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Bridget's avatar

> four main topics: power, the priesthood, women in the Church, and sexuality.

These are interesting topics to reflect on. In his consuming rabid envy of the good things we have received, the enemy seeks to destroy these good things (not limited to the above list): he would like to destroy both the things themselves, and he would like to cause us to hate the reality of those things (destroying the perception in us that they are good). Would he like to destroy priesthood - yes, of course; he cannot destroy it in its essence but can be extremely hostile to it in each of its particular instances. Would he like to destroy our perception of the goodness of the priesthood (in its essence as it really is) and make us desire to change it and also to wish that we had what is impossible to have? Sure, that would be a solid day's work. Would he also like to do this for marriage? Definitely. Could he be envious of marriage and the (staggering) ability to bring forth new life in love and unity, without also being envious of human sexuality, male and female, as God has presented it to us (gifted it to us)? Rhetorical question. Of course he would like to destroy in us any sense that we could rejoice (with gratitude to God) in what we ourselves are, as we are, incomplete, limited, yearning, and in the particular case of women (I can't speak to men's experience directly) intermittently physically suffering; and replace it with a desire for (hat tip to star wars fans) UNLIMITED POWER, or (hat tip to doctor who fans) UNLIMITED RICE PUDDING. If we think "should I panic about some committees that are forming to discuss how to obtain unlimited rice pudding" probably the correct response is to recall that the enemy is trying simultaneously to make *everyone* discontented (in different ways) with the experience of abandonment to divine providence in the present moment, and so the thing to do is to sit down with the Holy Spirit and look for termites in one's own brain because we all have some and a victory for any of us is a victory for all of us.

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Aidan T's avatar

Make them like tumbleweed, my God,

like chaff before the wind.

As fire consumes the forest

or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,

so pursue them with your tempest

and terrify them with your storm.

Cover their faces with shame, Lord,

so that they will seek your name.

May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;

may they perish in disgrace.

Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord—

that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.

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