Since a few bloggers have been posting about the dangers of the occult and the New Age Movement (see My Brush With Darkness) I thought I would post a prayer and a few links for the feast day of St. Benedict. The Catholic Church encourages the use of sacramentals such as the St. Benedict Medal, The Scapular, Holy Water, the Crucifix, and other blessed objects. The tradition of blessing our meals or our children (and others) is also considered a sacramental. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church sacramentals are "sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church."
We use sacramentals in our home. Our house is filled with them, actually. Blessed medals, holy water, blessed salt, oil (etc...) - we use them all. I wear the St. Benedict Cross daily and have been for years.
Sacramentals are used by priests during exorcisms and their use can also be powerfully effective when used by lay people. Though we cannot (and should never attempt to) perform solemn exorcisms, we can, and should, promote the use of sacramentals and prayers against evil in our households. Every time we pray the Saint Michael Prayer, we are doing exactly that.
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Saint Benedict Prayer:
0 glorious St. Benedict, sublime model of all virtues, pure vessel of God's grace! Behold me, humbly kneeling at thy feet. I implore thy loving heart to pray for me before the throne of God. To thee I have recourse in all the dangers which daily surround me. Shield me against my enemies, inspire me to imitate thee in all things
May thy blessing be with me always, so that I may shun whatever God forbids and avoid the occasions of sin. Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces of which I stand so much in need, in the trials, miseries and afflictions of life. Thy heart was always so full of love, compassion. and mercy towards those who were afflicted or troubled in any way. Thou didst never dismiss without consolation and assistance any one who had recourse to thee. I therefore invoke thy powerful intercession, in the confident hope that thou wilt hear my prayers and obtain for me the special grace and favor I so earnestly implore (mention it), if it be for the greater glory of God and the welfare of my soul
Help me, 0 great St. Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to be ever submissive to His holy will, and to attain the eternal happiness of heaven. Amen
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Links - St. Benedict and the Medal of St. Benedict:
~ The Continual and Silent Prayer of St. Benedict
~ The Medal of St. Benedict
Links - Sacramentals
~ Introduction to Sacramentals
~ Sacramentals: What are They?
A very good post and needed. You explained so clearly what we believe and why and how....
ReplyDeleteThe increase of satanic activity just shows you how close the coming of our Lord's return is. Satan is trying to beef up his army. Trying to take down anyone he can with him and his angels.
ReplyDeleteThank you dear one for the prayer.
Boobutt (bird) is a slow learner. Still frighten of my hand....to train him to go on my finger. But, one day at a time....
Blessings and much hugs.
Thank you for providing such clear-cut and helpful information. It's like a prescription being written once a diagnosis has been made. Praise be to Jesus Christ our Lord!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! We keep a Saint Benedict Medal (blessed with the Saint Benedict blessing) over our front door and I also carry a Saint Benedict cross for protection.
ReplyDeleteHi Mary,
ReplyDeleteThank you - sacramentals are useful, especially in a culture where doors to satanic oppression are left open everywhere.
I didn't know blessing my children was a sacramental. Thank you! And yes, I agree with Just be real, the other army is increasing and that's why the Spirit is arming Our Lady's army.
ReplyDeleteHi Grace,
ReplyDeleteYes, I've noticed this "beefing up" of his army too - it's hard to ignore the signs of it. The power of Christ can slay these armies but people have to turn to Him because we cannot serve two masters at the same time.
I bet Boobutt isn't as slow a learner as my puppies. My carpets are "evidence" of this ;)
May God bless you too, my friend!
Hi Nancy,
ReplyDeleteI liked your words about a prescription being written! The Divine Physician is on the move! Thanks for the great comment!
Hi Monica,
ReplyDeleteThe only time I take mine off is when I am swimming or showering. If it's not on me it's nearby or in my purse.
Hi Anabelle,
ReplyDeleteI linked to your post because it gives such detail about the St. Benedict Medal. Thanks again for writing it!
Glad you mentioned Our Lady too - the Rosary is another prayer that defeats satan and helps build virtue in a virtually virtueless society. (Sorry, couldn't resist :)
I like Nancy's analogy of the diagnosis and prescription too.
ReplyDeleteI keep a medal on my rosary beads.Satan must really hate that because it keeps falling off, but I have never lost the medal~guess Our Lady picks it up for me. :)
Hi Karin,
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of falling off? Yesterday my St. Benedict Cross was missing. I was doing the Novena when I noticed the cord had nothing hanging from it. This is the first time it ever fell off so I was quite surprised. I found it though and Randy reattached it. Still, the day before his feast and I noticed while doing the Novena? Okay, maybe a coincidence but still :)
What a beautifully well-written and much needed post.
ReplyDeleteMary I thank you for taking the time to write such inspiring and thought-provoking posts as you have been doing lately.
I like visiting this Blog as I can never guess what you will be writing about next.
Not only are you wise, but you are also shrewd enough to know that I am about to ask something of you ...
(Drat ... she is good at guessing what I'm about to do).
Mary, you often post prayers on your Blog; like the St Benedict and Saint Michael ones here.
Woldn't it be a good idea if you had a new Blog with just prayers posted on it? Prayers to all the Saints you can think of, which you found are helpful.
I know you're very busy and perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned this. But they always say if you want something done ask a busy person.
I've asked myself several times but no one's listening!
God bless.
Hi Victor,
ReplyDeleteAlready working on it I am happy to say along with Karinann :) Well, she's doing most of the work actually right now but that will change soon. The website is under construction and is called Sea of Mercy. On it there is an "Adoration Chapel" page and a prayer page. We chose to put together a website rather than a blog for this project but it's not public yet. I'll let you know when we launch it.
Funny you should mention it...lol!!