Helmet of Salvation

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17

When I was on retreat at Bethany House a week ago, we decided to do the Stations of the Cross, which are outdoors along a pathway through the woods.  I was assigned the task of carrying the crucifix.  Because of the placement of the stations I ended up holding the crucifix in front of me at about chest level.  I got a bird’s eye view of the top of Jesus’ head.  And I remembered reading an article about how the crown of thorns actually covered the whole of his head and wasn’t just a circular band around his head.  And God whispered, “the helmet of Salvation.”

A bit taken aback, I pondered what this meant.  And God said, “your minds are under assault by the enemy.  But I crush the serpent, I want you too as well.”  

I thought about all the false ideology that is shot at us like poison arrows.  Confusion about when life begins.  Confusion about marriage.  Confusion about gender.  Confusion about love.  Confusion about our own identity.  Confusion in the church.  He took it all on.  Each of those thorns in his scalp a representation of false ideology that he was overcoming.  He took it all on so we would know truth.  We must live in the spirit of truth.

The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for,“Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:15-16

Today, my heart felt heavy, as if the winds of the world are about to become fierce.  But even in the midst of this I felt consoled.  God tells me all is a movement towards His Divine Will.  He is urgent about aligning my own personal human will with his will.

 “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” John 17:21

The fighting, hatred, fear and detraction have become our way of living, and it is a false way of living.  And so He tells me “Be not afraid, put on the armor of God.”

I woke up in the night with a book on my heart.  The book is called Praying as a family.  All I know is God is urgent that we pray and pray together with others as well.

We need to ask for the intercession of Mary and Joseph to help us align our will to Christ’s as they did.  God is making everything transparent.  And on this the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes the Immaculate Conception will be our guide to the will of her Son whatever happens around us.