Friday, October 11, 2013

2nd Michaelmas 2008, Light Without Deception

2nd 3rd or 4th Michaelmas
Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, 6:10-19

What it comes to in the end is this: grasp the power that streams to you in the experience of Christ in the soul and in the powerful regency of his pure spiritual strength.
Put on the power of God as one puts on full armor, so that you may stand against the well-aimed attacks of the adversary. For our struggle is not to fight against powers of flesh and blood, but against
Michael, Roland Tiller
spirit beings mighty in the stream of time,
against spirit beings powerful in the molding of earth substance,
against cosmic powers whose darkness rules the present time,
against spirits who carry evil into the realms of the spiritual world.

Therefore take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand your ground on the day when evil unfolds its greatest strength, and victoriously withstand it.
Stand firm, then, girded with the truth, like a warrior firmly girded. Connect yourself with all in the world as is justified in the spiritual world, and this connection with the spirit will protect you like a strong breastplate.
And may Peace stream through you, down to your feet, so that on your path you spread peace, as the message that comes from the realm of the angels.
In all your deeds have trust in God. This trust will be like a mighty shield; with it you can quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Take into your thinking the certainty of Christ’s healing deed. It will protect your head like a helmet.
And the spirit, which has become living in you, you shall grasp as one grasps a sharp sword. The sword of the spirit is the working of the Word of God.
May this armor clothe you in all your prayers and supplications, so that in the right moment you raise yourself in prayer to the spirit, and at the same time practice wakefulness in inner loyalty.
Feel yourself united in prayer with all other bearers of the spirit—also with me, Paul, so that the power of the word will be given to me when I am to courageously bring the knowledge of that holy mystery which lives in the message of the gospel.



2nd Michaelmas Sunday
October 12, 2008
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, 6:10 – 19

How timely the Gospel reading in this year! Our great spiritual enemies, spiritual beings who would shoot our souls full of fear and despair, are on the attack. Paul encourages us to fight a spiritual battle. It is not a battle of aggression, for it is not our task (it is not even possible) to destroy our eternal enemy. Rather we are to arm ourselves for our own souls’ self-defense, so that we can resist the fear and remain inwardly upright.

We shield ourselves from these attacks of fear by remaining in trust and truth. This truth we acquire by remaining in the current moment, the Now, which is ruled by the Christ. For the truth is that fear often causes us to project a false picture into the future, which, in a vicious cycle, then inspires more fear. The truth is that the future is constantly changing, moment by moment, day by day, based on what human beings do in those moments and days. We are all involved in the process of creating the future, day by day, moment by moment. Any fixed picture of the future, hammered hard by constant discussion and steeped in worry generated by fear, is premature.

“Do not worry about tomorrow,” says Christ, “for tomorrow can worry about itself. Each day has enough challenge of its own.” Matthew 6:34  We act, we trust, we pray, one day, one moment at a time.

We must not underestimate the power of the light-filled energy that is generated by our prayers and sacraments, even when only an apparent few participate on earth. Behind each one of us stand all those who have died, who still take an active interest in their loved ones on earth. Mingling with them are those about to be born into the world, with their ideals and hopes. And above them all stands the angelic world. Deeds of prayer and sacrament generate a healing light, a bright energy. Given into the hands of the angels, this energy can work as a positive force in world karma, helping shape the future.  Michael and his host of angels beckon us toward the courage and trust that arises in our awareness of this truth.
Roland Tiller

A second century mystic wrote:

If you would pray in truth, you will
suspect a deeper sense of curious confidence.
And a host of angels will walk beside you
Showing you the purpose of created things.

When the angel of the Lord arrives,
he scatters by his word alone
every force that acts against us,
and brings to our spirits that light
that shines without deception.[1]




[1] Evagrios of Pontos, (345 – 399) “Effusions on Prayer,” in Love’s Immensity, Mystics on the Endless Light,  Scott Cairns, p. 56

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