Father Thomas Euteneuer, president of Human Life International and an exorcist, speaking at a luncheon hosted by In His Sign Network (IHS) said that, "Abortion is a demonic industry...Abortion is blood sacrifice of innocent blood to the devil. The clinics are like temples, the doctors are like priests, the medical table is their altar. It's a ritualized sacrifice...Abortion is a spiritual evil..if we are to beat it, we can't just fight it in the political realm. It derives its power from below. To confront a force this strong, you need a massive amount of prayer...Exorcism requires prayer and fasting.."
Now I've been saying this for more than twenty years. Just a couple of days ago I said it again in the comments section of this Blog post and the Blog author disagreed with me. At least he was civil about it. I have been routinely insulted in the past for speaking this spiritual truth: that some demons will only be driven out through much prayer and fasting. Jesus has said it. Shall we argue with Him?
Fasting must accompany our prayer. Why? Because Fasting helps subject our bodies to our spirits (1 Cor 9:27), because fasting disciplines the body, mind, and spirit (Prov. 25:28), because fasting subordinates our flesh with its desires to the desires of the Spirit (Gal 5:17), because fasting helps us to set priorities in our lives. (Mt 6:33) and because fasting is really longing after God. (Ps 63:1-2). The power of fasting is a mystery. Which is probably why those who deem themselves "intelligent," "reasonable" and "rational" cannot understand its importance. But whether such people accept it or not, fasting breaks demonic strongholds and demonic attacks and helps us to walk in the spirit rather than the flesh, to sow to the Spirit, not to the sinful nature.
Now I've been saying this for more than twenty years. Just a couple of days ago I said it again in the comments section of this Blog post and the Blog author disagreed with me. At least he was civil about it. I have been routinely insulted in the past for speaking this spiritual truth: that some demons will only be driven out through much prayer and fasting. Jesus has said it. Shall we argue with Him?
Fasting must accompany our prayer. Why? Because Fasting helps subject our bodies to our spirits (1 Cor 9:27), because fasting disciplines the body, mind, and spirit (Prov. 25:28), because fasting subordinates our flesh with its desires to the desires of the Spirit (Gal 5:17), because fasting helps us to set priorities in our lives. (Mt 6:33) and because fasting is really longing after God. (Ps 63:1-2). The power of fasting is a mystery. Which is probably why those who deem themselves "intelligent," "reasonable" and "rational" cannot understand its importance. But whether such people accept it or not, fasting breaks demonic strongholds and demonic attacks and helps us to walk in the spirit rather than the flesh, to sow to the Spirit, not to the sinful nature.
14 comments:
We in the West often are embarassed by the supernatural. As Charles Kraft (professor of anthropology and intercultural communication at Fuller Theological Seminary) said, "Western societies passed through the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and a wide variety of ripples and spin-offs from these movements...The result: God and the Church were dethroned, and the human mind came to be seen as Savior. It is ignorance, not Satan, we are to fight." (Christianity with Power, p. 31).
It is not intellectual arguments which will defeat abortion. Nor "tax resistance." It is prayer and fasting which defeats principalities of evil.
Modern-man likes to believe he can accomplish everything on his own without assistance from above. He has deified himself. He cannot accept that he is a creature totally dependent upon God and that he cannot overcome evil by himself. Fr. Euteneuer is right. And so are you Mr. Melanson. What you have to say about fasting is welcome indeed.
I can remember the Church praying the St. Michael prayer toward the end of every Mass. Why don't we bring that back along with other prayers to pray for an end to abortion. The Church should be praying ceaselessly for an end to abortion. Not just the occasional intercessory prayer.
I like this part of the article on Fr. Euteneuer: “Exorcism is a pastoral ministry of the Church, and it’s an important ministry,” said Fr. Euteneuer. “But confession is a much more important ministry, because it pulls out the sins which are the conditions for a possession.”
I know you've made it your mission to call people back to the sacrament of penance Paul. Notre Dame de La Salette, priez pour nous. Lead souls back to confession.
It has been 36 years since Roe v. Wade. How many more years of killing before the entire People of God really commits itself to prayer and fasting to drive out the demons behind the culture of death? While it is important to stress pro-life witness, marches, street evangelization etc, we need to step up our prayers and sacrifices. The stronghold of abortion will only be defeated by this means.
Fr. Gabriel Amorth in his famous book on exorcism (he is/was the Vatican exorcist) said that once some other priests who were conducting an exorcism were unsuccessful, asked the demon why he would not leave - they were informed it was because they had gone out the night before for a nice restaurant dinner. In other words, prayer AND FASTING were needed to cast him out. Just as you said Paul, we need both.
Keep speaking the truth Paul, those who have ears will hear.
Wendy, wonderful quote and observation from Dr. Kraft. Thanks for posting. Thank you all for your comments. And Sanctus, thanks again. Most especially for the kind note in the comments thread of your post on mortification. I'm glad I have you for my sister.
God love you all.
I am honored to have you as my brother Paul. May Mary's prayers go with you always and everywhere. Amen+
Fr. Tom Euteneur is a man of prayer and discernment. He is an avid fighter of life. Not many, (including good catholics) like the Church's othodoxy. So in a world where more harm than good is done by relativist christians we require nothing but prayer and fasting to fight this this great battle of 'indifference to God's law'
Milagres Pereira, Goa, India
While I welcome constructive criticism, and strive to accept correction with humility, your critical response, Paul, to my blog post has taken me by surprise. From your writing and prior kind comments, I would have expected otherwise. I am particularly puzzled as to how my words could be taken to be a denial of prayer and fasting.
Jerry, you write: "While I welcome constructive criticism, and strive to accept correction with humility, your critical response, Paul, to my blog post has taken me by surprise. From your writing and prior kind comments, I would have expected otherwise. I am particularly puzzled as to how my words could be taken to be a denial of prayer and fasting."
I am sorry that you feel I was "critical" of you Jerry. Such was not my intent. I actually think very highly of you brother. In my post, which was not intended as a criticism of you, I commented on how Father Thomas Euteneuer had stressed the necessity of both prayer and fasting for defeating abortion and wrote, "..I've been saying this for more than twenty years. Just a couple of days ago I said it again in the comments section of this Blog post [link to your post] and the Blog author disagreed with me. At least he was civil about it."
I am not sure how describing your disagreement with me as "civil" could be construed as "a critical response." But again, I apologize if I have offended you in any way. I assure you that such was not my intent.
Read my Blog post again. When I left a comment at your Blog post you immediately disagreed with me. But I did not take offense. This even though numerous Church officials [such as Cardinal Keeler, Cardinal O'Connor and Fr. Euteneuer] would agree with me.
We just agree to disagree.
Peace brother!
I'm happy to learn that your opinion of my post was not unfavorable. My blog's focus has tended, as you know, towards advocating concrete activity, especially that of pro-life tax resistance, while you have emphasized the spiritual, which is primary (Lk. 10:42). The "primacy of Logos over Ethos", as Romano Guardini has expressed it. I cannot "agree to disagree", a modern phrase that seems relativistic. But might we say that Paul writes mostly of Logos, and Jerry of Ethos? This is not disagreement, brother, but complementarity. After expounding upon the essential spiritual nature of the Mass, Guardini writes, "As a result of this spiritual disposition, it follows that when action is required of him he will do what is right."
Btw, your profile photo appears to be that of a young man. If you have been insisting upon these things for over 20 years, when did you begin? When you were 4?
I never said that my opinion of your Blog post was unfavorable. I wrote, "Shall I tell you why we have not been successful in driving out abortion from this land? We have relied too heavily on ourselves and not enough on Jesus. Read and meditate carefully on Mark Chapter 9. Especially verses 28 and 29:
"When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private, 'Why could we not drive it out?' He said to them, 'This kind can only come out through prayer.'"
Why do we not believe Jesus? Why do we believe we can drive out the evil spirits which bring abortion through our own actions? Fasting and prayer are the sacrifice we need.
Until we humbly acknowledge this, our pro-life efforts will continue to fall short. Without Him, we can do nothing."
And you responded by saying that you "respectfully disagree" with my assessment. I then reminded you that many notable Church leaders were saying the same thing including Princes of the Church and Father Euteneuer, the President of Human Life International.
You have asked, "might we say that Paul writes mostly of Logos, and Jerry of Ethos?" This may not be said of fasting. As Cardinal Ratzinger has said, "Fasting means to accept an essential aspect of Christian life. It is necessary to rediscover the corporeal aspect of the Faith: abstention from food is one of those aspects. Sexuality and nourishment are among the fundamental elements of the physicality of man. In our time, the decline in the understanding of virginity goes hand in hand with the decline in the understanding of fasting. And these two declines have a single root: the present-day eclipse of the eschatological tension, that is, the tension of Christian faith toward eternal life. Virginity and periodic abstinence from food are meant to testify that eternal life awaits us, indeed that it is already among us, and 'the form of this world passes away' (1 Cor 7:31). Without virginity and without fasting the Church is no longer Church, she is assimilated to her historical surroundings." (The Ratzinger Report, pp. 113-114).
So you see, fasting is both a spiritual activity and a "concrete activity" to borrow your phrase. Without fasting, according to Ratzinger, "the Church is no longer Church." And if this be true, and it is, how can we witness effectively to the pro-life issue? The strength of our witness stems from the fact that we are Church.
Jesus has said it. Certain demons are only driven out by fasting and prayer both. his is the only way we will defeat the culture of death. I stand by my statement. Fasting and prayer are complementary.
Mr. Melanson, you are so correct on this. God said when we humble ourselves through prayer and fasting he, himself takes care of these spirits that have gained legal access into our lives. Our consecration to him closes their legal entry and enables him to rebuke all the devourers and weeds around our lives. He rebukes them, not us. Our only role is to focus on him over what he requires of us, and not to focus on whatever demon spirits are up to.
Prayer and fasting constitute our true spiritual warfare prayers and deliverance prayers. We bring matters before God in humble submission and seek him to deal with them in his power and might.
I submit that anyone who argues against this is doing the Devil's work. Such people do not want others to fast because the demon knows the power of fasting.
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