Never been wounded? This post isn’t for you. Real people are invited to stay.
Today I recommend, for your comfort and enlightenment, a series of talks by Father Chad Ripperger, on healing spiritual and psychological wounds. Father Ripperger, the author of Dominion, is a scholar in the philosophy of Saint Thomas Aquinas, a Thomist, and a veteran exorcist for the Roman Catholic Church. A handy combination, he maintains, since he finds demons to be Thomistic in their thinking and, more importantly, in the laws that the Lord places them, and us, under.
Who was Saint Thomas Aquinas? He was a Dominican monk and theologian who lived from 1225 to 1274 and wrote the Summa Theologica (“Summary of Theology”), fusing Aristotle, scripture, and the early Christian Fathers. His work requires training to appreciate, the vocabulary is deceptively familiar to us, but with technical facets a modern student would never appreciate on their own. Fortunately, father is gifted in presenting Thomistic concepts to modern audiences.
We are under continual spiritual attack from our own institutions and culture. Right down to the universal dismissal of the spiritual, and for when that fails, the promotion of modern spiritualism. My first real exposure to modern experientialist spiritualism came when a medium, a proud, enthusiastic explorer of the hidden world of the occult, in total ignorance summoned a demon in my presence. I credit them both with the death of any skepticism I might have had. (For more on the dark absurdities of modern spiritualism, I recommend starting with Robert H. Bennett’s book, Afraid.) In a world where so many dark forces are rubbing salt into so many wounds for the detriment of all (but themselves, or so they think), these talks can serve as an important curative.
Finally, brethren, be strengthened in the Lord and in the might of his power. Put you on the armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places. Therefore, take unto you the armour of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day and to stand in all things perfect. — Ephesians 6:10-13
Have a blessed Lord’s Day, and may His peace be with you.
It is easy for intelligent and engaged citizens to have been caught up in the apparent spirit of the age. I even had an aged, beloved family member who, after a lifetime of dismissing any information coming from a politician, suddenly citing the Republican “Morning” Joe Scarborough (her phrasing, not mine) as a source of truth and wisdom. While he repeated the most ludicrous talking points. The only source of information worse than a politician is a retired politician who has sold his reputation for a media gig. In her defense, she was suffering a long illness and television was her only reliable distraction. A retired friend from church was in a similar state, but she even recognized she was torturing herself. She watched the media all day, becoming more and more anxious and angry as she did so. It is common knowledge that 9/11 served as a live experiment in captivating audiences through the manipulation of fear and anger, with CNN becoming a big winner in the never-let-them-go jackpot. I reminded her of that, and that corporate media, whether it’s the alphabet soup or the WallPoTimes, is the most unreliable news source because of the Narrative. In the Internet Age, it is easy to set up an RSS news reader to watch a couple of hundred sources of all types to proof stories. Be willing to check local news organs, preferably before corporate has time to reach down and sanitize, and the heavy hand of the narrative at the MSM level is as undeniable as it is twisted. But you guys know this. We’ve taken this trip together.
We are the target of a massive disinformation campaign. An overarching psyop. YouTube, Twitter and FaceBook are the idiot division, so clumsy and obvious in their Stalinist efforts that everyone knows they are lying clowns laying down sniper cover for the study stream of disinformation. They are conspiring now to murder infants now with the jab, despite their radical absence of risk from the disease. And, of course, there are the show trials. But this is not an outrage post, quite the opposite. While the Left burns down their cities, and people leave, and encourage massive looting, and stores leave, there are these pesky Americans. Visiting family, making a career amid the disruption, raising their children, being harassed by federal authorities for attending school board meetings (because that’s what Democrats do, but I digress, no outrage porn, no outrage porn). They are living their lives, working, attending church, volunteering at the food bank for the benefit those neighbors trampled by a heartless and corrupt Biden machine. They aren’t triggered. The grossly unnecessary psychological damage caused by federal malfeasance in the name of pandemic notwithstanding, and there is a lot of it and it is tragic, has not defeated the soul of the American people.
I was at breakfast after church the other week. It’s my routine, bacon and eggs to chase down the eucharist. The diner is very nice, serving a very diverse clientele. On mornings when I have not gotten to it beforehand, I quietly say my Auxilium Christianorum in the chatter and clatter of the morning while waiting for my order. Now, this is in an area where the biggest signal radio station is a people of color focused station that is the very negative image of Rush Limbaugh, both in content and presentation, hammering out their vision of an identity pathologically indigestible by the melting pot. They play public- service announcements pushing home schooling to assure children receive the full benefit of a proper Critical Theory education, advertise shows about the heroic adventures of Howard Zinn and Saul Alinsky. All day, all night. This place must be a hotbed of racial strife and resentment. Or so some would like it to be. And it is in the heart of this target of anger and division that, as I was finishing my eggs (easy over, using the toast to sop up the yolks) a family walks past my table and a girl, no more than seven, stops and turns to me, saying, “This is for you.”
She scurries to catch up with her family and is out the door, leaving me with the napkin below.
Yes, her family were people of color, and I, as a person of pallor, am worthy only of stoning according to the genocidal dictates of Critical Theorist accusers. Don’t take my word for it, just turn on your radio. But this young girl is inoculated from the hate-mongers by the blood of the Lamb. Lord bless her and the faithful that raise her, and the many like her. The darkness will not win in the end. It is a test of the faithful, the Church Militant. Remember to don your armor of God, my friends. And remember your prayers.
In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God: and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made. In him was life: and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness: and the darkness did not comprehend it. — John 1:1-5
Happy Lord’s Day this third of July, may He bless you all. And to steal a friend and teacher’s tagline, may America bless God.
