The best way to predict the future is to CREATE it!
The Book With No Chapters
The stories are all told with a beginning and then it is divided into chapters and finally we come to an end. Some of the best stories ended chapters with CLIFF HANGERS. Putting the reader into a state of anticipation to see what the next chapter had in store. Would the girl get run over by the train? Yeah that one has been told many times. Would the hero recover from the gunshot? Would the spaceman recover his craft in time?
And so the story goes. Those who have the time, and eyes for it may eagerly stay awake late into the night in order to find the answers in the next chapter in the story. Some are moving, heart warming. Some are scary, making the heart race. A good story teller makes the characters come alive to the point that the reader has created a visual of all of them to the point of the story becoming a part of their lives- at least for a short time. The chapters.
So much are we into our stories being told in such a format that we talk about our lives having chapters. We talk about the next chapter of our lives. We age and enter into the golden years and talk of our final chapter. We concern ourselves with how we will be viewed at the end of our story. We call it our legacy. Older folks are often asked how they would want to be remembered. Our stories suddenly become important to us- well, at least in our final chapter of life. Up till then we are simply living. We are culturally trained to, first we go to day care, then preschool, kindergarten, and 12 years of grade school then college of some sort then off to a career – married, kids, house, cars. Lot of stuff to fill in our chapters of life as the pages unfold quite rapidly and we pay little attention to the words scrolling across those pages. A birthday comes and we take a minor note as to what we wrote in that last chapter and talk about what we would like to see happen in our next chapter then, then the final chapter comes. For those of us lucky enough not to have had our life story cut short by something. It does happen. Accidents, murders, disease, and even natural disaster.
And how sad for our life story that we didn’t tune in to those words that filled each page of those chapters of our lives. Just like the book or the movie or TV show the final chapter comes. THE END! Always happens. And the better the story the more we hate to see that ending. Then there are those stories that are a drudgery to get through. The story is too long. To many details. Not exciting enough. The story does not make our heart race or raise our emotions to high levels making us cry or laugh. Yeah some of those stories- oh yes, we are invested in getting through the story, but we cant wait for it to end. With the turn of each page we keep hoping. Hoping for some excitement. Something to move us. To make us really glad we started this story. And it never comes. With the turn of each page, it is all too predictable. There are no surprises in the next paragraph or chapter. Just another story full of faceless characters doing what most all characters do in all the less than exciting books ever written.
Each chapter leading us, well, no where really. A predictable ending.
A predictable story.
Sadly that is the story of the average culturally indoctrinated life.
Nothing unpredictable. Nothing to get the heart rate up. No. Just another chapter, another turn of the page. And then the final chapter comes. The end.
So what if we didn’t divide our stories into chapters? What if we just let the story flow all the way through and let the story write itself? What if you could tell the story of your life and it was so exciting and full of life that you could not find a place to divide it into chapters?
After all we all know the end of our story. Right?
Yes many believe that the story does not end with our final breath in THIS realm. And who knows- maybe that is so. But cemeteries and graveyards are full of those whose stories ended. As the say ‘the final chapter written’- book closed with a coffin lid.
As I look back at the story of my life I find it hard to locate the start and end of chapters. My life just kind of flowed. I never stopped at any point and thought: Ok that chapter is over time to start a new one!’ I cannot ever remember having that thought. I simply got up each day excited about another adventure. Whatever I could get involved in. My life story was never about fitting in to all the other stories written by my peers or those in my culture. Far from it. My story was, well, MY STORY. Not yours, not theirs.
I could not tell the beginning of my story for I cannot remember it. Why? I was there. But like you my memories did not kick in at birth. So all that part of ME I only have from a third person view. As hard as I may try I cannot bring to mind anything of the first few years of my story to tell first person.
There is a point to be drawn from that. The point being that we live out our story seeing it from first person. Then there is all those we came in contact with during our story and they tell their side of our story. And our telling of our story may be dramatically different than the third persons telling of our story. What we tend to see in the mirror is not always a clear picture. . Some of us see every little flaws and others dim the lights and shield ourselves from the flaws in our stories. A lot of what we do is for survival. Too harsh a criticism of ourselves can lead some to depression. But that is not true of all. The chapters serve as a way for us to segment our lives. We can then say to ourselves ‘I am not that person any more!’ We have had cosmetic surgery and made ourselves look better. At least when the light it not shining to bright on us.
But what if we didn’t have chapters. What if it was all just a flowing, fluid continuum of our story. An adventure lived out moment by moment. Escaping from cultural dictates.
Ignoring what was believed and discovering what we believe.
Lets take a walk through the story of our lives. Yes, a walk. Not a 100 yard dash. Not a marathon. A casual walk taking time to see to the left and the right. Time to live out the story of our lives, not chapter by chapter but moment by moment. Grabbing ahold of each breath, each heartbeat, not being afraid to be afraid. Letting ourselves get winded from that uphill climb. Reaching out and grabbing the hand of the stranger who need help to get up that hill. Allowing others to grab our hand and pull us up. Knowing when to let go. Living each moment as if it were your last. For that last moment will come. Your final chapter will come. The end. The closing of the coffin lid. The pouring the dirt over your rotting corpse. The cold reality of our stories. For they are not chapters to divide your existence but moments to fill your story with all the excitement that makes YOU uniquely you.
Dare to live a story without chapters and give yourself reason to be excited about each moment of your life. Culture will not do that. Culture, religion, and government will divide you and clone you to be just another one of those. A story with an ending divided into chapters that are all too predictable……….
There are two kinds of “exorcisms”:
1) The first kind is called a “Solemn Exorcism”:
A Solemn Exorcism can only be performed by a priest appointed by the local bishop and tehn only with the bishop’s specific permission. Canon Law sets this requirement.
2) The second kind is called a “Simple Exorcism”:
There are some simple exorcisms that can only be done by a priest or deacon, for example in the blessing of sacramentals.
Other forms of simple exorcisms can be done by laity. For example, the famous St. Michael Prayer that used to be said after Mass is a simple exorcism.
Everytime we say, “Father, cast this demon from my presence” and other such prayers we are doing a “simple exorcism.”
Some people are called to an apostolate of helping people who may have spiritual/demonological problems and harassments but are not so severely demonized as to need a solemn exorcism from the Church.
In these lesser cases of demonization, prayerful people, usually called “Deliverance Counselors” (so as not to confuse people with the solemn/simple exorcism distinction), may be laity or clergy and essentially help the demonized person to get rid of any “hooks” in their lives that demons may be hanging onto, teach the person how to pray spiritual warfare prayers and to remain close to God and His Church, and offer intercessory prayer for them.
Under current Church law, a Deliverance Counselor MAY NOT talk directly to the demons nor directly command them. Thus, instead of something like, “I rebuke you demon of anger” we must say, rather, something like, “Father in Heaven, please rebuke this demon of anger.” We must AVOID the “I” language.
When people go to help a demonized person and pray for them it is common and efficacious to fast. This is a spiritual practice that is always prudent when dealing with evil.
Prayers:
EXORCISM OF SALT:
2. The exorcism of salt follows: God’s creature, salt, I cast out the demon from you by the living + God, by the true + God, by the holy + God, by God who ordered you to be thrown into the water-spring by Eliseus to heal it of its barrenness.May you be a purified salt, a means of health for those who believe, a medicine for body and soul for all who make use of you. May all evil fancies of the foul fiend, his malice and cunning, be driven afar from the place where you are sprinkled. And let every unclean spirit be repulsed by Him who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire. R: Amen.Let us pray.Almighty everlasting God, we humbly appeal to your mercy andgoodness to graciously bless + this creature, salt, which youhave given for mankind’s use. May all who use it find in it aremedy for body and mind. And may everything that it touches or sprinkles be freed from uncleanness and any influence of the evil spirit; through Christ our Lord. R: Amen.Exorcism of the water:God’s creature, water, I cast out the demon from you in the name of God + the Father almighty, in the name of Jesus + Christ, His Son, our Lord, and in the power of the Holy + Spirit. May you be a purified water, empowered to drive afar all power of the enemy, in fact, to root out and banish the enemy himself, along with his fallen angels. We ask this through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire. R: Amen.Let us pray.O God, who for man’s welfare established the most wonderfulmysteries in the substance of water, hearken to our prayer, andpour forth your blessing + on this element now being preparedwith various purifying rites. May this creature of yours, whenused in your mysteries and endowed with your grace, serve to cast out demons and to banish disease. May everything that this water sprinkles in the homes and gatherings of the faithful be delivered from all that is unclean and hurtful; let no breath of contagion hover there, no taint of corruption; let all the wilesof the lurking enemy come to nothing. By the sprinkling of thiswater may everything opposed to the safety and peace of theoccupants of these homes be banished, so that in calling on your holy name they may know the well-being they desire, and be protected from every peril; through Christ our Lord. R: Amen.3. Now the priest pours the salt into the water in the form of across, saying: May this salt and water be mixed together; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit. R: Amen.V: The Lord be with you.R: May He also be with you.Let us pray.God, source of irresistible might and king of an invinciblerealm, the ever-glorious conqueror; who restrain the force of the adversary, silencing the uproar of his rage, and valiantlysubduing his wickedness; in awe and humility we beg you, Lord, to regard with favor this creature thing of salt and water, to letthe light of your kindness shine upon it, and to hallow it with the dew of your mercy; so that wherever it is sprinkled and yourholy name is invoked, every assault of the unclean spirit may be baffled, and all dread of the serpent’s venom be cast out. To us who entreat your mercy grant that the Holy Spirit may be with us wherever we may be; through Christ our Lord. R: Amen.4. On Sundays after the water is blessed and before Mass begins the celebrant sprinkles the altar, himself, the ministers, and the people as prescribed in the Missal and in the ceremony of the Ritual given below.5. Christ’s faithful are permitted to take holy water home withthem to sprinkle the sick, their homes, fields, vineyards, andthe like. It is recommended too that they put it in fonts in thevarious rooms, so that they may use it to bless themselves daily and frequently.
From a separate section:8. BLESSING OF OIL – EXORCISM OF OILV:
Our help is in the name of the Lord.R: Who made heaven and earth.ExorcismGod’s creature, oil, I cast out the demon from you by God theFather + almighty, who made heaven and earth and sea, and all that they contain. Let the adversary’s power, the devil’slegions, and all Satan’s attacks and machinations be dispelledand driven afar from this creature, oil. Let it bring health inbody and mind to all who use it, in the name of God + the Father almighty, and of our Lord Jesus + Christ, His Son, and of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, as well as in the love of the sameJesus Christ our Lord, who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire. R: Amen.V: Lord, heed my prayer.R: And let my cry be heard by you.V: The Lord be with you.R: May He also be with you.Let us pray.Lord God almighty, before whom the hosts of angels stand in awe, and whose heavenly service we acknowledge; may it please you to regard favorably and to bless + and hallow + this creature, oil, which by your power has been pressed from the juice of olives.You have ordained it for anointing the sick, so that, when they are made well, they may give thanks to you, the living and trueGod. Grant, we pray, that those who will use this oil, which we are blessing + in your name, may be delivered from all suffering, all infirmity, and all wiles of the enemy. Let it be a means of averting any kind of adversity from man, made in your image and redeemed by the precious blood of your Son, so that he may never again suffer the sting of the ancient serpent; through Christ ourLord.
R: Amen
.It is sprinkled with holy water.