Day 8 Thurs May 21st

Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Let us bow down in humility at the power and grandeur of the Holy Spirit. Let us worship the Holy Trinity and give glory today to the Paraclete, our Advocate. O Holy Spirit, by Your power, Christ was raised from the dead to save us all. By Your grace, miracles are performed in Jesus’ name. By Your love, we are protected from evil. And so, we ask with humility and a beggar’s heart for Your gift of Self-Control within us. Your Martyrs had the overwhelming self-control to go joyfully to a painful death without shrinking from the opportunity to join You in heaven. Give us this self-control to have command over our emotions and desires that we may serve You more fully.

Reflect on these words

Paul stated in 2 Cor 10:3-5 that, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds, (i.e., of Satan in the mind and heart). We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”  So according to Paul we are involved in spiritual warfare against a formidable enemy.  The festal shout not only overcomes the powers of evil, at the same time it calls down the anointing of the Lord on those who praise him.  In 2 Chron 5:13-14 we read about a remarkable example of this grace, “The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: "He is good; his love endures forever." Then the temple of the Lord was filled with a cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.” Where God’s shekhinah glory is present, the evil spirits withdraw into the shadows.