In the War on Terror: Time to Say "NO" to Political Correctness and "YES" to Prayer

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IT MAKES SENSE TO ME

By Larry Peterson

“I asked the Lord, with the help of all my faith, to come to my aid, to come and help us forgive you.”

The quote above comes from an 18 year-old student who lives in Paris. I do not know her name. On the Monday morning after the Friday of Satan, she left class and stopped at a cafe for a cup of coffee. The headline of the newspaper read, Sorrow and Rage. She thought, “What should I do?”

So she wrote this  beautiful letter and I believe her words and actions flowed freely from  the very depths of her God-filled heart. (Please click on the link (letter) and see how God’s grace can move a person, any person, to shout His message to the world.)

I also believe she has unintentionally demonstrated to the entire peace-loving world that our most powerful weapon available in the war on terror is prayer. I know we pray for world peace in our churches on Sundays and in our homes, or maybe by ourselves; but this weapon is available to us all. It costs nothing, requires no munitions factories or raw materials, and does not have to be safeguarded or transported carefully. Where weapons of destruction are designed to destroy and obliterate lives prayer has the power to change, transform and convert bad to good and hate to love. Prayer can conquer evil….bombs, bullets and chemicals CANNOT. 

The secular world has been rejecting this most potent weapon as outdated and a relic of the past. It is NOT. This is what we must pull back to the forefront, not randomly or incidentally or alone when we can, but together. We need a unified and all out assault on Satanic fueled terrorism and evil using prayer as the infantry rifle in the hands of every believer all over the world. This is how we can help to crush the serpent’s slimy head. This is the answer to peace. Prayer–followed by physical action if necessary.

Leadership for this new D (Demonic)-Day should start with Pope Francis who can instruct the bishops the world over to orchestrate simultaneous prayer events around the planet every day. The Bishops can instruct their parish pastors and priests to gather their flocks together. This prayer assault can be taken up with all Protestants and Jews and even the “nones” who do not recognize any religion. If the secularists object—too bad.

A bit of history relating to the power of prayer. On October 7, 1571, the most significant, crucial and profound naval battle ever fought took place. Known as The Battle of Lepanto, this is the battle that saved the Christian West from an impending defeat by the Ottoman Turks. Vastly outnumberd with ships and men, the victory at Lepanto prevented the Christian world from being taken over by Islam.  So how does prayer fit into the Battle of Lepanto?                                     

Pope St. Pius V had formed what is known as the Holy League, combining  the maritime nations of Europe so as to be able to defend themselves against the Ottoman Turks. Prior to the Battle of Lepanto the Holy Father ordered the rosary to be said throughout Europe. The Pope led a candlelight  rosary procession through Rome the night before the battle. In addition, all the men with the fleet prayed the rosary. The resulting victory was attributed to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To this very day October 7 is celebrated as The Feast of the Most Holy Rosary aka The Feast of Our Lady of Victory.

Unfortunately, most Americans have not even heard of the Battle of Lepanto. The possibility that the West could be under  Islamic rule today was just one day and thousands of prayed rosaries away. It never happened. It seems that some serious prayer might be once again in order. Political correctness be damned–The power of prayer is the key to crushing ISIS, Boko-Haram, Al-Queda, Hezbollah and all the rest of these Satanic fueled barbarians. We ALL need to get busy praying.

                                            ©Larry Peterson 2015 All Right Reserved

Time to Pause, take a Breath and Give Thanks to HIM.

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IT MAKES SENSE TO ME

by Larry Peterson

The simplicity of the Thanksgiving Holiday captured my spirit decades ago. This is the one day of the year where we, as Americans, just stop everything and take a breath from the year gone by to say THANK YOU to God. We gather with family or friends or maybe even with strangers in a food center who become our new friends, and share the bounty He has so graciously bestowed upon us. All we have to do is “show up”. You do not even  have to bring gifts. Just bring a thankful heart and a smile on your face. It doesn’t get any better than that. I love it.

So I would like to wish anyone who might read this a God filled and beautiful Thanksgiving Day. I am posting two Thanksgiving prayers that fit the occasion.
__________________________________________________________________________

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
by  Walter Rauschenbusch
O God, we thank you for this earth, our home;
For the wide sky and the blessed sun,
For the salt sea and the running water,
For the everlasting hills
And the never-resting winds,
For trees and the common grass underfoot.
We thank you for our senses
By which we hear the songs of birds,
And see the splendor of the summer fields,
And taste of the autumn fruits,
And rejoice in the feel of the snow,
And smell the breath of the spring.
Grant us a heart wide open to all this beauty;
And save our souls from being so blind
That we pass unseeing
When even the common thornbush
Is aflame with your glory,
O God our creator,
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

 From Living God’s Justice: Reflections and Prayers, compiled by The Roundtable Association of Diocesan Social Action Directors
IN GRATITUDE
Thank you, Father, for having created us and given us to each other in the human family. Thank you for being with us in all our joys and sorrows, for your comfort in our sadness, your companionship in our loneliness. Thank you for yesterday, today, tomorrow and for the whole of our lives. Thank you for friends, for health and for grace. May we live this and every day conscious of all that has been given to us.


 From The Catholic Prayer Book, compiled by Msgr. Michael Buckley.

SATAN: the Supreme Commander of ISIS

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IT MAKES SENSE TO ME

by Larry Peterson

At 12:30 p.m. on August 31, 1939, Adolf Hitler made a decision.  He issued the order that was to plunge the entire world into its bloodiest war ever:  This is the order that started World War II

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE
ARMED FORCES
MOST SECRET

Berlin, August 31, 1939: Directive No.1 for the Conduct of the War;
1) Now that all the political possibilities of disposing by peaceful
means of a situation which is intolerable for Germany are exhausted, I
have determined on a solution by force.
2) The attack on Poland is to be carried out;
Date of attack: September 1, 1939.
Time of attack:  4:45 a.m. *
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The order was signed by Hitler and for the next six years the world would experience an unimaginable evil  that would cause such brutality, carnage and death it gave a complete new meaning to a heretofore biblical word.  That word was Holocaust.  (I view the words Holocaust and Genocide as synonyms.)

During the 20th century Genocide(s) claimed the lives of tens of millions of people.  Joseph Stalin, the brutal Soviet dictator and our “ally” during World War II, probably killed more people than Hitler and his primary means of execution was starvation.  Yup, “old Joe” was quite the guy.  Between 1932 and 1933 alone, Stalin actually starved over 7,000,000 of his OWN people to death.  By the time he died he had killed 25,000,000 people.  Now we are in the 21st century. What has changed?   Genocide continues in the most brutal fashion.  From North Korea to the Middle East to the African continent, genocide is claiming the lives of men , women and children by the thousands.  And God help us all,  most of the current human butchery is done under the banner of virtue:  “Praise Allah”.   How sick and evil is that?

I just used the word evil.  When I use that word I am not simply referring to something morally wrong or harmful or basically wicked.  When I use the word evil I am referencing Satan, the devil himself.  He is known by other names such as Lucifer, Beelzebub, Asmodeus, Leviathan, etc.  I must be clear so make no mistake; I believe (as do millions more) that Satan does exist and that he is spreading his unending and incomparable vitriolic hatred all over the world.  He is also cunning enough to use modern day communication techniques to advertise his  demonocity.

I write under the masthead of  IT MAKES SENSE TO ME.   It follows that what I write does, in fact, “make sense to me”.  I am a Catholic man and my faith is part of my very being.  Much of that faith is reinforced by what is called  Natural Law.  Natural Law is part of who we are.  It is (in my opinion) part of our genetic makeup.  It cannot be seen or touched or examined under a microscope.  It cannot even be proven.  However, “common sense” tells us it does exist.

Natural Law is what we all, as human beings, know to be right or wrong.  Some of us call it “our conscience”.  An example of Natural Law at work is when a mother asks her small child, “Did you eat that cookie I left out for your sister?”  The child, with crumbs and chocolate on her face answers, “No, mommy.”  She knew it was wrong  to take that cookie so she made a choice.  She used her “free will”.  She answered , “No”.  That is Natural Law at work.

Angels are God’s creations just as people are.  The bible references angels in many places.  It also references the evil angels.  These are the angels that, upon the moment of their creation, were so filled with their beauty and grandeur, that they decided they were greater than God Himself.  In that moment they lost everything.  Every last ounce of hope that might have been was gone forever.  Unlike mankind, who lives and has many chances, in the angelic world, this could not be.  Filled with an unimaginable hatred and loathing and unable to attack God and the Good Angels, Satan and his followers have focused on the ones with free will, the ones filled with pride and envy, the human race.

Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Saddam Hussein and Pol Pot are high profile followers of Satan.  But there are countless millions more who these demons  have been able to recruit and induct into their evil army.  Just the other day we all saw one of Satan’s followers  behead James Foley, an American journalist.  For full effect the grizzly execution was performed on camera, for all the world to see, including the Foley family.

How evil is this angel known as Satan?  How evil are the angels that followed him into hell?  The depths of their  hatred for God and all that is Good is incomprehensible.  These creatures were the brightest and the highest among all  others.  Now they are lower than  the lowest sinner because even that sinner still has hope for redemption.  The “fallen angels”,  filled with their own enormous pride and bursting with envy, are silently screeching and wailing as they skulk around the world seeking new followers.  Sadly, they have been very successful.

One of Satan’s greatest pupils had great success early on in his morbid career.  His name was Adolf Hitler.  He destroyed  millions.  In the end he and his followers were relegated to the ash heap of history.  ISIS and all those that are following Satan will suffer the same fate.  The cost might be very high but they can never ever win their ignominious war against God.  And that is exactly what they are waging, a war against God.

By the way, the greatest weapon at our disposal in this war is PRAYER.  Here is one written by Pope Leo XIII back in 1884. The Holy Father’s purpose back then was to combat the “father of lies”.

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host,
b
y the Divine Power of God,
cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.

 *“The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich” (abridged edition) by William Shirer  pg 117

Being Anti-Christmas Equals Permanent Denial

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 by 

I admit it. I get pretty ticked off at some of the anti-Christmas stuff that is dumped on us Christmas lovers this time of the year.  If you do not like Christmas, if you do not believe in Christmas, if you are anti-Christian, an atheist, agnostic, or even a Vulcan,  why do you give a ‘flying reindeer’  what we Christmas lovers love?  Why can’t you let us enjoy our creches with the innocent baby and Christmas trees and  wide-eyed children filled with the awe of an impending  visit by Santa on Christmas Eve? How in the name of candy canes and snowflakes can these things bother you? Hey man, I don’t care if you don’t roast chestnuts on an open fire or do not drink eggnog. Why do you care if I and the millions like me, do?  But a heavy weight has finally been lifted from my shoulders. I have finally  accepted the fact that you anti-Christmas people have been around for centuries (ever hear of King Herod) and are never going to stop your ranting and raving. Yes, this Christmas I am at peace with you.
Christmas is so much more than a ‘certain day’ each year. It is about faith and love and goodness and giving and sharing and the twinkle in the eyes of children and songs about  peace and joy and angels and poor people (shepherds) and rich people (the wise men) and the star, the brightest and  most wonderful star ever seen.  For over two thousand years this  star has lit the way for all  blood-lines as they traveled across the centuries. It is about  Salvation–the Salvation available to each and every one of us who has ever lived. So, whatever  is the problem with all of you  anti-Christmas, anti-God, anti-Jesus people who are somehow “offended” by KINDNESS and GOODNESS and LOVE? Why do you want to ruin it for the vast majority of people who LOVE Christmas and all it stands for? How can you be so  self-centered and self-absorbed that you are willing to snatch  joy and happiness right from the hearts of millions of children? What is wrong with you supposedly tolerant, caring, people?  I don’t get it. How can you hate Christmas?  Well, I have decided that you cannot hate Christmas. If you say that you do–you are living in a state of permanent denial.
So, for this Catholic man who believes that the reason for Christmas is the Virgin birth of Christ the Savior  this  is the Christmas that I have come to peace with  you  anti-Christmas folks, all of you. Filled with the “Bah-Humbug” spirit you have tried to bludgeon all of us  Christmas lovers  into submission. And you and your kind have been doing it for centuries, even before Dickens had Scrooge mouth “bah-humbug” back in 1843. It is old news folks, very old news.
Please know that this Christmas this believer will  say a prayer for all of you who do not believe. I will pray that  you catch a glimpse of that star that shines so bright.  Maybe a droplet of its light will find its way into  your heart.  If you do happen to catch a glimpse of it don’t turn away. You will have ignored a beautiful Christmas moment. You will have chosen the proverbial “hunk of coal” over a “sweet candy cane”. I swear, it is true. So keep your eyes and hearts open and Merry Christmas to EVERYONE.  For me, this Christmas is truly Peace on Earth no matter what anyone says or does.

"Grippers" FINAL EPISODE (how to get homeless without even trying)

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Final Episode: “Down & UP”


Bob had been right when he told Tracey that Greg was a “good guy”. Greg, feeling partly responsible for Bob’s back injury, had “forgiven” their rent payments for October, November and December. But now it was January and Greg, seriously impacted by the tough economy, was strapped for cash. He needed his rent payments from all of his tenants. Tracey, bringing home a meager  $780.00 a month from her part time job, was terrified. She was actually having nightmares about being “homeless” and kept waking up soaked with sweat as she visualized Jake and herself cowering together under a bridge as rain pounded down around them as they attempted to stay dry. Bob, at that moment in time, was quite useless and Tracey felt as if she was almost alone. Having been to several Nar-Anon meetings with Judi Pavano, she had started praying.  She was now praying as hard as she ever had in her entire life and was finding a certain inner peace when talking to God. Just like that one of her prayers was answered.

Tracey arrived at work and her manager called her in to the office and told her that one of the full time cashiers had abruptly quit. He offered her the full time position and, just like that, Tracey’s income doubled. When she went on break she called Greg Margolese  and told him what happened and then asked if he might possibly rent them a smaller house with a smaller rent payment than the one they occupied. Greg happened to have a two-bedroom, one-bath vacancy only six blocks away from where they were living and readily agreed. The rent would be $250.00 a month less.Tracey, suddenly re-enforced by her new job and Greg’s cooperation gathered her inner strength and resolve, said a prayer, and went home and packed a suitcase with Bob’s belongings. She placed it in front of her husband and told him, “Either you enter re-hab today or Jake and I are leaving you.”

Bob Slider, possessing an inner strength he did not realize he had,  was admitted to the Rosedale Wellness Center an hour later. Tracey gave him a big hug, told him that she loved him, and watched as he walked down the hall with a nurse to the elevator. She was sick to her stomach and simultaneously happy. That Sunday she and Jake went to Mass with Judi and Tommy. It was the first time that either of them had gone to any kind of church service in years.

Bob was released from re-hab 28 days later. Tracey drove him home to their new house. She had, along with help from Jake, Tommy, Judi and  a few neighbors, completed the move. Bob was stunned but relieved. He began attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings three times a week, enrolled in school and a year later received a certification as an X-Ray Technician. He got a job at Memorial Hospital and remained in school to get further certifications in CT Scans and MRI’s. His pain meds now consisted of only non-narcotic NSAIDS (Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs) like ibuprofen. The previous year’s events had brought them to the very brink of homelessness. The love that flowed among them as a family had been their greatest ally shoring up their weakened defenses in their struggle to survive.. They had beaten the odds. Many do not.

On Easter Sunday, Bob, Tracey and Jake began their day at an Easter Sunrise Service. They were all dressed up and, when the service ended, they had somewhere to go.

PLEASE PRAY FOR ALL THE HOMELESS who are not as blessed as Bob, Tracey and Jake Slider.——