things. To die to one-self is to die to the world and all its vain glory. 

The Second Station: Jesus Carries His Cross
Jesus bled. The thorns went deep into the Head. There were lacerations all over. My aching heart wants to be with You-but I have not the words. Perhaps, I could lay my hand on Your wounds. Perhaps, to let You know, however undeserving and wretched creature that I am, I do love You with all my heart and I want to share in Your pain. I am Yours, forever.

The Third Station:  Jesus Falls the First Time
Sometimes we hurt too much and the pressure gets us down. It is only when I fall that I come to remember – that Your Cross was heavy too. You fell beneath it's weight. Teach me to understand and feel Your pain. Let me walk with You, teach me how, I love You, Jesus.

When I fall and I feel the taste of failure, help me to focus on You and not the fall. Teach me to remember that ‘Our greatest glory, consists not in never falling but in rising every time we fall. 

The Fourth Station: Jesus Meets His Sorrowful Mother
My sweet Jesus, You suffer terribly at the hands of the most merciless of men. Not a word of contempt passes from Your mouth. Your every intention is for the good of all. As Mary, watches, this must fill her heart with love. Mary understood Your humility and obedience in Your surrender to the Father’s will. With every fall, every drop of blood, every lash of the whip,  Mary suffered silently with You.
We learn from Mary to trust in Divine Providence. Everything is always in the Hands of God.

The Fifth Station: Simon Helps Jesus Carry His Cross 

When troubles come may we be humble like Jesus, to recognize the person God sends our way.

Simon was a passerby; he was told to carry the Cross but was reluctant. He did not know Jesus. But God shows us through Simon of Cyrene that we may for that matter-be an unknown. But Jesus, allows a perfect stranger in. For Simon, it was a God ordained moment. Simon did not know how blessed he really was. Trouble is we all have this notion that if something big doesn’t happen in our lives then we think our lives make very little sense. But all Simon had to do was just be there. Today the Church remembers him in a big way. He is written down as the man who helped Jesus carry the Cross. What God has written - IN - Don’t switch it - OFF.

We are redeemed by the power of the CROSS.

The Sixth Station: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus 
The presence of the one we love besides us strengthens us in ways that is unimaginable. The people ridiculed Jesus. The soldiers pushed Him, punched Him at times. Jesus faced a lot of brutality. The heart of Jesus did not harden, but was overcome with love and compassion towards all.
Help me Jesus, to always remember to be kind to the people who ridicule me! Help me to always ask for that help.
Ingratitude of the people breaks the heart of Jesus. It worsens the pain. And when Veronica walks toward Jesus and wipes His face, she eases His aching heart. You are touched by love and the generosity of the heart and her gentle ways. You reward her kindness with the image of Your Face upon the cloth! Veronica was not afraid to show the world she loved You..

The Seventh Station: Jesus Falls A Second Time
People mocked and ridiculed and Jesus took it in His stride. As human the hurt got to You and You fall the second time.

Sometimes I am tempted to judge people based on the things I see. I understand that silence and love for the ones that hurt us are the most necessary blocks that we must build within us when everything says otherwise. 

The Eighth Station: The women of Jerusalem weep over Jesus. 
When our heart is moved by compassion, when tears sometimes come to our eyes, when we feel the need of comforting words – let us look up to Jesus. 
Jesus does not disregard the concern shown by the women. But He is now concerned for the sufferings about to befall the daughters of Jerusalem: “Do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” Jesus is distressed at the grief that is about to overtake those mothers once God’s just intervention bursts in upon the people. 
It is human to think only of ourselves when we suffer. But Jesus saw the women weeping and consoled them. 

The Ninth Station:  Jesus Falls the Third Time 
We all fall. Troubles come and one finds oneself being most alone. You carried the Cross, Jesus – You fall the third time.
Many people have tried quitting alcohol and drugs but they  find it too difficult to give up. Some people at some point in life end their life tragically. Some people face psychological problems (schizophrenia, psychosis and other depressions) relating to the mind and are not able to cope with life. In their weakness oh Lord, be their strength. Through the humiliation of this third fall, give them the courage and perseverance to take up their Cross and follow You. Help them overcome.

One day at a time sweet Jesus
That's all I'm asking from you.
Just give me the strength
To do everyday what I have to do.
Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine.
Lord help me today, show me the way
One day at a time. 

The Tenth Station:  Jesus is Stripped of His Garments 

Luke 9:23 - And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 

Jesus is stripped off His garments, simply means that Jesus is treated as an outcast. At the foot of the Cross, the soldiers draw lots to divide His clothes. Jesus on the road to Emmaus told His disciples: that everything takes place, ‘according to the Scriptures’. 

Have mercy on us, Oh Lord! Clothe us in the light of your grace.

The Eleventh Station: Jesus is nailed to the Cross 

John 15:13 - Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 

When you love somebody, you would die for the one you love. God loves us so much that He sent His only Son. God chooses to save every one. Everybody is invited to His Kingdom.

Teach me to keep my arms ever open to love, to forgive and to be of service.

 

 

The Twelfth Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross 

There are the two men condemned to death who are beside Jesus. The criminal, called the ‘good thief’, is converted at the final hour of his life: He says “Jesus, remember me when you enter into your kingdom!” The reply of Jesus is quick: “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”   

“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Jesus, as He breathes His last, does not cease to be the Son of God. Jesus utters "It is finished"; and He bows His head and gives up His spirit. In the very powerlessness of His death, In His humiliation and complete obedience He opens the door to life and reveals Himself as the Lord and King of the world. Redemption was accomplished!

The Thirteenth Station: Jesus is Taken Down From the Cross 

Jesus is dead. The greatest act of love and the most successful mission accomplished was when all seemed lost..

Jesus' legs are not broken, like those of the two men crucified with Him. It is written not one of His bones will be broken. Under the Cross stand Mary, His Mother, Mary Magdalen and the disciple whom He loved. A member of the Sanhedrin, Nicodemus also is present. A wealthy man, Joseph of Arimathea, buries Jesus in his own empty new tomb, in a garden.

The Fourteenth Station:  Jesus is Laid in the Sepulcher
Jesus was laid to rest in an unused tomb provided by Joseph of Arimathea. Jesus lived a life to accomplishing His Father's Will. When we accept the CROSS with love, we will change with no effort on our path and we will have a better understanding to the ways of God. 

How Great Thou Art  
O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

And when I think of God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And lead me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow with humble adoration,
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And then proclaim, "My God, how great Thou art!"
 

Part 2: Deliver Us... to continue ....

Part 3: http://godofimpossibles.blogspot.in/2017/04/part-3-continuation-to-deliver-us.html