Be set free...

Yesterday's Gospel showed Jesus' authority. By merely speaking, "Quiet. Come out," the demons were gone...

I write this morning from bedrest- the beautiful and tortuous order from my obgyn because Mary Clare seems to be trying to escape before she's done baking. A few injections and an ultrasound over the weekend stopped the "bad" contractions and revealed that the conditions in the oven are still conducive to baking... I say that contractions are bad because as many of you know, when you're in real labor, bad contractions are good because they are doing their job. In my case over the weekend, the contrations were (what this little weenie of a sufferer considers) epidural worthy, but weren't "doing anything" (to spare in extra details) and were too early to be so intense. Ergo, they were bad.  There, I've justified an epidural in the future. Done.

Now, the reason for this post...

During his homily yesterday, our precious pastor asked a question for reflection: what demons hold you captive? From what do you need to be set free?

This (being the only thing that I heard during the homily) really struck me, and I found myself asking the question all day. I reflected last night on what my answers were, and knowing the true power that Scripture holds... a sword to fight the real battle that is raging in our world today, I decided to dig into what Scripture has to say about my demons that hold me captive at times. I would like to share them with you (just in case you care to know me a little better than you did at the beginning of this post and just in case these also hold you captive) I pray that my openess to share my weakness with the weapon of Scripture will set you free!

First, I will pray an exerpt from St Therese's morning offering: I desire to sactify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to HIS infinite merits; and I wish to make reparation for my sins by casting them into the furnace of His merciful love..."

Here goes...

1) "Laziness of Speech" was the way God put it when He revealed this weakness of mine, but we all know is as "Potty mouth Mama" ...

Col 4:6 "Let your speech by always with grace..."
Col  3:8 "Put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, and obscene language out of your mouths..."
Matt 15:18 "But those things which come out of the mouth defile a person..."
James 3:10 "Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing... these things need not be so."

2) Anger

See Col 3:8
Eph 4:26 "Be angry, but let it be without sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not leave room for the devil." ( I love this one)
Eph 4:30 (really this whole little section is full of good nuggets) "All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you.. be kind to one another..."

3) Fear - this one really grips me, and I am unable to move in any direction. Darn you, Satan, you know how much this one gets me... you jackass (see problem number 1)

Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, I am with you... I will strengthen you and hold you. I will help you."
1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your fears on Him because He cares for you."
Phil 4:6,7 "Have no anxiety at all; but instead with prayer and petition, make your needs known to God."
Psalm 34:4 "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and He delivered me from all my fears."

These were three of my weaknesses that grip me, and I know that I know that I know that Godd doesn't want ANY walls between He and I ... I pray to be set free, and I pray the you will feel like freedom is His desire for you as well...