Day 35 – Let Freedom Ring: Freedom from Childishness
ANNOUNCEMENT! We are getting very close to concluding “Let Freedom Ring” and beginning the 54-Day Rosary novena entitled, “Novena for Our Nation” (August 15 – October 7). Both on August 15, the Feast of Our Lady of the Assumption. You can find information for “Novena for Our Nation” HERE.
“Let Freedom Ring” has acted as a kind of cleansing/purifying, or exorcism, as “Novena for Our Nation” acts as a call out to God to bless and heal our land. Please join us for “Novena for Our Nation!!”
Let Freedom Ring: Freedom from Childishness
My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
At a word from You, the devil and his minions flee in terror.
You are the source of all truth. You are the source of all strength.
By the power of Your Cross and Resurrection, we beseech You, O Lord
To extend Your saving arm and to send Your holy angels
To defend us as we do battle with Satan and his demonic forces.
Exorcise, we pray, that which oppresses Your Bride, The Church,
So that within ourselves, our families, our parishes, our dioceses, and our nation
We may turn fully back to You in all fidelity and trust.
Lord, we know if You will it, it will be done.
Give us the perseverance for this mission, we pray.
Amen.
Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception … pray for us
St. Joseph … pray for us
St. Michael the Archangel … pray for us
(the patron of your parish) … pray for us
(your confirmation saint) … pray for us
“Freedom from Childishness” by Fr. Rick Heilman
Psychology has always been an area of interest for me. In fact, I graduated from college with a degree in Psychology. Since then, I have become very suspicious of the APA (American Psychological Association) as they have been, quite obviously, infiltrated by so-called “progressives” (See my LFR reflection on “Pride” to discover the problem with “progressives”) who, among other things, crave notoriety for claiming to have “new knowledge” that, up to now, has not been commonly held.
Consequently, the “behavioral science” coming from the APA has become muddled, mainly by such things as declaring behaviors formerly seen as disorders that now must be seen as normal behavior, according to the “progressive” APA. So, for example, grown men must, now, be allowed to share bathrooms with little girls. And, look out for a new movement to normalize pedophilia … it’s coming fast. I’ll get back to the APA, shortly.
In the context of “Let Freedom Ring,” we talk about the spiritual deficiencies of values and virtues and morals in our culture. In many ways, these spiritual deficiencies intersect with psychological deficiencies.
When observing the condition of our culture, it is clear that it is showing signs of an alarming growth of “Emotional Childishness,” which is not unlike a “lack of spiritual maturity.” More and more people have, as renowned Psychologist, Dr. Susan Heitler states, “reached chronological adulthood without having mastered the core elements of adult emotional functioning.”
Dr. Heitler points to 10 signs of a childish adult – See how many of these you recognize in the “temper tantrum mob” wreaking havoc in the streets: 1) Emotional escalations, 2) Blaming, 3) Lies, 4) Name-calling, 5) Impulsivity, 6) Need to be the center of attention, 7) Bullying, 8) Budding narcissism (“It’s all about me.” In the eyes of a narcissist, no one else counts; if they don’t get their way, they may result to pouting or bullying in order to do so), 9) Immature defenses (tendency to attack – see “cancel culture” – anyone who expresses a differing viewpoint), 10) No observing ego (inability to see, acknowledge, and learn from their mistakes).
This behavior is not unique to the mob in the streets, as it is replete in the mainstream media, Hollywood, and far too many emotionally childish politicians. In today’s culture, we are treading in completely new territory. While some may say we have always seen childish adults, the degree to which we are witnessing this today is massive and unprecedented. It is no longer about Right vs. Left, it is about Mature Adults vs. Childish Adults.
It used to be that “adults” could disagree with each other and, maturely, work out their differences, as they listened and took into consideration each other’s viewpoint, while maintaining a level of respect for each other. Now, in this new milieu of widespread emotional childishness, we are all made to live in fear of being assaulted by the “temper tantrums” of those who play by “childish rules” (blaming, lies, name-calling, bullying, attacking…), while the “adults in the room” will not play by such rules.
This is what has happened, just recently, in my neck of the woods, but it is emblematic of what is going on everywhere in America: My friend recently had his car “keyed” because he had a pro-life bumper sticker; another friend had his house damaged for flying the “thin blue line” American flag that honors police; our downtown is boarded up and painted with graffiti as the mob’s temper tantrums include violence, looting, tearing down statues and burning down businesses; in this election year, few dare to put a yard sign out or bumper sticker on their car of the candidate the “childish” don’t like, for fear of being assaulted; many will not associate themselves with the “wrong” candidate (in the eyes of the childish) for fear of being assaulted, calumniated, or even fired from their job; a friend chose not to run for public office for fear that he and his family would be assaulted by the temper tantrum childish mob; and on and on and on.
How did we get here? The simple answer is poor parenting, or even absent parenting. I recall when the Nouveau Parenting movement began – mostly spurred on by the new “woke” and “progressive” APA. Parents were told to cease disciplining their children, for fear of traumatizing them. Woke and progressive parents should even give “participation trophies” to children who “didn’t win.” Again, to avoid trauma. What. A. Colossal. Disaster!
Parents who coddle their children are, plain and simple, stunting their emotional maturation. And, it is certainly not how our “perfect parent,” God, parents us. Salvation history is replete with examples where God, having first tried to inspire us, resorts to allowing us to go through challenges in order to impel us to “raise our game” … to mature. Left to our “spiritual immaturity,” we are prone to behave as spoiled children do … we “expect” God to give us everything we want, including heaven, without ever needing to humbly obey, express our gratitude or work hard for it … we’re just “entitled to it.” We’d rather not know of such adult concepts as, “Effort brings reward.”
Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt 16:24). These are not the words of someone who coddles with “participation trophies.” This is the Son of God telling us to “GROW UP” and be BE A MAN! (or WOMAN!).
In the military, they put it this way, “It never gets easier, you just get better.”
Prayer of Reparation
My Lord and my God,
We have allowed the temptation of the devil to move our hearts toward fearfully allowing the spread of childishness throughout our culture and our Catholic Church.
We have fallen into this widespread childishness when we have not lived up to the call of our Baptism to, day-by-day, deepen our love and faith in You.
We have been too easily swayed by the poor example of childishness, in churches everywhere, and have not encouraged a deeper sense of supernatural faith.
In our weakness, we have allowed the ancient foe to advance.
We turn to You Lord, in our sorrow and guilt, and beg Your forgiveness for any of our own childishness or our lack of resolve to lift souls out of this lack of spiritual maturity.
We beg for the grace of Your goodness to build up within us the strength and endurance be this visible light of fervent faith in You.
We know, Lord, if You will it, it will be done.
Trusting in You, we offer our prayer to You who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer of Exorcism
Lord God of Heaven and Earth,
In Your power and goodness, You created all things.
You set a path for us to walk on and a way to an eternal relationship.
By the strength of Your arm and Word of Your mouth
Cast from Your Holy Church every fearful deceit of the Devil
Drive from us manifestations of the demonic that oppress us and beckon us to fear and childishness.
Still the lying tongue of the devil and his forces so that we may act freely and faithfully to do Your will.
Send Your holy angels to cast out all influence that the demonic entities in charge of childishness have planted in Your Church.
Free us, our families, our parish, our diocese, and our country from all trickery and deceit perpetrated by the Devil and his hellish legions.
Trusting in Your goodness Lord,
We know if You will it, it will be done in unity with Your Son and the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen.
Litany of Humility
O Jesus, meek and humble of heart,
Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being loved,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, etc.
From the desire of being honored,
From the desire of being praised,
From the desire of being preferred to others,
From the desire of being consulted,
From the desire of being approved,
From the fear of being humiliated,
From the fear of being despised,
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
From the fear of being calumniated,
From the fear of being forgotten,
From the fear of being ridiculed,
From the fear of being wronged,
From the fear of being suspected,
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase
and I may decrease,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I go unnoticed,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I,
provided that I may become as holy as I should,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
To see the Goals, Methods and Levels of “Let Freedom Ring,” go HERE.
ENLIST IN THE UNITED STATES GRACE FORCE
(Please recruit family and friends to enlist!)
