The Shining Ocean

By Marilynn Hughes

THE SHINING OCEAN (An Out-of-Body Travel Book) A Treatise on the Primordial Substance of Out-of-Body Travel: Where have you been? To where do you go? Come with me, allow me to take you on an out-of-body travel journey into the deepest recesses of human consciousness and religious thought. This out-of-body travel journey is not meant to be simple, nor is it meant to be quick . . . it is meant to be savoured. It is a distant and remote journey to the deepest recesses of the heart of God which can only be known through the mightiest of mystical experience.

It is okay if you feel moved to flip through the pages and try to get a feel for the out-of-body adventure to come ahead of time, but I ask that after you have done this, that you make a resolved effort to bring your spirit forward and gather it unto itself. For this out-of-body travel journey requires much of you, and it will not relent its seeking. Come . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Oct 28, 2015
• ISBN: 9781329590007

Book preview

The Shining Ocean

THE SHINING OCEAN

A Treatise on the Primordial Substance of Out-of-Body Travel

By Marilynn Hughes

An Out-of-Body Travel Book

The Out-of-Body Travel Foundation!

http://outofbodytravel.org

THE Shining OCEAN

A Treatise on the Primordial Substance of Out-of-Body Travel

By Marilynn Hughes

An Out-of-Body Travel Book

The Out-of-Body Travel Foundation!

http://outofbodytravel.org

Copyright 2015, Marilynn Hughes

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this work or portions thereof in any form whatsoever without permission in writing from the publisher and author, except for brief passages in connection with a review. 

All credits for quotations are included in the Bibliography.

For information, write to:

The Out-of-Body Travel Foundation!

http://outofbodytravel.org

[e-mail]

If this book is unavailable from your local bookseller, it may be obtained directly from the Out-of-Body Travel Foundation by going to www.outofbodytravel.org.

Having worked primarily in radio broadcasting, Marilynn Hughes spent several years as a news reporter, producer and anchor before deciding to stay at home with her three children. She's experienced, researched, written, and taught about out-of-body travel since 1987. 

Books by Marilynn Hughes:

Come to Wisdom's Door

How to Have an Out-of-Body Experience!

Out-of-Body Experiences

What you  Need to know

The Hammer of Mysticism

Encylopedic Journey into Mystical Processes and Terms

The Fragrance of the Mystical Rose

The Revelation of the Celestial Mysteries from the Enclosed Garden of God

The Mysteries of the Redemption

A Treatise on Out-of-Body Travel and Mysticism

The Mysteries of the Redemption Series in Five Volumes

(Same Book - Choose Your Format!)

Prelude to a Dream

Passage to the Ancient

Medicine Woman Within a Dream

Absolute Dissolution of Body and Mind

The Mystical Jesus

The Mysteries of the Redemption

Prayer Book

The Mysteries of the Redemption

Devotional

GALACTICA

A Treatise on Death, Dying and the Afterlife

THE PALACE OF ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE

A Treatise on Ancient Mysteries

Touched by the Nails

(Watch and Wait)

A Karmic Journey Revealed!

Principles of THE WORLD BEYOND Death

Books of Terror

Evil Exists, it's Closer than you Think

Based on the Visions of Mary Hughes

By Marilynn Hughes

Evergreen

The Autobiography of a mystic

The Mystical Captive

The Mystical Freeborn

The Royal Question

The Solitary

In my Aloneness, I Feel the Wind.

It has Consciousness, it has Breath.

And it Speaks.

The EMISSARY

Sister Silence as Sacrament

The POTENTATE

Crown Him with Many Crowns

THE Shining OCEAN

A Treatise on the Primordial Substance of Out-of-Body Travel

Michael Jackson:

The Afterlife Experiences

A Theology of Michael Jackson's Life and Lyrics

Michael Jackson:

The Afterlife Experiences II

Michael Jackson’s American Dream to Heal the World

Michael Jackson:

The Afterlife Experiences III

The Confessions of Michael Jackson

Comparative Religious Mystical Theology

Out-of-Body Travel in World Religion

Forgotten Mystics in World Religions

Lesser Known Out-of-Body Experiences

Selfishness and Self-Will

The Path to Selflessness in World Religions

A Life of Cultivation

Near Death and Out-of-Body Experiences

(Auspicious Births and Deaths)

Of the Prophets, Saints, Mystics and Sages in World Religions

The Voice of the Prophets

Wisdom of the Ages - Volumes 1 - 12

At the Feet of the Masters

Teaching Stories of the Prophets in World Religions

World Religions and their Prophets

Miraculous Images:

Photographs Containing God’s Fingerprints

Suffering:

The Fruits of Utter Desolation

We are all Shadows

The Overview Series

The Oral Transmissions of the 52 Soto Zen Buddhist Ancestors

The Doctors of the Catholic Church

The General Councils of the Catholic Church

Marian Apparitions in the Catholic Church

Heresies in the Catholic Church

Miraculous Phenomena in the Catholic Church

Fascinating Figures in World Religion

Practices, Prayer, Ritual, Liturgy, Sacraments and Theology in the Catholic Church

Writers of the Philokalia

Protestant Reforms

Bridal Mysticism

Mystic Knowledge Series:

Out-of-Body Travel

Ghosts and Lost Souls

Spirit Guides and Guardian Angels

Reincarnation and Karma

Spiritual Warfare, Angels and Demons

Death, Dying and the Afterlife

Heaven, Hell and Purgatory

ExtraTerrestrials

Destiny and Prophecy

Initiations into the Mysteries

Visions of Jesus and the Saints

Ascension

Suffering and Sickness

Mystical Poetry

CHILDREN'S BOOKS

The Former Angel! - A Children’s Tale

(Ages 2 - 8)

The Mystery of the Key to Heaven!

(Ages 2 - 10)

Streams in the Willow

The Story of One Family’s Transformation from Original Sin

Compilations

Out-of-Body Travel and Near Death Experiences: Compiled Works through 2006

World Religions and Ancient Sacred Texts: Compiled Compiled Works through 2006

The Voice of the Prophets:

Abridged Lesser Known Texts

The Mystical Captive Series:

A Trilogy in One Volume

THE SOLITARY SERIES:

A Trilogy in One Volume

Michael Jackson’s Afterlife Experiences

A Trilogy in One Volume

The Out-of-Body Travel Foundation Journals

Journal One:  The Importance of the Seven Virtues and Vices in Understanding the Practice of Out-of-Body Travel!

Journal Two: My Out-of-Body Journey with Sai Baba, Hindu Avatar!

Journal Three: The History of 'The Out-of-Body Travel Foundation!'

Journal Four: A Menage of Wonderful Writers and Artists!

Journal Five: The Stories of Cherokee Elder, Willy Whitefeather!

Journal Six: Discerning your Vocation in Life by Learning the Difference Between Knowledge and Knowing!

Journal Seven: When Tragedy Strikes

Journal Eight: Comparing the Buddhist Avalokiteswara's Descent into Hell with that of Jesus Christ!

Journal Nine: Huzur Maharaj Sawan Singh - Sant Mat  (Sikh)  Master Guru and Grandson Maharaj Charan Singh - Sant Mat  (Sikh)  Master Guru

Journal Ten: The Great Beyond

Journal Eleven: Ghosts and Lost Souls: Our Responsibility

Journal Twelve: The 800th Anniversary of Jalalludin Rumi, and the True Spiritual Heritage of Afghanistan and the Middle East

Journal Thirteen: Pensatia – Forgotten Rosicrucian Mystic

Journal Fourteen: Reverend John Macgowan – Forgotten Protestant Mystic

Journal Fifteen: A. Farnese – Forgotten Mystic Amanuensis (to Franchezzo)

Journal Sixteen: Comte St. Germain – Forgotten Immortal Mystic of the Mystery Schools

Journal Seventeen:  Franz Hartmann – Forgotten Mystical Adept

Journal Eighteen:  SA’D UD DIN MAHMŪD SHABISTARĪ –Forgotten Islamic Sufi Mystic

Journal Nineteen:  Dionysius - Forgotten Christian Mystic of the Early Church

Issue Twenty: Acvaghosha - Forgotten Buddhist Mystic of the Mahayana Path

Issue Twenty One: Bishop Shelemon of Armenia – Forgotten Nestorian Christian Mystic

Issue Twenty Two: Abú Sa‘íd Ibn Abi ’l-Khayr– Forgotten Islamic Mystic

Issue Twenty Three: Rev. G. Vale Owen - Forgotten Christian Mystic

Issue Twenty Four: Swami Abhedânanda- Forgotten Hindu Mystic

Issue Twenty Five: Moses Maimonides - Forgotten Jewish Mystic

Issue Twenty Six: The Bab - Forgotten Baha’i Mystic

Issue Twenty Seven: Shinran Shonin – Forgotten Mystic of Pure Land Buddhism

Issue Twenty Eight: Bustan of Sadi – Forgotten Persian Islamic Mystic

Issue Twenty Nine: John Bunyan – Forgotten Protestant Christian Mystic

Issue Thirty:  Ixtlilxochitl and Nezahualcoyotl – Forgotten Aztec Mystics and Myth Bearers

Mystics Magazine

Issue One – Christian Mystical Theology, Conversations with Jacob Boehme

Issue Two - Buddhist Mystical Theology, Conversations with Charaka and Acvagosha

Issue Three – Islamic Mystical Theology, Conversations with Imam Ghazzali

Issue Four – Egyptian Mystical Theology, Conversations with W. Marsham Adams

Issue Five – Hindu Mystical Theology, Conversations with Sri Ramakrishna

Issue Six – Jewish Mystical Theology, Conversations with Rabbi Simeon

Issue Seven – Sikh Mystical Theology, Conversations with Guru Nanak

Issue Eight – Zoroastrian Mystical Theology, Conversations with Charles William King

Issue Nine – Bahai Mystical Theology, Conversations with Bahaullah

Go to our Web-Site:

The Out-of-Body Travel Foundation!

Http://outofbodytravel.org

I dedicate this book to two 19th century priests whom I’ve never met but who have changed my life forever . . . Fr. Augustin Poulain, S.J., and Fr. Dom Prosper Gueranger, O.S.B. May their work never be lost or forgotten and inspire many generations to come.

CONTENTS:

THE Shining OCEAN

A Treatise on the Primordial Substance of Out-of-Body Travel

By Marilynn Hughes

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE

How Did We Get Here?

Vision

Teaching

Prayer

CHAPTER TWO

Nobody Wants their Life to go Badly, it’s Just the Nature of Things

Vision

Teaching

Prayer

CHAPTER THREE

And the Lord Said, I Will Protect You

Vision

Teaching

Prayer

CHAPTER FOUR

All things came out from God, all things go back to God

Teaching

Prayer

CHAPTER FIVE

I am the bread of the strong. . . . Thou wilt not convert Me into thee, as the food of thy flesh; but thou shalt be converted into Me.

Teaching

Prayer

CHAPTER SIX

The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life."

Teaching

Prayer

CHAPTER SEVEN

The Heights and Depths of Mystical Experiences

Teaching

Prayer

SOURCES

THE Shining OCEAN

A Treatise on the Primordial Substance of Out-of-Body Travel

By Marilynn Hughes

INTRODUCTION

(Sequel to ‘Out-of-Body Travel and Mysticism,’ ‘The Hammer of Mysticism,’ and ‘The Fragrance of the Mystical Rose’) Where have you been? To where do you go? Come with me, allow me to take you on an out-of-body travel journey into the deepest recesses of human consciousness and religious thought. This out-of-body travel journey is not meant to be simple, nor is it meant to be quick . . . it is meant to be savoured. It is a distant and remote journey to the deepest recesses of the heart of God which can only be known through the mightiest of mystical experience.

It is okay if you feel moved to flip through the pages and try to get a feel for the out-of-body adventure to come ahead of time, but I ask that after you have done this, that you make a resolved effort to bring your spirit forward and gather it unto itself. For this out-of-body travel journey requires much of you, and it will not relent its seeking. Come . . .

CHAPTER ONE

How did we get here?

(Bolded items are Additional Comments or Commentaries

Added by Marilynn Hughes)

Vision

"Hark!

The glistening

Harrowed by night’s fall

For thence

The ocean of being shines

And brings forth its light

Hark, I say

Hark, I say

Lo, Behold

How did we get here?" – Marilynn Hughes

(Marilynn’s Vision) The harrowing mists enveloped me in sorrow and total despair. My soul had been taken to embark upon the earthly wars which continued to plague humankind even in my own era. They were relentless and beyond the scope of what evil I could understand.

It was horrible. All of us had been drafted to the horrid scene to fight the war in shifts. So we would go out into the battlefield as bombs, bullets and chemicals flew in all manner of disarray. All was dark, dank, smoky and filled with deposits of flesh and the stench of rotting souls.

Each one of us bore the scars of battling these forces over and over again . . .  each one of us had been sent into battle repeatedly, over and over again, with only short respites.

Returning to our place of rest which was just outside the battlefields of earth, the souls of the just who continued to wage the fight against evil were worn, transparent, dusty, hopeless, dark, bending over with the burden of so much war neverending . . . every few moments, another line of the embattled warriors walked by my spirit in a line of despair, their tattered, worn and dirty clothing a sign of the wounds they had endured and the ‘hits’ they had taken on behalf of humankind.

I was overwhelmed with the poverty of despair as were the others who try as they might, could barely lift their souls to stand again to face yet another battle.

The goal had been simple. But yet, how had it gone so wrong? A part of me knew . . . but I could not express it. 

From the Liturgical Year

Now, how is charity to be perfected in them? It must abound, more and more in knowledge and all understanding of salvation, that is, in faith. It is faith that constitutes the basis of all supernatural virtue. A restricted, a diminished, faith could never support a large and high-minded charity. Those men, therefore, are deceiving themselves whose love for revealed truth does not keep pace with their charity! Such Christianity as that believes as little as it may; it has a nervous dread of new definitions; and out of respect for error, it cleverly and continually narrows the supernatural horizon. Charity, they say, is the queen of virtues; it makes them take everything easily, even lies against truth; to give the same rights to error as to to truth is, in their estimation, the highest point of Christian civilization grounded on love! They quite forget that the first object of charity, God who is substantial Truth, has no greater enemy than a lie; they cannot understand how it is that a Christian does not do a work of love by putting on the same footing the Object beloved and His mortal enemy!

The Liturgical Year, Fr. Dom Prosper Gueranger, O.S.B., Volume, XI, Twenty Second Sunday after Pentecost, Loreto Publications, 2013

(Marilynn’s Vision) - I, too, was greatly wounded, overwhelmed and not certain how I could continue fighting such a losing battle against the dark forces which had been such a huge part of the history of the mortal world. But I had to go in again, it was required of me . . . and as I swept into the battlefield, my strength had been so worn and weakened, that I took upon myself many, many ‘hits.’ The bombs and the bullets permeated my spirit like shrapnel and it was impossible not to be hit on many fronts all at the same time. After my time in the fight, I again retreated to our place of rest.

Another female soldier who was so weakened by the battle she literally had fallen to the floor in a heap of damaged flesh upon the ground, was begging to be relieved of duty. She wished to leave the battle, and she had earned such a right.

But, you see, this battle was not something we could abandon. And however much the Divine Essence might wish to give us rest, we could not do so. To do so would be to hand over the remaining remnant of the souls of the earth to the dark side, to Satan and his minions; and to give up on their eternal salvation and their redemption. How could God allow this?

No matter how desperate the remnant of the spiritual warriors had become, God could not release us from our burden. For we had come to fight this battle although none of us had realized how hard fought it would become, nor did we know the depth of the individual sacrifice it would require of us on our sojourn to the earthly sphere.

The young woman gave up, breathed her last and returned to her heavenly homeland. Her choice was not judged but understood. She had nothing left to give to a world so devoid of spiritual seeking.

But we had to continue for the battle was never ending and raged like a fire in the night as the shambles of civilization were embered into the realms of destruction and hopeless loss.

In order to continue fighting in this war which had many aeons past held my own soul in bondage, I had to remind myself of the nature of God as a continuing unfoldment.

But I had to also remember that the souls of the lost for whom we fought were our brothers and sisters who had gotten lost in the opposing poles of good and evil.

Although they had been so powerfully swept away into the evil pole of creation, it remained our duty to help swing the integrity of those souls back to the good.

(Marilynn’s Vision) Any forward motion could bring them into the movement and momentum which would cast them away from their lot and force their momentum towards its opposite. And by thus traveling, their souls would achieve the quality of balance.

From the Secret Teachings of All Ages

Of Hegel it has been said that he began with nothing and showed with logical precision how everything had proceeded from it (intellectual intuition) in logical order. Hegel elevated logic to a position of supreme importance, in fact as a quality of the Absolute itself. God he conceived to be a process of unfolding which never attains to the condition of unfoldment. In like manner, thought is without either beginning or end. Hegel further believed that all things owe their existence to their opposites and that all opposites are actually identical. Thus the only existence is the relationship of opposites to each other, through whose combinations new elements are produced. As the Divine Mind is an eternal process of thought never accomplished, Hegel assails the very foundation of theism and his philosophy limits immortality to the everflowing Deity alone. Evolution is consequently the never–ending flow of Divine Consciousness out of itself; all creation, though continually moving, never arrives at any state other than that of ceaseless flow.

The Secret Teachings of All Ages, Manly P. Hall, Readers Version, Philosophical Research Society, 2003

(Marilynn’s Vision) Without warning and without a sound, another evil remnant entered the battlefield and, in an instant, changed everything.

They had with them a digital device which could instill within humankind a sort of demonic mesmerization en masse. Instantly, all of us realized this was a major game-changer and if we were unable to somehow capture this device from them, we would lose the majority of the souls of humanity within a single moment.

The evil remnant brought with them literally hundreds of thousands of soldiers of the deep and dark, hordes really . . . Multitudes descended upon us, and within an instant, I found myself alone.

I did not know if this meant that I was the only one of the spiritual warriors who had been fighting who was left, or if we had all been somehow separated. It seemed possible that the digital signal being projected by the evil remnant could have isolated us each to our own.

And as I watched in horror, I witnessed the hordes of demonic forces instantly program demonic mesmerization into the soul of humanity.

The people of the world instantly lined up like armies and became minions of the puppeteers of darkness without even realizing what they had just done.

Because humanity rides the line between good and evil with such casuality, any type of input from below can target them and contain them within the confines of the hellish fantasy. Good becomes evil, and evil good.

It appeared without question beyond hope.

The signal had pulled what appeared to be almost all if not all of humanity into a synchronistic alignment with the demonic. And by all appearances, there was nothing further any of us could do, these souls were lost and beyond hope of retrieval.

In despair, I wandered quietly the abandoned dwellings and streets of the earth trying to stay out of sight of the mass of the people who were now set to destroy along with the satanic forces who had overcome them any spiritual warrior they might come across.

Thankfully, they didn’t seem to realize that any of us were left. And I knew not if I was alone, or if the others had been isolated through a projected frequency, as well.

I sat down on a concrete wasteland, wept and gave up . . .

But before I could even begin to lament, an angel appeared before me. She was eminent in the virtue of hopefulness, and she reminded me of my obligation to pray for wisdom.

From the Holy Bible

I prayed and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. I preferred her to scepter and throne, and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her, nor did I liken any priceless gem to her; because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand, and before her, silver is to be accounted mire. Beyond health and comeliness I loved her, and I chose to have her rather than the light, because the splendor of her never yields to sleep. Yet all good things together came to me in her company, and countless riches at her hands.

The Holy Bible, Old Testament, The Book of Wisdom, 7:7-11

(Marilynn’s Vision) And as it was so, she took me on a grand journey away from the wastelands of the mortal realms to a singular room located somewhere in the vast cosmos of which I was not allowed to know.

It was a humble dwelling, it actually looked somewhat old. A white and very simple one room cell in the form of a small building for someone that the angel insisted I turn to for assistance. It lay quietly on a flat, but green, grassy field. A single very tall tree towered above it and gave it shade.

The windows were not small but not big enough to make it any easier for me to know of whom she might be speaking. They were split with rectangular dividers and each window had nine segments.

Immediately, I remembered that there are nine choirs of angels and three orders.

Orders of the First Choir are:

Seraphim - Cherubim – Thrones

Orders of the Second Choir are:

Dominations - Virtues – Powers

Orders of the Third Choir are:

Principalities - Archangels - Angels

The angel began to pray very quietly within the confines of her heart. I tried to hear her words, but struggled because she was whispering. But I could hear that she was praying a novena to St. Michael the Archangel. And as she did, a being of infinite majesty instantly appeared before us.

"Saint Michael the Archangel,

loyal champion of God and His People.

I turn to you with confidence

and seek your powerful intercession.

For the love of God,

Who made you so glorious in grace and power,

and for the love of the Mother of Jesus, the Queen of the Angels,

be pleased to hear our prayer.

You know the value of our souls in the eyes of God.

May no stain of evil ever disfigure its beauty. Help us to conquer the evil spirit who tempts us.

We desire to imitate your loyalty to God and Holy Mother Church

and your great love for God and people.

And since you are God’s messenger for the care of His people,

we entrust to you these special intentions:

The salvation of the world

Lord, hear and grant our special intentions for this Novena.

Amen."

St. Michael the Archangel was dressed in a blue garment and his wings were torrential in their splendor and height. White of the purest snow, they towered above us like the silken heavenly ethers which were misty and fluid, yet solid and strong in their appearance. His arms were extremely muscular, I hadn’t noticed this feature of him in previous visions wherein I had deigned to be honored by his presence, but I noticed it now and it would prove to be of import as the journey would indeed progress.

He said nothing.

St. Michael was standing in the center of two large balls of light in the front row, and three balls of light in the back row, a formation of some kind of his heavenly ministers.

(Marilynn’s Vision) Still, I hesitated, for I knew that it was St. Michael and his heavenly assistants against hundreds of thousands – perhaps millions - who had detained their souls to evil, darkness and the backwards flow.

But before I could even think to take my eyes off of him and the balls of light bearing heavenly assistance, the ravages of the long fought war appeared in our midst, on this shore, in this sacred place wherein God had deigned to retreat his most holy archangel.

Unbeknownst to me, hundreds of thousands of dark forces had followed us to this sacred location. And before I could even realize that this had happened, they viciously went towards St. Michael and his light guard.

My surprise could not be bound when I saw that St. Michael merely lifted one of his very large arms and they were destroyed, banished, gone, inert, vacuous, conquered. I watched in awe as several more armies came in his direction, and with a fierce movement of his arms, they were defeated.

From the Liturgical Year

Leo the First, a Tuscan by birth, governed the Church at the period when Attila, the king of the Huns, surnamed the Scourge of God, was invading Italy. Attila pillaged and burned the city of Aquileia,   which he took after a three years siege. This done, he rushed on Rome like a wild firebrand. He had reached the place where the Mincio joins the Po, and was on the point of ordering his troops to pass the river, when he was met by Loe, who was moved with compassion at the misfortunes that were threatening Italy. Such was his superhuman eloquence, that he induced Attila (the Hun) to retrace his steps. When asked by his people how it was that, contrary to his custom, he (Attila) had yielded such ready obedience to the demands of the Roman Pontiff, the king answered, that he behld, whilst Leo was speaking, a personage clad in priestly robes, who stood near, with  a naked sword in his hand, and threatened him with death unless he obeyed the Pontiff.

The Liturgical Year, Dom Prosper Gueranger, O.S.P, Volume VIII, St. Leo the Great

From the Liturgical Year

" . . . the pontiff won the battle, not so much by arms as by prayers. By divine revelation he knew of the victory the moment it was won, and announced it to his household.

The Liturgical Year, Dom Prosper Gueranger, O.S.P, Volume VIII, St. Pius V

(Marilynn’s Vision) After destroying those forces which had so boldly followed us to this sacred isle, St. Michael lifted up into the ethers and flew towards the earthly and mortal realms, freeing all the souls who had been taken in the wake of the demonic mesmerization. And within those souls, he heralded the movement required to turn from the backwards flow and enter into the momentum towards balance and center.

He went around the world and freed the souls of humanity.

I was stunned to silence. It all meant something. That which appeared hopeless had proven to be nothing to the strength and power of God. And it had come about through a simple prayer. How powerful prayer has shown itself to be?

From the Book of Kings

So, he [The King of Syria] sent there horses and chariots and a great army; and they came by night, and surrounded the city. When the servant of the man of God [Elisha] rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was round about the city. And the servant said, Alas, my master! What shall we do? He said, Fear not, for those are with us are more than those who are with them. Then Elisha prayed, and said, O Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see. So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

The Holy Bible, Old Testament, 2 Kings 6:14 - 17

(Marilynn’s Vision) St. Michael turned my direction and gave me a stern reprisal, Go, make the ocean shine . . . I knew he spoke of the ocean of being. Inherently, I understood that prayer was mechanism through which light was brought within it.

In my error of hopelessness, I had stood in despair relying on my own strength. But in the shining glory of wisdom and prayer, I had remembered that we do nothing except it be in God.

From the Carmelite Directory of the Spiritual Life

May the Lord divest you of the old man with his deeds, and may He clothe you with the new man who has been created according to God in the justice and sanctity of truth.

The Carmelite Directory of the Spiritual Life, Translated from the Latin, 1950

Teaching

From the Inner Way

"SERMON XXIV

On the Feast of St Michael and All Angels

On the various and especial works of the nine choirs of Holy Angels in man, in his threefold state and being; that is in the outer man, his powers of reason, and in his being, formed in the image of God. How, by their care and supervision, he may be enabled to attain to the very highest degree of Perfection in a spiritual life.

Angeli corum semper vident faciem Patris mei, qui in coelis est

Their angels always see the Face of My Father Who is in heaven.

To-day is the Feast of St Michael and all Angels. We have already read to-day how this festival first arose, in consequence of the revelation on the mountain; therefore we will not refer to that now. The Gospel says: Their Angels do always behold the Face of My Father Who is in heaven. I know not with what words I can, or ought, to speak of these pure spirits, for they have neither hands nor feet, neither image, nor form, nor substance; neither can we understand the nature of their being; so how can we speak of them? We know not what they are; and that is not surprising, for we do not know ourselves, nor our souls by which we are made men, and from which we receive all that is good in us. How then can we understand these transcendent spirits, whose nobility far surpasses all the nobility that the world can show? Therefore let us discuss their behaviour towards us, and not the nature of their being. Their work is always to behold us, and to look upon us in the mirror of the Godhead regularly, effectually and truly, with discrimination; and they have a special and definite work to do in us; but God works unceasingly in us, much more truly and nobly; and they work with God in us, in the same way that the sun exercises a constant influence over the earth, while the stars co-operate with the sun in that influence on the earth, and on every creature in it. The stars always look at the sun and reflect his rays, while the sun turns his face to them; and thus their works become indivisible; so that, were it possible for the least star to be removed from the heavens, all creatures, men and cattle would be destroyed.

Now, there are nine choirs of Angels, forming three hierarchies, in each of which there are three choirs. Now, these three hierarchies have each their own peculiar and different effect on the three parts of man. The first is the outer man, the second is his reason, and the third is his likeness to God; and yet all these three form one man. In all three the Angels have their work to do. And, besides this, every man has an Angel, who at his baptism was especially appointed to watch over him, into whose care he was committed, who stands by him, and helps him unceasingly, guarding him when sleeping and waking, in all places and in all his works and ways, whether evil or good. Were there nothing else for which we ought to love God dearly, and thank Him, surely this would be enough; that God has so closely united these exalted and invisible beings with us, that they may discipline us unceasingly. But, on the other hand, every man has also to deal with a peculiarly wicked angel, the Devil, who works against him unceasingly, and tries him as constantly as the good Angel. If we were wise and industrious, the Devil’s opposition and his discipline would be more useful to us than those of the good Angels; for, were there no conflict, there could be no victory.

Now we must speak of the hierarchies. The lowest of the hierarchies are called Angels; one with another they serve the outer man; they exhort and warn him, they help him and guide him towards that which is good; they watch over him with steady and constant discipline. If they did not thus watch over us, what innumerable evils do ye imagine, might not befall us? for numberless devils follow us perpetually, desiring to destroy us, either sleeping or waking. But these noble Angels anticipate them and prevent them.

The Archangels form the second choir. They are represented as priest, whose active employment is to serve at the Holy Sacrament; they thus serve, counsel, and help man in the efficacious reception of the Holy Sacrament of our Lord’s Body.

The third choir consists of Virtues. They serve, counsel and admonish us to seek after natural and moral virtues, and they win for us the divine virtues of faith, hope and love. The men who follow them and commune much with them, are so virtuous that virtue becomes as easy and pleasant to them, as though it were part of their very nature and being. All the enemies, who have fallen from this choir, set themselves with all imaginable cunning against these men, desiring to entice them away, so that they may not reach that place, from which they themselves have been cast out. The stratagems to which they constantly have recourse, are incredible. Man ought to be very diligent in keeping guard against the hostile wickedness, which so marvellously surrounds him; for these enemies often make use of much secret dexterity in things which seem good; and, for the most part, they strive to lead men into all kinds of diversions; and, when they find they are not succeeding, they place him in a position which seems good, that he may be content therewith, and may not strive to advance. Now, this is a most perilous condition in which to find ourselves, and now more than it ever was. As St Bernard says: To stand still in the way of God, is to go backwards. All are in this condition who have worldly and self-satisfied hearts, and who say, We do as many good works as other men, and we are well-pleased with ourselves; we shall fare better than they, and we will go on with our own ways and customs, as those did who were before us. But when great plagues come, those who imagine now that they are doing well will seem to be in great misery. Then the wicked angels, whom they have followed, will wonder and lament with them, and finally lead them away unopposed. Cases such as these are taking place even now. But when these horrible downfalls and plagues have passed away, then the holy Angels will make themselves known to men who have been purified, and will walk with them and commune with them openly.

Now we come to the second hierarchy. The Angels of which it is composed here an active supervision over the second division of man’s nature; his reasoning powers, which place him far above all other creatures with animal nature, and make him like unto the Angels. The first choir is called Potestates, the second Principatus, and the third Dominationes signifying the mighty, the princes and the rulers. All these work in men, who, they find, have progressed in virtue, so that they can control, both outwardly and inwardly, their senses and the outward expression of them, in all things; and in the inner man, their thoughts and intentions. These men are free and reign supreme over vice. Thus, we read of St Francis, that he had such power over the outer man, that directly he thought of some discipline, his body sprang forward, and said, See, here am I. Such men are truly like the princes of the world, who are free and have none to control them. Thus these men are enabled in spirit to rule over all the actions of the outer and inner man. When the wicked angels see this, they are filled with vehement hatred against them, because they fear that these men will take their places. So they exercise all their ingenuity to bring them into the most awful temptations that can be conceived, and of which those who serve the world and the Evil One never heard nor imagined. Of these ways there are many, for they so earnestly desire to drag down the good. When they become so importunate that the poor man imagines he must lose either his life or his senses, then the noble Angels come, the Principatus, and drive them away, and the man has gained the victory. When they have been thus overcome, they never dare to attack the same man again; for they are too proud to do it; and they are terrified and give way before these powerful people, and before those who rule over this hierarchy. Then the rulers, Dominationes, come and enable these men to become so wise and prudent, that they can see through the stratagems of the enemy. At St Paul says, that neither the devil, the world, the flesh, nor any creature could gain a victory over him.

We now come to the third hierarchy; these Angels work and look into the innermost part of man; into that which was formed in the Image of God. The first choir of these is formed by the Thrones, the second by the Cherubim, and the third by the Seraphim.

The Thrones work in the innermost heart of man, so that he becomes like unto a kingly throne, where God delights to dwell, to reign and to judge, to reward and to work all His works in him and through him. These men’s hearts are so irrevocably rooted in Divine Peace, that neither love nor sorrow, severity nor tenderness, can disturb them; as St Paul has said: Neither death nor life. A hundred deaths would not move or terrify such men. In the same way that a dying man cares nothing for all the honour or shame that could be heaped upon him, because his thoughts are elsewhere, so also, when a man in his innermost heart is turned to God, he is a strong Throne of God, nothing can affright him, neither love nor sorrow, for he rests in that essential peace, which is the Dwelling-place of God; as David says: In pace factus est locus ejus. Preserve and guard peace, dear children, that no man take it from thee, and that the Dwelling-place of God may not be destroyed. O, dear child, preserve this, be silent, suffer, abstain from evil and rest in peace. Rest and trust and keep to thyself; do not run about too much; be not agitated, preoccupied or impulsive; but realise the Presence of thy Lord of Lords in thy heart, where He sits on His throne glorious and powerful, so that He may not be disturbed and His peace diminished.

Now, when men are resting in this peace, then the Cherubim come in all their brightness, and lighten up men’s hearts with their godlike light as with a sudden glance. This glance pierces the men through and through; and their hearts are so filled with light, that, were it necessary, they could judge all men; and yet this illumination is but a glance; the quicker it is, the truer, the nobler and the surer.

Then come the burning Seraphim, with their flaming love, and they kindle love in the hearts of men; and this, too, is done in a moment, so that the love of man becomes so broad and wide that it embraces within itself the love of all things. It seems to him as though he would set all men alight; and all is so sudden and quick, that it seems to him as though he would be consumed himself. This flame is kindled in the innermost thoughts of the glorified man; and yet it lights up also the other two parts of man, his soul and the outer man. Such men become so godlike and so well-regulated, so truly resigned, virtuous, peaceful and calm, that no one is ever conscious of any infirmity in them, either in words or deeds; and yet they look upon themselves as nothing, and heed all as little as if it had taken place in some one a thousand miles away. They look upon all that God may work by them, or in them, as apart from themselves, taking no credit for it; for they think of nothing but their own absolute nothingness, and regard themselves as lower than all men. These verily are the heavens in which the Father dwells, as the Gospel says: Their Angels always see the Face of My Father Who is in heaven. May God help us all thus to attain. Amen"

Inner Way, John Tauler

Prayer

From the Roman Raccolta

One day, after celebrating Mass, the aged Pope Leo XIII was in conference with the Cardinals when suddenly he sank to the floor in a deep swoon. Physicians who hastened to his side could find no trace of his pulse and feared that he had expired. However, after a short interval the Holy Father regained consciousness and exclaimed with great emotion: Oh, what a horrible picture I have been permitted to see!"

Pope Leo XIII, 1884

He had been shown a vision of evil spirits who had been released from Hell and their efforts to destroy the Church. But in the midst of the horror the archangel St. Michael appeared and cast Satan and his legions into the abyss of hell.

Soon afterwards Pope Leo XIII composed the following prayer to Saint Michael, which is the original version:

Prayer to Holy Michael the Archangel

Holy Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil.  May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God cast into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls.  Amen.

Original - Prayer to St. Michael

"O Glorious Prince of the heavenly host, St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in the battle and in the terrible warfare that we are waging against the principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, against the evil spirits. Come to the aid of man, whom Almighty God created immortal, made in His own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of Satan.

"Fight this day the battle of the Lord, together with the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there place for them any longer in Heaven. That cruel, ancient serpent, who is called the devil or Satan who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels. Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the name of God and of His Christ, to seize upon, slay and cast into eternal perdition souls destined for the crown of eternal glory. This wicked dragon pours out, as a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the spirit of lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of impurity, and of every vice and iniquity.

"These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the spouse of the immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where the See of Holy Peter and the Chair of Truth has been set up as the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety, with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck, the sheep may be.

"Arise then, O invincible Prince, bring help against the attacks of the lost spirits to the people of God, and give them the victory. They venerate thee as their protector and patron; in thee holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious power of hell; to thee has God entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they may quickly find mercy in the sight of the Lord; and vanquishing the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, do thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations. Amen.

V. Behold the Cross of the Lord; be scattered ye hostile powers.

R. The Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered, the root of David.

V. Let Thy mercies be upon us, O Lord.

R. As we have hoped in Thee.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray.

O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we call upon Thy holy Name, and as supplicants, we implore Thy clemency, that by the intercession of Mary, ever Virgin Immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious St. Michael the Archangel, Thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and all the other unclean spirits who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and the ruin of souls. Amen.

The Litany of St. Michael the Archangel

Lord, have mercy on us. 

Christ, 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 Spirit, 

Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God, 

Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Queen of the Angels, pray for us. 

St. Michael the Archangel, pray for us. 

Most glorious attendant of the Triune Divinity, 

*Pray for us is repeated after each invocation

Standing at the right of the Altar of Incense, 

Ambassador of Paradise, 

Glorious Prince of the heavenly armies, 

Leader of the angelic hosts, 

Warrior who thrust Satan into Hell, 

Defender against the wickedness and snares of the devil, 

Standard-bearer of God’s armies, 

Defender of divine glory, 

First defender of the Kingship of Christ, 

Strength of God, 

Invincible prince and warrior, 

Angel of peace, 

Guardian of the Christian Faith, 

Guardian of the Legion of St. Michael, 

Champion of God’s people, 

Champion of the Legion of St. Michael, 

Guardian angel of the Eucharist, 

Defender of the Church, 

Defender of the Legion of St. Michael, 

Protector of the Sovereign Pontiff, 

Protector of the Legion of St. Michael, 

Angel of Catholic Action, 

Powerful intercessor of Christians, 

Bravest defender of those who hope in God, 

Guardian of our souls and bodies, 

Healer of the sick, 

Help of those in their agony, 

Consoler of the souls in Purgatory, 

God’s messenger for the souls of the just, 

Terror of the evil spirits, 

Victorious in battle against evil, 

Guardian and Patron of the Universal Church

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, 

Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, 

Graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, 

Have mercy on us.

Pray for us, O glorious St. Michael, 

That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray

Sanctify us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, with Thy holy blessing, and grant us, by the intercession of St. Michael, that wisdom which teaches us to lay up treasures in Heaven by exchanging the goods of this world for those of eternity, Thou Who lives and reigns, world without end. Amen.

Relying, O Lord, upon the intercession of Thy blessed Archangel Michael, we humbly beg of Thee, that the Holy Eucharist in whose presence we kneel, may make our soul holy and pleasing to Thee. Through Christ Our Lord. R. Amen."

For Help Against Spiritual Enemies

O Glorious St Michael, Prince of the heavenly hosts, who art ever ready to assist the people of God; who fought with the Dragon, the Old Serpent, and cast him out of heaven, and now dost valiantly defend the Church of God so that the gates of Hell may never prevail against her:  I earnestly entreat thee to assist me also in the painful and dangerous conflict I must sustain against the same formidable foe.  Be with me, O Mighty Prince! that I may courageously fight and wholly vanquish that proud spirit whom thou, by the divine power, have overthrown, and whom our powerful King, Jesus Christ, in our nature so completely overcame; so that, triumphing over the enemy of my salvation, I may, with thee and the holy Angels, praise the clemency of God, who, though refusing mercy to the rebellious angels after their fall, has granted repentance and forgiveness to fallen man.  Amen.

Prayer for Perseverance

O God, Who made blessed Michael, Thine Archangel, victorious over the proud Lucifer and all the wicked spirits, we beseech Thee that, fighting under the Cross and ever adopting his maxim, Who is like unto God, we may be victorious over all our enemies and be delivered from all evils.  Do Thou regulate our lives according to Thy Will and Commandments. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

For the Reign of the Sacred Heart

O Mary Immaculate, great Queen of Heaven and earth and our gentle advocate, deign, we beseech thee, to intercede for us.  Ask God to send St Michael and the holy Angels to ward off all the obstacles contrary to the reign of the Sacred Heart in our souls, our families, our country, and in the whole world.

And thou, O holy Michael, Price of the Heavenly Hosts, from our hearts we beg thee to come to our aid.

Defend us against the rage of Satan, and through the divine power bestowed upon thee by God, after securing victory for the Church here below, guide our souls to our eternal home.  Amen.

St Michael, First Champion of the Kingship of Christ, pray for us!

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel for Personal Strength through Trials

O Glorious Prince of the heavenly hosts and victor over the rebellious spirits, be mindful of me who am so weak and sinful and yet so prone to pride and ambition.  Lend me, I pray, thy powerful aid in every temptation and difficulty, and above all do not forsake me in my last struggle with the powers of evil. Amen.

The Angelic Trisagion

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts, the heavens and the earth are full of Thy glory.

St Michael, the Archangel, defend us in the battle, that we may not perish in the dreadful judgement.  Amen.

The Chaplet of St. Michael

O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, etc.

[Say one Our Father and three Hail Marys after each of the following nine salutations in honor of the nine Choirs of Angels]

1. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Seraphim may the Lord make us worthy to burn with the fire of perfect charity.

Amen.

2. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Cherubim may the Lord grant us the grace to leave the ways of sin and run in the paths of Christian perfection.

Amen.

3. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Thrones may the Lord infuse into our hearts a true and sincere spirit of humility.

Amen.

4. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Dominations may the Lord give us grace to govern our senses and overcome any unruly passions.

Amen.

5. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Virtues may the Lord preserve us from evil and falling into temptation.

Amen.

6. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Powers may the Lord protect our souls against the snares and temptations of the devil.

Amen.

7. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Principalities may God fill our souls with a true spirit of obedience.

Amen.

8. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Archangels may the Lord give us perseverance in faith and in all good works in order that we may attain the glory of Heaven.

Amen.

9. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Angels may the Lord grant us to be protected by them in this mortal life and conducted in the life to come to Heaven.

Amen.

Say one Our Father in honor of each of the following leading Angels: St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael and our Guardian Angel.

Concluding prayers:

O glorious prince St. Michael, chief and commander of the heavenly hosts, guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits, servant in the house of the Divine King and our admirable conductor, you who shine with excellence and superhuman virtue deliver us from all evil, who turn to you with confidence and enable us by your gracious protection to serve God more and more faithfully every day.

Pray for us, O glorious St. Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ, that we may be made worthy of His promises.

Almighty and Everlasting God, Who, by a prodigy of goodness and a merciful desire for the salvation of all men, has appointed the most glorious Archangel St. Michael Prince of Your Church, make us worthy, we ask You, to be delivered from all our enemies, that none of them may harass us at the hour of death, but that we may be conducted by him into Your Presence.This we ask through the merits of

Jesus Christ Our Lord.

Amen."

Roman Raccolta, July 23, 1898, supplement approved July 31, 1902, London: Burnes, Oates & Washbourne Ltd., 1935, 12th edition

From the Office and Hymns of St. Michael

"This is Michael the Archangel, the chief of the angelic host: He repays by blessings the honour shown him by the faithful; and his prayer leads us to the kingdom of heaven, alleluia.

The Archangel Michael is set over Paradise, and is honoured by the citizens of heaven. He repays by blessings the honour shown him by the faithful, and his prayer leads us to the kingdom of heaven, alleluia.

ANTIPHON: The Archangel Michael came with a multitude of angels; God confided unto him the souls of the Saints, that he might lead them to the Paradise of bliss, alleluia.

ANTIPHON: Michael the Archangel came unto the aid of God’s people; he stood as a help to the souls of the just, alleluia.

ANTIPHON: O MOST GLORIOUS PRINCE! Michael The Archangel! Be mindful of us: here and in all places ever pray for us to the Son of God. Alleluia, alleluia.

FIRST HYMN

In the presence of the angels, who obey thee, we praise thee, O Jesus, thou brightness and power of the Father, thou life of our hearts.

‘Tis for thee that fights this army of a thousand thousand princes, at whose head is Michael the Conqueror, the standard bearer of salvation, who unfurls the Cross.

It was Michael that cast the cruel dragon into the depths of hell, and drove the rebels, with their chief, from the heavenly city. 

Let us follow this prince against the king of pride; that we may deserve to receve, from the throne of the Lamb, a crown of glory.

SECOND HYMN

O Christ! The glory of the angels, the Creator and Redeemer of mankind!  Grant that we may ascend to the happy thrones of the heavenly citizens.

May Michael, the angel of peace, come from heaven into this our temple, bring us sweet peace, and drive dismal war back again to hell.

May Gabriel, the angel of strength, come and rout our ancient foe; may he often visit the heaven-loved temples which the triumphant Jesus has placed throughout the world.

May Raphael, our heavenly physician, descend and visit us, that he may heal all that are infirm and direct our faltering steps in the path of life.

May the Virgin Queen of peace, the Mother of light; may the holy choir of angels; may the bright court of heaven ever assist and protect us.

May the Godhead ever blessed of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, whose glory is proclaimed through the whole world, grant us this our prayer. Amen.

SEQUENCE

O King of heaven! May our whole assembly and choir now sound forth its instruments of sweet music and sing hymns in thy praise.

For this is the day of Michael’s most glorious feast, which fills the whole earth with great joy.

Thou dividest the spirits created by thee, into nine choirs; yet are they all flames of fire when thou willest to seek their ministry.

They were the first creatures of thy hands; whereas we are the last, but made after thine image.

This triple division of the heavenly spirits, according to their special offices, reveals to us the mysterious design of God.

First comes the angelic army; then the phalanx of Archangels; then the host of the Principalities.

After these follow the heavenly Virtues, the sweet-sounding Powers.

The spiritual Dominations, the divine Thrones, the ethereal Cherubim, the burning Seraphim.

O Michael, prince of the heavenly court! Gabriel, messenger of the Incarnate Word! Raphael, our guide through life! Lead us to the company of the citizens of Paradise.

By you are fulfilled all the commands of the Father, the Son who is his Wisdom, and the co-equal Spirit, the Three, One in essence, the God before whom ye stand thousands of thousands in number, as ministering spirits.

Ye stand in his court, ten thousand times a hundred thousand; and hither did the King, the Father of the Word, bring the hundredth sheep, and the tenth groat, that they might share in your bliss.

Ye in the high heavens, and we the elect flock on earth, give forth our tuneful praise on sweet sounding harps.

Thus after Michael’s glorious battles, may our incense, when set on the golden altar, be acceptable to God.

Thus, when united in the same eternal glory, may we sing together our Alleluia!"

The Liturgical Year, Dom Prosper Gueranger, O.S.P, Volume VIII, Apparition of St. Michael

CHAPTER TWO

Nobody Wants their Life to go Badly, it’s Just the Nature of Things

Vision

"In a pungent mist

The gallows are unleashed;

Without censure or advice

Longing to be . . .

And yet forced into non-being.

The avalanche of emotion

Gathers around the essence

Of the primordial substance,

Unleashed before its revelation

Lossed within the tribunal of vengeance.

Harvested now by the sons of heaven’s aroma

Who in horror betwixt such contraindicating forces;

Release from the evil yoke

Which has brought about

Such early fall." – Marilynn Hughes

From the Gospel of John

"My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord, I know them, and they follow