“Keep people from their history, and they are easily controlled” –  Karl Marx

 

What is going on today with Black Lives Matter is a disgrace. My heart aches for the black people who are truly looking for a positive change. God hears your cries and He will see you through this. What a sad sight we’ve become to the world. Once the leader of all nations, our country is now being torn apart by paid thugs, not the hurting Black people. We all need to distinguish between the two. One side wants change for the betterment of mankind while the other wants to destroy the fabric of our society by forcing their socialist ideologies. It’s happening right before our eyes. A large population of zombies have infiltrated our society. Some peaceful citizens of Washington, D.C., who were out having a casual meal were approached by these bully zombies who demanded that they raise their fists in solidarity with BLM. One problem here: do all these people look black? No! Because they are the puppets spawned by the liberal colleges who gave birth to bastard children of hatred. It is hatred that is systemic in our society.

 

 

Ann Dorn

I watched  part of both the Democratic and Republican conventions and came away with much-needed hope, but two speeches stood out for me: the ones by Ann Dorn and Sister Debe Bryne. Ann Dorn, widow of David Dorn spoke of her husband’s execution eloquently. Her husband was a retired Chief of Police, who knew about being a police officer, and all that came with that responsibility. Her husband, David Dorn, was brutally murdered during the rioting in St. Louis in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd. She knows the pain of a black man being murdered in cold blood too. This family will be forever changed because of the senseless actions of an angry mob. David Dorn’s execution was live-streamed on Facebook for the world to witness the callousness of these diabolical zombies. Mr. Dorn’s grandson watched it all go down without realizing it was his beloved grandfather who was murdered. SAY HIS NAME! DAVID DORN! His life mattered.

Sister Debe Byrne

This beautiful sister served in the Army for 29 years  as a doctor/surgeon. She became a nun with the order of Little Workers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary in 2002. Her powerful voice broke barriers when she spoke at the Republican National Convention. In her words, “As followers of Christ we are called to stand up for life, against the politically correct or fashionable of today. We must fight against the legislative agenda that supports and even celebrates destroying life in the womb. Keep in mind the laws we create define how we see our humanity.” Sister Debe ended her speech by holding up her Rosary and referring to is as a weapon of war. This powerful woman of God knows how to fight the Enemy, and we should all follow her lead.

The Children in Cages

Since the topic of “children in cages ” came up during the Democratic National Convention, it’s important that once and for all we get the facts straight. In 2014 President Obama approved and built temporary holding enclosures (that are now referred to as “cages”) so he is responsible for this project. This was done for the children’s safety, since many of these innocent children have been victims of human trafficking. These enclosures were meant to house the children for 72 hours, but due to the surge of many thousands of unaccompanied minors (70,000 in 2019) it complicated  the workload and added to the bureaucracy for three government agencies. The first is the Department of Homeland Security, followed by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, which is under the Department of Health and Human Services. These organizations are still working to protect and find placement for these unaccompanied children. The majority of these children are from Honduras and Guatemala. By the time they set foot on these hollowed grounds, the journey had added both physical and mental trauma. As humanitarians our country is doing its best to help with a problem brought on by the failures of past government policies and their failure to securing our borders. Pray for the parents of these children, as they sacrificed so much for their children to have a better life. I cannot imagine the heartache they suffer each day.

The Professional Ball Players

You are overpaid and should keep your politics to yourselves. What you are witnessing now, as you play your little games to empty stadiums and stands, may very well be the foreshadowing of what  you will experience in real life. People are tired of your Nike promotions and the millions you have made from us. Remember, your careers are short-lived; an injury, a younger player and it’s all over. Make good use of your time and become the role models you were called to be. The youth look up to you, so give them a positive reason. And if you are supporting Black Lives Matter, you have the responsibility, power and money to make this organization work for the betterment of our communities. So clean up BLM!

 To Parents 

Do right by your children, as it is your God-given duty. Pray for them to become great, productive citizens. Teach them the real meaning of life, love, humility and respect. Be the example of standing up for what is right in the eyes of God. Do not set a cushion for them to fall on; rather you should prepare them for any stones of hatred that may be thrown their way. Train them to fight spiritually through prayer.

The only thing left  for us is prayer. We must put on our spiritual military armor. We must, as parents, grandparents, and others, go into battle for our loved ones. The Devil may be winning a battle here and there, but the victory belongs to the Lord! We need to stop making excuses for mob-mentality violence. It’s alright to be angry, but to take matters into your own hands in violent, terrorist temper tantrums is unacceptable.

Not all minorities vote for the Democratic Party. I will  always take a knee for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is from Him that I have learned to stand up for what is right in His eyes. Nothing will change that! I am proud of my Mexican heritage, but I also belong to the family of God. My heritage and bloodline is that of Jesus Christ.

My Prayer: Lord, you are the Creator of us all. Father God,  I implore You to continue to give us strength during these trying times. Lord we lift up Jacob Blake, heal him and allow justice to prevail in his case.  Give us holy discernment on what to say and when to say it. Let us not operate in fear. Give us boldness to follow the path You have set before us. Amen.

This picturesque city was named after the beautiful Saint Barbara, a virgin martyr. This saint became a Christian and refused to marry, so her father, Dioscorus, had her beheaded. The wrath of God did not take long; her father was struck dead by lightning.  St. Barbara is venerated as one of the 14 Auxiliary Saints (Holy Helpers). She can be invoked against lightning and fires, and  she is the patron saint of artillerymen and miners.

 

The Ocean

For the first time since the lockdown, Mike and I took a short trip to Santa Barbara. We stayed at our usual hotel across the street from East Beach. According to my fitbit, I walked over 20 miles in the short stay of two-and-a-half days. This was a working trip for Mike, so he was preoccupied with zoom calls and tending to the grand opening of Bristol Farms. I love almost every thing about the ocean: the way it calms you by speaking through the crashing of the waves, how it causes the squawking seagulls to encircle  along the shore, and it smells of fresh-laundered air. Nothing is more glorious than the work of God’s hand and the sea. I love the voices of all creation, but they are amplified by the sea. The birds of prey all joyfully singing, catching a phrase or two from  passing joggers, and the dogs with their masters out for a walk. The Pacific Ocean does pacify the soul.

Jaws

When we lived in Santa Barbara, we always had guests from out of town; my sister Norma and her family were regular visitors. We had recently seen the movie Jaws, so we decided to take our toddler sons to the beach. We spread our blankets not far from Stearns Wharf and settled in for a pleasant day at the beach. Remember the theme song from the movie Jaws? As the killer shark got closer and closer, the music became louder and more intense. When a vehicle drove over the thick, wooden planks on the pier, it sounded exactly like the killer shark music; the only thing missing was the sound of the loud trumpets. My sister and I looked at each other and packed up our kids and left. I still do not like the sand in my feet, nor do I like being at the beach. The last time I went to the beach was two years ago when my daughter-in-law Jenny invited me. I thought for sure it would be relaxing, but two of my grandsons, Will and Lucas, turned it into a living nightmare. This was the summer of shark sightings, they were both boogie boarding, and I was a nervous wreck. The more I yelled for them to come in from the water, the farther they went out. Maddie and Jacob stayed safely near the shore. During COVID-19, Jenny has taken the kids to the beach at least three times a week; our daughter Sonja does the same. They have invited me, but just like when invited to Disneyland my answer is always an emphatic NO! If I want sand in my food,  I’ll get it from Ezekiel Bread.

Santa Barbara Roots

The first home we purchased was in Santa Barbara. We are so uncouth when we visit our former homes, I always ask Mike to drive slowly so that I can get a good shot. It makes my heart glad to see that the houses are so well maintained. We still own a home on La Marina Drive, that has served as a great investment for us. Once in a while we’ll make an appointment to visit our tenants, to make sure all is well. We have been blessed to have the most responsible family taking great care of our property. One problem for me, is the smiling Buddha sitting on the front lawn. Buddhas are nesting, in the bathroom, and the back yard; there are so many that I’ve lost count. But I guess if they came to our home, they would be uncomfortable with all my Jesus and Mary decor. Oh well, to each his own!

The 14 Holy Helpers

During the Black Death that ravaged Europe (1346-1349) the faithful followers of Christ invoked special saints against the plague and sudden death. Later these saints would be known as Holy Helpers. All but two of these saints were martyred. They suffered greatly for their beliefs and never gave in to the torture they endured.

St. George –  Can be invoked against diseases of the skin and palsy.

St. Blaise – Once a year on the feast day of St. Blaise, all Catholics can have their throats blessed. He can be invoked against any diseases of the throat.

St. Aegidius – Also know as St. Giles the Hermit, can be invoked against crippling diseases.

St. Denis – The most famous of the Holy Helpers, he was converted by St. Paul. St. Denis traveled from Athens to Jerusalem, where he met St. Luke and Our Lady herself. He was beheaded in Paris, France. A church was built on the exact spot where his head landed. He can be invoked against demonic assaults.

St. Eustace – Can be invoked against fires because he and his wife were thrown into a furnace but their bodies remained intact.

St. Erasmus – Also referred to as St. Elmo, he was fed by angels while still in prison. He was tortured by having his intestines partially cut out, but healed by an angel. You can invoke him against stomach disorders and fires. He is the patron saint of sailors and fishermen.

St. Vitus – Can be invoked against paralysis, nervous diseases and epilepsy.

St. Pantaleon – Can be invoked against lung diseases.

St. Achatius – Can be invoked against headaches.

St. Catherine of Alexandria – The patron saint of philosophers, she is invoked in lawsuits.

St. Margret – Can be invoked for kidney diseases.

Lastly, St. Barbara. Her cruel father watched as she was being tortured. When he saw that none of the tortures harmed her, he took a sword and cut off her head. St. Barbara can be invoked against lightning and fires.

I am a prayer warrior. Whenever I am asked to pray for someone, many times I ask certain saints to come alongside me to petition for help. Catholics do not pray to saints,  but they implore their help.

My prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we invoke St. Barbara, St. Eustace, and St. Elmo against all the wildfires in California. Lord, send rain to quench the burning flames that threaten lives and property. Protect all firefighters and equip them to swiftly put out all fires. We invoke St. Denis against all the demonic activity that has taken over our country. Lord, hear our cry and receive our prayers as a sweet smelling incense unto you, answer our petitions. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The temperature in Arizona is not the only thing heating up that state. I want to share an incident that happened to my sister’s family last week. In order to do this, I must establish the main players. My sister Norma and her daughter Leah share a home with Leah’s three children. Freddie, Norma’s son and Leah’s brother, has been staying with them while recovering from major surgery. Freddie may have a threatening appearance due to his past gang affiliation, but he is now on fire for the Lord. Because he changed his life, Freddie’s spirit is healthy and he is under the discipleship of Victory Outreach Ministry to grow further in the teaching of Christ. I knew the old Freddie, and Norma and I always prayed for him to come into the person he was called to be. The new Freddie is completely serving God, and nothing will stop his calling.

 

The Racist

This is the year of the census, so an employee representing the government went to their home to ask questions. My sister Norma has always had a slew of animals living in their home; currently she has two big dogs and an oversized, lazy cat. When the woman who was taking the census came to their door, Freddie answered. Freddie told her about the two big dogs and said  he could not answer any questions. What happened next was unbelievable. My nephew explained  to the woman that he was just visiting, and he could not fill out the information. Then woman then answered, “Why, are you illegal?” My nephew was shocked and told her, “No!”  At that moment my niece Leah was arriving from work. The weather was still over 110º. Leah had no idea what was taking place. The woman told Leah that she needed to fill out the census form. By this time the crazed woman was upset and demanded that Leah fill out the form. As the woman approached Leah, she was much closer than the recommended social distance of six feet. Leah told the woman, “You need to keep your distance. I don’t know who you are, or who you have been around. You need to get off of my property!” The woman stretched out her arms to block Leah from entering into her home. The woman then gave a condescending laugh, “This is my property! I live in this neighborhood!” She continued to berate my niece, “Why haven’t you filled out your census? Are you illegal?” Leah replied, “Are you threatening me? If you keep harassing me, I’m going to call the police!” The woman looked at Freddie, and told Leah, “If you call the police, I’m going to tell them that he (pointing to Freddie) threatened to kill me.” Leah called the police. The demanding woman threw the form, which is a little larger than a flash card but of the same paper stock. It hit Leah in the face. Thank God the police arrived.

Not too long ago the terminology used to describe someone like this woman would have been “white trash.”  Today because this kind of impulsive, discriminatory behavior  this woman would be called a “Karen.” Remember, Karens’ come in every race. On this day she reached the highest level of hatred and was elevated to a racist. I write this story because we need to know who is amongst us. Every race has its guards up, but it’s how we control ourselves in these heated situations that makes all the difference. Freddie never threatened to kill this person, and her hateful, lying words could have escalated to violence. I believe that because of his transformation in serving God, their household was spared that. When you serve God, discernment comes as a free gift; knowing when to recognize a volatile situation and not allowing anger to rule you makes all the difference. People like this woman are out there; they have a job to do for Satan, and they want to destroy and bring  more division in this already fallen world. I know my sister will report this to the census department and hopefully they will deal with this matter in a just manner.

Living with Evil

Only God knows what triggered this woman to behave in this manner. Perhaps wearing a census badge gave her a false sense of entitlement. We all know the climate we live in, and to display this type of malice using a false accusation to incite others to react was totally uncalled for. Not all Latinos are illegal; as a matter of fact Freddie is a third-generation, red-blooded American. Freddie looks intimidating because he is tattooed and has a shaved head, but I promise you he is now a gentleman.

Understanding Our Position

I know my niece, and this entire situation could have turned ugly. Leah started to video tape the scene when the police arrived. You could hear the panic in her voice, but at no time did she display disrespect to the police officers. The situation was defused by the officers, but this incident left Leah with a lot of anger. We can all understand why, but we must also realize that this woman is just one person threatening a racial hoax. We cannot put all white people into this same category. Hate is a spirit that can spread if we do not let go of the offenses. We are going to continue to encounter evil people, but know that evil comes in all races.

 

Do The Right Thing

Do not allow a racist person to control who you are. God has control over every situation in our lives. The evil spirit on this woman had an assignment. The assignment was to bring my nephew down. It pointed him out and wanted him to fall for the evil bait. Freddie did not give in; instead did what was right in the eyes of God. Her evil lies were words from the Accuser himself!  You see, the Devil knows the plans God has for Freddie and he will do whatever he can to destroy Freddie’s calling. This spirit rattled my sister and Leah, but it was truly meant to bring Freddie down. The Devil uses our emotions as an opening for us to sin. Even the elect will fall.  Satan waits for the opening in our hearts to come in for the kill. We must always be prayed up.

The Assignment

How many of us take the evil bait? We are surrounded by it. It is designed to confuse us. It comes in many forms that help perpetuate these type of incidents. Listen to the Word of God and use the gift of discernment to recognize evil. I am cognizant of my surroundings; I know evil and I can look it in the eye. One of  the ways to discern if something is of the Devil is whether fear is attached to it. Our spirits are sensitive to the wiles of the Devil because we are trained to fight for what is right in the eyes of God.

Ephesians 6:11  New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition (NRSVACE)

My Prayer:

Dear Lord, give us the wisdom to recognize evil for what it is. Help us to not judge one an other but to look at the hearts of men. Jesus, these are trying times, and we are all in the same battlefield. Give us the weapons of our warfare to defeat any assignment the Enemy sends our way. Lord, expose Satan’s snares before they happen, and give us victory over those who seek to bring us down. Amen.