To Be Just Truthful (On TB Joshua and Trump)

Jonah, as depicted by Michelangelo on the Sistine Chapel
ceiling

Normally, I don’t talk about ‘False Prophets’ and their multiple lies in the name of God and Christianity. However, this particular ‘supposed prophecy’ made by TB Joshua about the American Presidential Election on Sunday, the 6th of November, 2016 in which he said He ‘saw a woman winning’ but Donald Trump, a man has been the topic of a lot of discussion with a number of people defending him, accusing him of being a false prophet and some others saying we should not judge. Some have also joined on the topics and these discussions to once again condemn religion and the idea of God in general.

While I must confess I haven’t read all the points being used to defend him, there is one in particular which I have seen repeated over and over again. The ‘Jonah and Nineveh‘ story. I must however say, that while I am not saying TB Joshua is a false prophet (I do not need to since his prophecies are already proving that he is), I just need to say that Jonah’s mission in Nineveh is totally different from TB Joshua’s mission (whatever it is) with the American Elections.

What is Prophecy?
Prophecy is basically speaking for God, the passing of ‘A Message from God to a person or people’. It does not always have to be ‘predicting the Future’ as many seem to think it is.

Why is Jonah’s prophecy at Nineveh different from TB Joshua’s declaration concerning the ‘Election’?
Jonah was called to ‘go and preach repentance in Nineveh’ (Jonah 1:2 and 3:2).
Jonah did not go into Nineveh to say ‘In exactly 40 days, God will destroy Nineveh’, this would have been ‘predicting the future’.
He went into Nineveh saying ‘You have sinned against God and if you don’t stop sinning and repent in 40 days, God will destroy Nineveh’, which is obviously a ‘warning’.

Upon simple analysis, Jonah’s message to Nineveh has 3 main parts; a previous character, the impending effect of it and the call to change that character which would cause a change in the impending effect.
Previous Character: Nineveh’s sinful lifestyle
Impending effect: Destruction in 40 days
Change in character and event: They repented and were spared.

But TB Joshua’s statement lacks these 3 parts. He said ‘I saw a woman win the election’. A straight prediction of the Future.

As demonstrated above, TB Joshua’s prediction and Jonah’s warning of Nineveh are not remotely similar and as such, the statement or line of thought that ‘Since Jonah said A in Nineveh and B happened and Jonah is still considered a true prophet’, then ‘TB Joshua saying A and B happening, does not make him a false prophet’ is a very wrong one.

Jonah gave a warning and TB Joshua predicted (or rather, falsely predicted) the future. Don’t compare them.

Thank You.

Beside Still Waters

Life is full of challenges. Everyone faces tough times and at those times, we Christians tend to turn even more to Our God and Father in heaven, hoping and believing that He will release/save us from our sufferings.

At times we receive answers almost instantaneously and other times, it seems that God has chosen not to answer us. This however, is not the case as God always answers our prayers. It just often happens that we place expectations on our prayers and conclude to ourselves that unless God meets those expectations, he has not answered us. This means that if God answers us in a different way from that which we are expecting, we end up being oblivious to it.

There are times when we find ourselves in conditions which are uncomfortable for us and we cry out to God asking for a change in our lives. And when it seems that there is no change, we seem to be stuck in our condition. It begins to feel like we are stuck in still waters and that there is no tide to move us forward.

In these conditions, we tend to focus on our problems and conditions and only look to God to meet our expectations. This is why we fail to see how God has answered and is still answering our prayers. We focus too much to “the still waters” that our lives as become as a result of our conditions and fail to see any other thing happening.

But we know from the Scriptures, that even beside still waters, a lot is still going on. As Psalm 23 says “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in Green pastures. He leads me beside STILL WATERS…”

When we focus on the still waters, we fail to see God as the Shepherd he is to us and so we are unaware that He is in fact leading us. Just as the Israelites failed to understand that it was God leading out of Egypt just because they were in a desert and it seemed like they would be there forever.

Truly, it is hard to have faith when in one form of suffering or the other but It is in times like this that we should not only persist in prayer but also draw closer to God and remind ourselves continually that He loves us.

So as often we see ourselves in “Still Waters” we should remember Psalm 23 and focus on God leading us rather than the Water itself.

Litany of Saints

LORD, have mercy on us.
LORD, have mercy on us.
CHRIST, have mercy on us.
CHRIST, have mercy on us.
LORD, have mercy on us.
LORD, have mercy on us.
CHRIST, hear us.
CHRIST, graciously hear us.

GOD, THE FATHER OF HEAVEN, have mercy on us.
GOD THE SON, REDEEMER OF THE WORLD, have mercy on us.
GOD THE HOLY GHOST, have mercy on us.
HOLY TRINITY, ONE GOD, have mercy on us.

HOLY MARY, pray for us.
HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, pray for us.
HOLY VIRGIN OF VIRGINS, pray for us.

ST. MICHAEL, pray for us.
ST. GABRIEL, pray for us.
ST. RAPHAEL, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY ANGELS AND ARCHANGELS, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY ORDERS OF BLESSED SPIRITS, pray for us.
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, pray for us. ST. JOSEPH, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY PATRIARCHS AND PROPHETS, pray for us.

ST. PETER, pray for us.
ST. PAUL, pray for us.
ST. ANDREW, pray for us.
ST. JAMES, pray for us.
ST. JOHN, pray for us.
ST. THOMAS, pray for us.
ST. JAMES, pray for us.
ST. PHILIP, pray for us.
ST. BARTHOLOMEW, pray for us.
ST. MATTHEW, pray for us.
ST. SIMON, pray for us.
ST. THADDEUS, pray for us.
ST. BARNABAS, pray for us.
ST. LUKE, pray for us.
ST. MARK, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY APOSTLES AND EVANGELIST, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY DISCIPLES OF OUR LORD, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY INNOCENTS, pray for us.

ST. STEPHEN, pray for us.
ST. LAWRENCE, pray for us.
ST. VINCENT, pray for us.
SS. FABIAN AND SEBASTIAN, pray for us.
SS. JOHN AND PAUL, pray for us.
SS. COSMOS AND DAMIAN, pray for us.
SS. GERVASE AND PROTASE, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY MARTYRS, pray for us.

ST. SYLVESTER, pray for us.
ST. GREGORY, pray for us.
ST. AMBROSE, pray for us.
ST. AUGUSTINE, pray for us.
ST. JEROME, pray for us.
ST. MARTIN, pray for us.
ST. NICHOLAS, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY BISHOPS AND CONFESSORS, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY DOCTORS, pray for us.

ST. ANTHONY, pray for us.
ST. BENEDICT, pray for us.
ST. BERNARD, pray for us.
ST. DOMINIC, pray for us.
ST. FRANCIS, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY PRIESTS AND LEVITES, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY MONKS AND HERMITS, pray for us.

ST. MARY MAGDALEN, pray for us.
ST. AGATHA, pray for us.
ST. LUCY, pray for us.
ST. AGNES, pray for us.
ST. CECILIA, pray for us.
ST. CATHERINE, pray for us.
ST. ANASTASIA, pray for us.
ALL YE HOLY VIRGINS AND WIDOWS, pray for us.
ALL YE MEN AND WOMEN, SAINTS OF GOD, make intercession for us.

BE MERCIFUL, spare us, O Lord!
BE MERCIFUL, graciously hear us, O Lord!

FROM ALL EVIL, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM ALL SIN, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM THY WRATH, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM A SUDDEN AND UNPROVIDED DEATH, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM THE DECEITS OF THE DEVIL, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM ANGER, HATRED, AND ALL ILL WILL, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM THE SPIRIT OF FORNICATION, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM LIGHTNING AND TEMPEST, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM THE SCOURGE OF EARTHQUAKE, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM PESTILENCE, FAMINE, AND WAR, O Lord, deliver us.
FROM EVERLASTING DEATH, O Lord, deliver us.
THROUGH THE MYSTERY OF THY HOLY INCARNATION, O Lord, Deliver us.
THROUGH THY COMING, O Lord, deliver us.
THROUGH THY NATIVITY, O Lord, deliver us.
THROUGH THY BAPTISM AND HOLY FASTING, O Lord, deliver us.
THROUGH THY CROSS AND PASSION, O Lord, deliver us.
THROUGH THY DEATH AND BURIAL, O Lord, deliver us.
THROUGH THY HOLY RESURRECTION, O Lord, deliver us.
THROUGH THINE ADMIRABLE ASCENSION, O Lord, deliver us.
THROUGH THE COMING OF THE HOLY GHOST, THE PARACLETE, O Lord, deliver us.

IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT, We Sinners beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST SPARE US, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST PARDON US, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST BRING US TO TRUE PENANCE, We Beseech Thee hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST GOVERN AND PRESERVE THY HOLY CHURCH, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST PRESERVE OUR APOSTOLIC PRELATE AND ALL ECCLESIASTICAL ORDERS IN HOLY RELIGION. We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST TO HUMBLE THE ENEMIES OF THY HOLY CHURCH, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST TO GIVE PEACE AND TRUE CONCORD TO CHRISTIAN KINGS AND PRINCES, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST GRANT PEACE AND UNITY TO ALL CHRISTIAN PEOPLE, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST BRING BACK TO THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH ALL THOSE WHO HAVE STRAYED AWAY, AND LEAD TO THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL ALL UNBELIEVERS, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST CONFIRM AND PRESERVE US THY HOLY SERVICE, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST LIFT UP OUR MINDS TO HEAVENLY DESIRES, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST RENDER ETERNAL BLESSINGS TO ALL OUR BENEFACTORS, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST DELIVER OUR SOULS AND THOSE OF OUR BRETHREN, RELATIVE, AND BENEFACTORS FROM ETERNAL DAMNATION, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST GIVE AND PRESERVE THE FRUITS OF THE EARTH, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST GIVE ETERNAL REST TO ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED, We beseech Thee, hear us.
THAT THOU WOULDST GRACIOUSLY HEAR US, We beseech Thee, hear us.
SON OF GOD, We beseech Thee, hear us.

LAMB OF GOD, WHO TAKEST AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD, Spare us, O Lord.
LAMB OF GOD, WHO TAKEST AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
LAMB OF GOD, WHO TAKEST AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD, Have mercy on us.

CHRIST, hear us.
CHRIST, graciously hear us.
LORD, have mercy on us.
LORD, have mercy on us.
CHRIST, have mercy on us.
CHRIST, have mercy on us.
LORD, have mercy on us.
LORD, have mercy on us.

(Silently)
Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins. As we forgive those who sin against us.
V- And Lead Us Not Into Temptation.
R- But Deliver Us From Evil.

Psalm LXIX (69)
Incline unto my aid, O God.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek my soul.
Let them be turned backward and blush for shame that desire evils to me.
Let them be presently turned away blushing for shame that say to me, “Tis well, ’tis well.”
Let all that seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee; and let such as love Thy salvation say always, The Lord be magnified. But I am needy and poor: O God, help me.
Thou art my helper and my deliverer; O Lord, make no delay.

Glory Be To The Father, etc.

V- Save Thy servants.
R- Trusting in Thee, O my God.

V- Be unto us, O Lord, a tower a strength.
R- From the face of the enemy.

V- Let not the enemy prevail against us.
R- Nor the son of iniquity have power to hurt us.

V- O Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
R- Neither reward us according to our iniquities.

V- Let us pray for our chief bishop: (name)
R- The Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.

V- Let us pray for our benefactors.
R- Vouchsafe, O Lord, for Thy name’s sake, to reward with eternal life all those who do us good.

V- Let us pray for the faithful departed.
R- Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.

V- May they rest in peace.
R- Amen.

V- For our absent brethren.
R- Save Thy servants who hope in Thee, O my God.

V- Send them help, O Lord, from Thy holy place.
R- And from Sion protect them.

V- O Lord, hear my prayer.
R- And let my cry come unto Thee.

LET US PRAY:
O God, Whose property is always to have mercy and to spare, receive our petition, that we and all Thy servants who are bound by the chain of sin, may, by the compassion of Thy goodness, mercifully be absolved.

Hear, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the prayers of Thy supplicants, and pardon the sins of those who confess to Thee, that, in Thy bounty, Thou mayest grant us both pardon and peace.

In Thy clemency, O Lord, show Thy unspeakable mercy to us, that so Thou mayest both loose us from all our sins and deliver us from the punishments which we deserve for them.

O God, who by sin art offended and by penance pacified, mercifully regard the prayers of Thy people, who make supplication to Thee, and turn away the scourges of Thine anger, which we deserve for our sins.

O almighty and eternal God, have mercy on Thy servant (N)., our chief bishop, and direct him according to Thy clemency, in the way of everlasting salvation, that, by Thy grace, he may desire the things that are pleasing to Thee, and perform them with all his strength.

O God, from Whom are all holy desires, righteous counsels, and just works, give to Thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that, our hearts being disposed to keep Thy commandments, and the fear of enemies taken away, the times, by Thy protection, may be peaceful.

Inflame, O Lord, our reins and hearts with the fire of the Holy Spirit; that we may serve Thee with a chaste body, and please Thee with a clean heart.

O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, give to the souls of Thy servants departed the remission of all their sins, that through pious supplications they may obtain the pardon they have always desired.

Direct, we beseech Thee, O Lord, our actions by Thy holy inspirations, and carry them on by Thy gracious assistance; that every prayer and work of ours may always begin from Thee, and through Thee be happily ended.

O almighty and eternal God, Who hast dominion over the living and the dead, and art merciful to all who Thou foreknowest will be Thine by faith and good works: we humbly beseech Thee that they for whom we have purposed to offer our prayers, whether this present world still detains them in the flesh or the next world hath already received them divested of their bodies, may, by the intercession of Thy saints and the clemency of Thy goodness, obtain pardon and full remission of all their sins.

Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
R- Amen.

V- O Lord, hear my prayer.
R- And let my cry come unto Thee.

V- May the almighty and merciful Lord graciously hear us.
R- Amen.

V- And my the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R- Amen.

Can Saints Actually Pray For Us?

Picture gotten from Catholicculture.org

Today is the 1st of November. On this day, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of All Saints. On this day, we the Church Militant celebrates with all members of the Church Triumphant.

This Celebration is possible because we believe in the Communion of Saints and that the Church Triumphant are aware of what happens on Earth.

One of the gifts in the Communion of Saints is the ability of the Saints to hear our prayers and to intercede for us. The gift however is one that is not fully utilized by all because some still do not really understand it. And so we encounter the question:

Can Saints Actually Pray For You?
The Catholic Church teaches that Saints (Christians who are in heaven) can and do pray for us who are on this earth. This teaching encourages praying to Saints asking them to intercede specially for us. Why do we believe and teach this?

What is prayer?
Prayer is communication with God. Therefore it is something that can done by those who are living.

Who is alive?
This is a valid question. We believe this because we look at life and human existence from an Catholic perspective. We know that everyone lives twice; the earthly life of the body and the everlasting life of the Soul. The former being an opportunity to decide the state in which the latter will be spent. So while saying that Abraham for example, is dead, we know that he is still alive just not physically anymore. This means that we on earth and the Saints in heaven can pray.

“And concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, `I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” —Matthew 22:31-32

Can those in Heaven hear our request for their intercession?
Do those in heaven know what is going on here?
The simple answer is Yes. They are not Omnipotent but being in a direct and perfect connection with God, they are not bound by the physical limitations of the flesh.

“I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.” – Luke 15 : 7 – 10

Obviously, those in heaven can’t celebrate what they are unaware of.

In Hebrews, St Paul calls them witnesses.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us” –Hebrews 12:1

How can the Saints pray for us when Christ is our only Mediator?
Jesus Christ is the only Son of God. But John 1:12 says “… as many as received him, he gave But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of them power to be made the sons of God”

So we see that Jesus gives us a share in His Sonship if we receive him. In the same way, by baptism, he makes us members of his body. And as members of his body, we now have a share in his Mediatorship.

This is the reason why we can pray for each other and why the Saints can pray for us as Revelations 5:8 shows.

The Litany of Saints which should be prayed today (and everyday if you can) can be found here