Spiritual Warfare : My Spiritual Battles Against Lust and of All Temptations

When I saw these words from the diary of the Apostle of Divine Mercy St. Faustina Kowalska, it came to a point that I wrote it on the back pages of my 2012 book planner. I wrote it down so that I will always feel to review it, and besides, I feel that I am really the one who wrote it part. But the last photos deal with sins (Not from the diary. I am reviewing it and studying it as of now how to find "cure" and on how to fight and conquer these sins.) and the very last photo is an addition, of and from the virtues of Mama Mary according to the teachings of St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, in his classical book, True Devotion to Mary and the pious practices that the Confraternity of Mary, Queen of All Hearts   (which is now renamed Statuary Group of Mary, Queen of All Hearts. Although I'm not a member of this and actually inquired about it because I'm interested to join but I was not able to, I am blessed to be a member of another Marian ancient confraternity, the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary.) highly recommends to its members especially these prayers are conformable to the spirit of the Confraternity. I am sorry for my hand-writing. Patience, my dear reader, patience. :) Smile! :) I may say that these meditative lines from the Diary can help a person to fight all temptations. As of now, I remain my article here. 

It is by battle against hell and by resistance to temptations that we give God fruits of our love. St. Jean-Marie Baptiste Vianney, Patron Saint of Priests, experienced many troublesome temptations and even physical attacks from the devil.

Let us all be vigilant in fighting temptations! May these help you!

How To Have Good Confession (Good Confession)

It is important to confess one's own sins to the priests but some of the penitents do not know what are the important dispositions to make and to take before making a confession. Are you one of those "some"?

My comrade, kindly consider some of the dispositions that a penitent must undergo before making a confession.

First, the penitent should start with a prayer before examining his/her conscience. This is an important element that should be considered first. The penitent is seeking and pleading light from God to know how he/she is helpless in his/her state of being in darkness of sin and ignorance and, this is to show that the penitent cannot really help him/herself in admitting his/her own faults but totally depends on the help of the merciful God who felt the hurt of his/her sins committed against Him.

Here are the prayers you may consider in your preparation and before the sacramental confession(kindly take note that the prayers differ from each other. The first is a preparation prayer meaning, you are taking down (in writing as much as possible so that you will not forget the sins you will confess and to save the time of the priest, and will help you to have a clean and good confession. I personally write all my sins to a piece of paper and, after my confession, I tear the paper to bits), by the help of God, the sins that you had committed before your examination of conscience while the other one is prayed before meeting the priest or prayed before you enter the confessional or, prayed before the priest (but first, as much as possible, try to pray before meeting the priest. In my opinion, it is, I think, the priest will start exclaiming prayers for you before the confession but consider that it is the priest's introductory prayers and are different from your own which (I lovely hope) came from a penitent heart.).

Second, the interior dispositions of the penitent must be present before, during and after the sacramental confession. The penitent must be truly humble and repentant, making him/herself little before God whom he/she had injured by sins, truly blaming him/herself for one's sins he/she had committed. And this is accompanied by a child-like, unshakable trust in God, solid faith, high hope, real love, and full confidence that he/she will receive pardon from the offenses that he/she had committed against this ever merciful God.

Third, the penitent must do penance given by the priest-confessor (and/or, if you are really moved, one may consider a self-destruction in addition to the penance received such as a consumption of just a one full meal for one day, less water intake or if you love, flagellation by a leather belt, wearing an itchy or uncomfortable shirt and/or dress, etc.).

Fourth, the last but not the least, the penitent must strive not to commit those sins again (all mortal sins) and strive greatly not to commit those venial sins again. Mortal sins are serious sins committed with full knowledge or consent or awareness or knew before hand (or even not) that such sins are declared by the Church as mortal sins (like pornography, masturbation, abortion, murder, stealing, etc.) while venial sins are sins committed with not so much knowledge or not knowing its gravity or less grave and do not totally separate a person from God but affects  negatively the relationship between God and the person (like "white" lies (I do not honor a lie regardless of the given color), cheating in quizzes of 5 items (a child exam perhaps?), etc.). Amending his/her ways, not to hurt God as much as greatly as possible.
Here is the Act of Contrition. And I will show you my own copy (that I bring along while in the sacramental confession) of it because I must confess to you, as of now, that I do not yet memorized this prayer. How sad. Pity me.

Let us proceed to the guides that will help us to better examine our conscience. These is one of my "sin reference" but if many of my sins are not listed here, I will try my best to dig it in the deepest part of my conscience so that all must be confessed. Please forgive me that I do not take time typing these here and just posted it as photos and some of the lines were being doubled on the shots. Kindly take patience. Thank you.
Smile.

 These photos contain the important (very,very,very) important facts we must consider. Again, we must.

 The other reference. It came from a little book of 1930's, "My Daily Missal", The other one is not posted here because I gave it away but you can buy it at all St Pauls Outlets. It is a gray folded pamphlet titled, "How To Make A Good Confession" (I do not know exactly the title) and its price is less than 25 cents. Please just ask the people of St Pauls for more infos. They will not bite you.

Here are some of the elements that is present in the confession (as I remember. But you can take pauses, especially if you are crying.)
Make the Sing of the Cross at the start of the confession ( follow the priest please.).

Begin with, "Father, my last good confession was on (state here when was your previous confession, it is not necessary if you do not remember the exact date. Just say like last month, last two months and so on) .... And since then, I have committed the following sins....

Now, confess first the most embarrassing and mortal sins (if you've committed) and go on until you went on to the lesser sins by saying the gravity of the sins and how frequent you do these sins like this that I do (I'm pertaining to the pattern on how I write it in the paper).

-I hurt my cat badly and mercilessly for sometime. ("badly and mercilessly" are the gravity factors of the sin other than hurting the cat and "for sometime" indicates the frequency of the sin committed. Question - is it okay to ignore these elements? Answer - As long as you learned these, It is up to you if you will follow your conscience who is pushing you to consider these considerable elements and so essential if you love to have a good confession. Besides, an exorcist of the Diocese of Cubao, Fr. Michell Joe "Jojo" B. Zerrudo said to me that next time, I should say how frequent are my sins. (when he heard my confession and knows that I still lack elements for a good confession).
-I lied for so many time.
-I always teased my baby sister.
-I became lazy for a time.
-I didn't respond to my household chores for sometime.... And so on....

And after the "litany of your sins", say this that I'm saying (but you can do or make your own.)

And the priest will continue to the formula of the absolution and so on....
Then, take the advices or the sermons of the priest for you (do not worry, priest won't bite you, ever!)
Then, receive the blessing He will give and join the priest in saying the "Amen".

May we all have a very good confession!

Spiritual Warfare (Part 4) : Lesser Forms of "Godlessness"

Becoming a religious is the greatest direction of life of the early Catholics.

When the Kingdom of God was announced victoriously for almost 2,000 years ago, and the fresh birth of the children of God was aflame by a burning desire in their own hearts to proclaim to all nations that "the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand", the baptized Christians were battled by the devil  and his minions and his instrument to destroy the growth of the Church and the proclamation of the promised salvation and eternal life. The instrument that Satan used was the Roman Empire who were living in the darkness of paganism or animism. 

The Roman Empire then was a nation or a state that had so many gods. Polytheism was the reigning belief then. And on the coming of the Christians, they stand solidly in evangelizing the pagans that there is only One living God, and those gods that the Romans worship then in particular were not really gods at all. At this, the Romans became furious, for such proclamation were ultimately against the living law of the Roman Empire - gods must be served by rightful ceremonies, rites, rituals, offerings, sacrifices in accordance with the law, there are proper ways to deal with these gods, based on their observation on how to "control" these gods and be favorable to the Romans appeals or wishes.

So the Christians were considered as criminals, deserved to be put to death, and now bloody persecutions began.

But the killing of thousands of Christians didn't help to stop the spreading of the Christian Faith. 

How so?

Because the killing of the Christians, the living, strong and solid faith of Christians facing persecution even unto death, the martyrs who endured the cruel persecutions with  indescribable patience and faith in God and His words, the love and hopes that lives in the Christians hearts and always seen in their works or deeds in the Christian community and to the Gentiles, the victory of the God of Christians over "gods" or demons, were flourished altogether. And on these main reasons, the many exorcisms done by Christians was one of the factors that, the Romans believed when they saw then how the God of the Christians subdued and rebuked those demons that the Romans worshiped as "gods", and, how the Holy Name of Christ drove out all those evil spirits who were pretending and hiding themselves in the form of "gods".

The Roman Empire were now truly convinced to the authenticity and the Power of the God of Christians over their "gods", and after seeing these marvels of Christians, Romans received the Catholic Faith and established it as the official religion of the state. Catholicism quickly spread to the neighboring lands of the Roman Empire.

By that time, becoming a religious is the greatest direction of life, so Catholicism is full of grace of women and men then, and the "fashion" of themselves was to become a monk, an hermit, a nun, a religious sister, a religious brother who prepared themselves to serve God and to win souls for Him. The "popular modes" then was going to a deserted place somewhere or being in a community (monastery or convent) enjoying and living in solitude, silence, being in the presence of God and the focus is almost God alone, fighting the temptations of the devil and fighting him head-on, destroying his holds on the people of God and so on.

I think that they must be envied by us modern people of these modern times. How greatly different they are to us! I pity myself. Let me show you why.

In these modern times we see how people live nowadays, all bodies are so abundantly enjoying the deliciousness of the inventions of man and its fruits which the purpose is to develop and give easy and comfort to man's needs (and too many wants) in its day-to-day living. Now, God is mostly, mostly forgotten by billions of people because these material things' brings so much delicious comfort and are so swift on attending people's needs (and so many wants) rather than prayers to God. We are greatly surrounded by these things that always and always catches our attentions. So in addition to this, these inventions or things, as I typed, are so great in number that we focus only to these material things. Wherever a person goes elsewhere, there is always things that gives him/her comfort and entertainment (like from televisions, radios, air-conditioner, electric fan, cellphones, computers, laptops, iphones, ipads, etc.). These worldly material things are now Satan's instruments to keep us away from God and His presence in us, little by little we end up to these and after that we plunge ourselves to be completely unrelated to God. These may serve as doorways of the devil and his demons to us, in the form of these things that brings lesser form of "Godlessness".

Of course, it is super easy to listen to always available music on the music player (like ipods) rather than spend a 30-minute silence in prayer and or, reciting the Holy Rosary of five decades and or, reading spiritual books and or, studying catechism and or, reading the Holy Bible prayerfully and or, attending to one's own pious practices and devotions, etc.

It is so easy to click on the television button or having a remote control(er) just in hand for so many fancy channels offering so many shows.

It is so easy to relax in a comfortable bed while the head of the electric fan is just 12-inch away from your head giving you fresh air (one of the roots of laziness?).

It is so easy to on your hi-tech music players while eyes closed, waiting for the crows to become swans.

It is so easy to use the Internet and open so many windows as you like, bringing so many virtual realities: games, videos, movies, etc. Of course, Internet is a doorway to another world, the virtual world, full of infinite excitements and fun!

And many more...

Now the presence of God on the person will vanish little by little because the heart and mind of the person were so much so occupied by these material things. How the holy people of old were so always recollected! They were the people who "walked their feet on earth but their hearts were always in heaven."

Let us all strive to become SAINTS!

Spiritual Warfare (Part 2) : Paganism And Superstition Were So Intact To Us

May I present to you some of the reasons why paganism in the Philippines is still existing, and is still strongly alive.

There are people who make themselves "wise" to the things that especially pertains to the world of the spirits or it can also known as, in Catholic literature, the world that is invisible. Those "wise and knowledgeable" people do not even know if those things they are sharing to others were true, or they do not even know if it is not true, and much worse, if those things exist at all, or not.

It can be said that these people where always and always driven by pride that they go and share to the world
and stand up as true witnesses on what they "know" about the existence of such reality, but actually they do not know, or even if they know something  about such reality of its existence, they knew just a bit of it, and most badly, they make-up these by their own stories that were not true at all.

So now we have different versions from different places, different beliefs, different opinions that were so much so contrary to the Catholic Faith. It can be said that it is a culture that can never be forgotten or be thrown away, or they did not ever received a proper or right catechesis about such topics or realities, or, even if they received catechesis, they will be hard-headed people as ever, continues to mix these practices came from both the Catholic Faith and the paganism and superstition.

Catholic Faith has its own mysteries and explained by the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and pagan culture and New Age Movement also has its own mysteries but the difference is these - while Catholic
Faith's mysteries were certainly, surely, or cannot be changed once all of these mysteries were declared as truths, paganism and New Age Movement's mysteries were living in false freedom of their own, depends on people or group of people who are in it, no problems when it comes to authority, the teachings can be changed, added, and/or subtracted.

Now these witnesses who were sharing these stories telling on what they saw, heard, and felt were saying the truth but these truths were just based on the context on the phenomena of what have just they saw, heard, and felt and these were not addressed on the only authority who knows on dealing and answering such phenomena or occurrences, the Catholic Church. That is why some phenomena and occurrences were not "cross-examined" by the authority were now receiving approval to a vast audience as truths even if it were not truths at all.

On these situations were spiritual phenomena or occurrences were sighted, heard, felt or recorded, the Catholic Church must and only the consultant of all, who will examine and give explanation or answer to such phenomena, because She, the Church, has the Fullness of the Truth of God, nothing more, nothing less.

And sadly, the worst of all, many people of our times are so ignorant because they believe quickly on a given account not telling themselves if it is true or not. This is one of the many weaknesses we inherited after the Fall of our first parents. We people were so easy to believe to the "truths" of men - not realizing if it is really true or not, but if men or women of God is speaking or telling the truths or Divine Revelations to us, we are so hard to get on believing.

Spiritual Warfare (Part 3) : Presenting the Ordinary Satanic Activity or Temptation

 Ladies and gentlemen, let us take a look at the tools or instruments of Satan in His "ordinary" activity.

We have three spiritual foes: 1.) the flesh; 2.) the world; 3.) the Devil. The flesh is often called “concupiscence,” which is the inclination to sin deep within us. The world and the Devil are external to us, but also very powerful threats to our true and lasting happiness.

1.) We base our description of the flesh on the famous passage of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist (+ circa 100 A.D.) in his First Letter (2:16): “For all that is in the world, the concupiscence of the flesh and the concupiscence of the eyes and the pride of life, is not from the Father but is from the world.” Therefore, the spiritual foe we term the flesh may be further divided into: A.) the concupiscence of the flesh, which is the inordinate love of sensual pleasures; B.) the concupiscence of the eyes, which is all unwholesome curiosity and inordinate love of the goods of our earth; C.) the pride of life, which is excessive self-love and is accompanied by vanity.

2.) The world signifies “not the whole number of men upon the earth, among whom are found both choice souls and irreligious men; but the sum-total of those who oppose Jesus Christ and are the slaves of the threefold concupiscence.” Identified as such are unbelievers, the indifferent, hardened sinners and those who believe and even practice their religion but do so sinking in a moral neglectfulness.

3.) The Devil is representative of Satan and the Fallen Angels. The Devil was jealous of the contentment experienced by Adam and Eve and so tempted them to sin. Ever since he was successful in the Garden of Eden, the Devil has continued his efforts against men and women, boys and girls with the hideous goal of leading all human persons away from their beloved and loving Creator.

Ordinary Satanic Activity—Temptation

Temptation comes to us from the flesh, the world and the Devil. Father Adolphe Tanquerey, in his classic The Spiritual Life: A Treatise on Ascetical and Mystical Theology, defined temptation as “a solicitation to evil on the part of our spiritual foes.” God allows us to be tempted so that we will merit Heaven, but He does not tempt us directly. Temptation is a means of purification and an instrument of spiritual progress. By temptation, we grow in humility and love of God.

Some persons are tempted frequently and intensely (I do not know if I'll be happy or not because I am included in this category), while others are tempted less and without being deeply agitated.

The great Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430), Bishop and Doctor of the Church, taught that there are three distinct but related phases in each temptation: A.) suggestion, which is the proposal of some evil; B.) pleasure, which happens when after the moving towards the suggested evil, there is some attendant delight; C.) consent, which is when the will delights in the pleasure, willingly enjoys it and yields to it. Sin occurs only when there is consent.

When we overcome temptation, our souls are aided remarkably. A magnificent triumph results when temptation is shunned. Father Tanquerey isolated three things that we must do to conquer temptation: 1.) anticipate temptation; 2.) battle against it; 3.) thank God after a victory and rise quickly after any fall.

1.) Vigilance and prayer are required to anticipate temptation. Regarding vigilance, we assert: presumption that compels us to place ourselves unnecessarily in the midst of temptation must be avoided, as must vain terrors which increase the danger and harmful occasions of sin—persons, places, things and events. When prayer is added to vigilance, in the words of Father Tanquerey, we become “invincible. God is concerned in our success, for it is He Whom the Devil assails in us, it is His work which He would wreck in us.”

2.) Resistance against temptation is indispensable. Serious temptation must be confronted: A.) ready or immediately, without hesitation; B.) energetically, with determination and strength; C.) perseveringly, with toughness; D.) humbly, which “attracts grace, and grace gives us the victory.”

3.) Temptation vanquished means that the blessed person must render gratitude to Almighty God, for from Him derives the conquest. Sin surrendered to is an invitation to the repentant sinner “to humble himself sincerely before God, to acknowledge his incapacity to do any good, to place his trust in God, to be all the more cautious, and return to the practice of penance. A fault thus repaired will not establish a serious obstacle to perfection.”

We do not throw ourselves headlong into temptation without real necessity; however, neither do we fail to see that when God permits us to be tempted, amazing spiritual progress is possible.

Conclusion

Satan is indeed active in our world by way of temptation, but when we pray daily, receive the Sacraments (particularly Confession and the Most Holy Eucharist) worthily and often, perform acts of charity and self-denial, avail ourselves of the intercession of Our Blessed Mother and the Angels and Saints and avoid the near occasion of sin, we increase in Sanctifying Grace and overcome the temptations emanating from the flesh, the world and the Devil.

Such a happy result glorifies the Most Blessed Trinity and speeds us along the challenging path that will end for us in Paradise.

Source: http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=5143&page=1

I saw Satan Fall, available at all St Pauls Bookstore. Price - P155

Spiritual Warfare (Part 2) : Why Paganism Is Super Intact To Filipinos?

"...In many aspects of life, discipleship, spirituality is often set aside. 'Yan ang sinasabi ng PCP II. We are a predominantly Christian country in terms of numbers but there is a big divide between the faith, spirituality, discipleship and ordinary life." Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle, 1st Catholic Social Media Summit.

The people of the Philippines are sacramentalized but not truly evangelized. Bishops at the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCPII)

Before the Spaniards landed to the Philippines, our first Filipinos who dwelt on the old Philippines were engaged in a trade called barter system wherein products were being bought and sold not by money that we modern people are using today but by products also in exchange of products according to the agreement between or among the parties involved in the trade. Here, our ancestors of old were connected not only for the products but also for meeting people from different lands who came from places of unknown tongues.

Our neighbor land China was one (actually, it still exist : MADE IN CHINA is familiar to you right?) of our trading friends in these barter system. Chinese brought their almost everything together with themselves, that is, they will be living here and so today, in this very Philippines, we have so many Chinese who were engaged in higher places of public and private standing especially, in businesses (Hmmmmnnn.... Isn't it unfair? As far as my poor intelligence is concerned, the population of the Filipinos now in China is more or less or absolutely, zero.)

After they brought their sleepy-looking shaped eyes of themselves here together with their goods contaminated by so many dynasties there from their big land , many of them decided to live here and do living.

Then afterwards, the Spaniards came.... Bringing the Cross of Salvation from this pagan world. Those who appreciate the old stories of the Philippines who felt the feet of the Spaniards walking on its land will know the adventures of the ships of Magellan and the rests of the Spaniards who came to the Philippines and neighboring lands. Evangelization began In Nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.... Many pagan Filipinos now became heir and heiress of the Kingdom of God.

Now, how about the Chinese? There were Chinese who were baptized by the Spaniards and called them Binondo, while the unconverted ones were called Parian.

Then how is it so that paganism is still alive in the Philippines despite the evangelization of the Spaniards on this land?

Because our native Filipinos hid underground their animistic/pagan practices during the stay and evangelization of the Spaniards who came bringing cross and sword to the Philippines. Before the colonizers from Spain landed here, the Philippines is far from the Christianized West meaning, it is a far land that received Christianity openly in general unlike the neighbors of the Philippines who were untouched by evangelization. I really believe the fact that we were speedily baptized because we're really, really, Filipinos of old and of now are very very friendly and super hospitable that all is always welcome to us! Whether the foreign is good or bad. Whether it is good culture or bad. All is really welcome to us that so, we embraced the Christianity that led us to the Holy and True God who is the Creator of all creatures and, sadly, we added it with bitter, spice, and everything that are not nice like the foreign paganism combined with our own paganism and so on. And also, before we embraced Catholicism, the Filipinos were so amazed by the animism and paganism of their own that they were moved to use it constantly because of its efficacy, the things of it which brought good luck and protection to them, etc. that they laid underground when the good and great gift that the Spaniards gave was only the Christian Faith and the most of the rest were of course, bad.

And here were foreign paganism that the foreigners, especially the Chinese, hid also from the Spaniards and later on were flourished by them decade after decade and up to now, mixed of superstitions, paganism/ animism, occult practices and many more are living up to now. And the causes of Filipino paganism's undying power and longevity are the antiquity of it passed and grew from generation to generation from our great, great, and even super great grandparents whom they shared to their sons and daughters and so on with matching credibility on the way they verbally shared and/or handed these things to them. Also, it is because of our true and real nature, the very nature of Filipinos really of being super friendly and hospitable individually that we welcome additions of paganism to our own practices, depending on the variety of one's own needs and wants and what are the most prominent and endorsed by famous people especially those who enjoy stardom. And sadly also, many of us are so easily getting in believing things already even if there is a great percentage that these sayings were ultimately untrue.

In addition, people nowadays are bombarded by so many invitations of "lucks" from reading materials like newspapers (whether tabloid or broadsheets) who cater horoscopes and fortune-telling especially palm reading and dream interpretation everyday, from always available neck-fashion medals or amulets or agimat or anting-anting that're sold just outside of the sanctuaries and churches like the Quiapo Church, from the bystanders who offer palm reading, fortune-telling, card reading, potions, many forms of "healing", from Chinese colorful and eye-catching paraphernalia advertised as lucky charms for any dealings of a person's day to day life, etc. and the hidden tactic of it all was that these things have new faces today and their appearances as I said, were quite or totally fancy and tempting and many are super filled with mystery, excitement, thrill and adventure that no one can resist oneself  not to avail or not to use it - this things of neo-paganism, and its sister, New Age Movement.

How can we combat these?

First, let us all be guided by The Word of God from the Sacred Scriptures. And God is speaking to us right now. Now, what is He telling? About paganism/occult?

"When you come into the land which the Lord, your God, is giving you, you shall not learn to imitate the abominations of the peoples there. Let there not be found among you anyone who immolates his son or daughter in the fire, nor a fortune-teller, soothsayer, charmer, diviner, or caster of spells, nor one who consults ghosts and spirits or seeks oracles from the dead. Anyone who does such things is an abomination to the Lord, and because of such abominations the Lord, your God, is driving these nations out of your way." 
(Deuteronomy 18:9-12)

Here, we see that the Lord, our God, is telling us that such deeds that He mentioned then to the Israelites, His chosen people, was, (and still now) a disgust to Him. There are rites or rituals or practices that God prescribes to us to praise, to adore, to venerate, to glorify Him, and now, He entrusted it to His Church. The rites or deeds that He mentioned were not of Him, so, it was (and it is) not a right or a good way to address Him through these things because by doing so, using these rites or practices, people were addressing it to other powers that are not of God, not of the Lord and, these powers were no other than, Satan the devil, and his demons.

Available at all St. Pauls Bookstore. Price - P175.

Spiritual Warfare (Part 1) : You Can Never Escape From It!

"The Church believes that each day, there is an on-going fight between the good and the evil - between God and the Devil. The Church calls it Spiritual Warfare...." - from Liwanag sa Dilim (Light in Darkness), a documentary of Jesuit Communications Foundation and Archdiocese of Manila Office of Exorcism

It is clear that Spiritual Warfare deals with two opposing powers - powers that were on the side of Good and God who are called angels while the other side were once good angels, but became evil ones - Satan and His demons.

And it should or must be clear that these two opposing powers are not battling by just themselves - because we, humans, are in the middle of them, in the middle of their battle, in the middle of their fight.

"Many are unaware of the on-going fight between angels and demons over the destiny of human beings. The two groups of invisible spirits, the holy angels on one side and the demons on the other, are engaged in a tug-of-war with us in the middle." [From Of Angels and Saints, authored by a columnist of Philippine Daily Inquirer, one of the biggest broadsheets in the Philippines.]

So we are also a part of it, and we cannot escape from it. Now I asked myself : Is God a cheater? Why then He placed me and included me on this on-going war if He is a Goodly God? Why? Why is it so?

Then an answer popped up, came from St. Padre Pio saying that, "Jesus permits the spiritual combat as purification, not as a punishment. The trial is not unto death but unto salvation."

If we can never escape from it, what a person must do? Is their other means not to be part of it? Anyway it is on the language of the Catholic Church who knows anything and everything about this warfare. Can I just change my religion or become lukewarm knowing that this methods will save me from these attacks? That these so called demons will not waste their time attacking me because I do not participate on the ways a Catholic does which are against these demons and I'm not joining myself especially in prayers in the spiritual battle against these wicked ones?

Now these questions can enter ones own mind if a person has a first step view about this Spiritual Warfare but, I honestly say to you, that I was just "accidentally" opened a book about Exorcism and, here I am now, making efforts to spread these "sleeping" necessary information about this invisible world of the spirits - that
sees us here on earth - we are visible to them, but they are invisible to us(unfair, right? But their are people who can see them. Not too many, however.)

The good way of keeping oneself on the right track in this warfare is to choose what is good and living an authentic Christian life that centers on prayer, the Church, the Sacraments, the Sacramentals and everything that is of Jesus and those things or ways that are of or belong to Jesus and those persons who are close or with Jesus.

Now, in changing religion, you are not sure if this option can protect you or can save you or can help you to enter heaven. I may say that if a demon "ceases" his attacks through a person who became "good" after changing his religion or faith from being a Catholic to another, that demon was already numbered that person to all those he will bring down to hell. It may seem that the person is at "peace" like no worries, the career or living is smooth with no "bad luck", or not getting struck of misfortunes. And pardon me that I am not saying that those Catholics who are experiencing these things that I just typed were belong to the evil one but, the reasons can be found out if one is discerning or thinking over those things why they are happening. Maybe, the people experiences these "misfortunes" because they are living in sin, or maybe because, they are living a holy life and they are on the way of purification and tried by these, of course, trials. Another reason that I may add is this that if a person move himself away from the Holy Church and he is now living a "prosperous" life, it can be said that the evil one is using this person to become his "example" or "model" or instrument in proselytizing people to change their religion and move themselves away from the Holy Church and to the Holy and Real Presence of Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist showing and testifies also that no one can live a merry life and cannot attain progress in life while being a member of the Holy Church - the Catholic Church.

Now, on the part of being a lukewarm Catholic is like swaying of oneself in the wind, a boat that is just floating in the ocean with no desire to push and sail oneself to progress in knowing, loving, and serving God. It is mellowness of spirit to go on and  to take courage and to go forward to fight for God and to win souls for the love of Him shown by our love for our neighbor. In the Revelations 3:16 we read that, "The lukewarm I will spew out of my mouth", says the Lord. Then one must choose who will he/she wholly belong : to the good or bad; to God or to the Evil One. It is just like this scenario - that no one can escape from earthly death. But we can attain eternal life living on the way of holiness started in Baptism, and then later on the Confirmation of belonging oneself to Christ together with uniting ourselves bodily with the Body of Christ in the Mass of the Faithful or the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, frequent use of the sacramentals that are in line with the Sacred Traditions of the Church, patronizing the Sacrament of Confession, et cetera. 

The warfare is about us humans. We are at war every second of our days. No one can escape from it. We should or must go forward, no turning backs from it. No giving up. No surrender. Because we are not alone on this fight. We are not alone. And those who are fighting with us is so much so greater and powerful than those of hell. COURAGE! FORWARD! The real Christians are those who belong to the Catholic Church!
Do not desert our Holy Commanders in Heaven!

Become a saint!