American Freedom Agenda Act of 2007 (Introduced in House)

A Warning: If you love America and what it stands or stood for; contact your Congressman or Congresswoman and support this bill immediately. I DID! Click on the link above for more information. Basics of the bill are as follows:

"To restore the Constitution's checks and balances and protections against government abuses as envisioned by the Founding Fathers. "

Military Personnel and Veterans in Particular should pay close attention to this bill. The actions it seeks to check are in line with defending the Constitution; the "glue" that holds your oath together. Need one say more? Click on the link and read it yourself...

Sayings from the Philokalia Volume 1.

Evagrios the Solitary (4th Century): “Be ready for the attacks of the demons, and think of how to avoid becoming their slave.”

St. Isaiah the Solitary (4th/5th Century): “He who receives no help when at war should feel no confidence when at peace.”

St. Mark the Ascetic (5th Century): “Evils reinforce each other; so do virtues, thus encouraging us to still greater efforts.”

St. Hesychios the Priest (8th or 9th Century): “The single phrased Jesus Prayer destroys and consumes the deceits of Demons.” (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the Prayers of Our Lady, have mercy on me a sinner.)

A List of 228 Virtues Found In Scripture

By St. Peter of Damascus (from the Philokalia)

Moral Judgment * Self-Restraint * Courage * Justice * Faith * Hope * Love * Fear * Religious Devotion * Spiritual Knowledge * Resolution * Strength * Understanding * Wisdom * Contrition * Grief * Gentleness * Searching the Scriptures * Acts of Charity * Purity of Heart * Peace * Patient Endurance * Self Control * Perseverance * Probity of Intention * Purposiveness * Sensitivity * Heedfulness * Godlike Stability * Warmth * Alertness * Fervor of the Spirit * Meditation * Diligence * Watchfulness * Mindfulness * Reflection * Reverence * Shame * Respect * Penitence * Refraining from Evil * Repentance * Return to God * Allegiance to Christ * Rejection of the Devil * the Keeping of the Commandments * Guarding of the Soul * Purity of Conscience * Remembrance of Death * Tribulation of the Soul * the Doing of Good Actions * Effort * Toil * an Austere Life * Fasting * Vigils * Hunger * Thirst * Frugality * Self Sufficiency * Orderliness * Gracefulness * Modesty * Reserve * Disdain for Money * Unacquisitiveness * Renunciation of Worldly things * Submissiveness * Obedience * Compliance * Poverty * Possessionlessness * Withdrawal from the World * Eradication of Self Will * Denial of Self * Counsel * Magnanimity * Devotion to God * Stillness * Discipline * Sleeping on a hard bed * Abstinence from washing oneself * Service * Struggle * Attentiveness * the Eating of uncooked food * Nakedness * the wasting of ones body * Solitude * Quietude * Calmness * Cheerfulness * Fortitude * Boldness * Godlike zeal * Fervency * Progress * Folly for Christ * Watchfulness over the intellect * Moral integrity * Holiness * Virginity * Sanctification * Purity of Body * Chasteness of Soul * Reading for Christ’s sake * concern for God * Comprehension * Friendliness * Truthfulness * Uninquisitiveness * Uncensoriousness * forgiveness of debts * good management * Skillfulness * Acuity * Fairness * the Right Use of Things * Cognitive Insight * Good Naturedness * Experience * Psalmody * Prayer * Thanksgiving * Acknowledgement * Entreaty * Kneeling * Supplication * Intercession * Petition * Appeal * Hymnody *Doxology * Confession * Solicitude * Morning * Affliction * Pain * Distress * Lamentation * Sighs of Sorrow * Weeping * Heart Rending Tears * Compunction * Silence * the Search for God * Cries of Anguish * Lack of Anxiety about all things * Forbearance * Lack of Self Esteem * Disinterest in Glory * Simplicity of Soul * Simplicity * Self Retirement * Goodness of Disposition * Activities that accord with nature * Activities exceeding ones natural capacity * Brotherly Love * Concord * Communion in God * Sweetness * a Spiritual Disposition * Mildness * Rectitude * Innocence * Kindliness * Guilelessness * Simplicity * Good Repute * Speaking well of others * Good Works * Preference of one’s neighbor * Godlike Tenderness * A Virtuous Character * Consistency * Nobility * Gratitude * Humility * Detachment * Dignity * Forbearance * Long Suffering * Kindness * Goodness * Discrimination * Accessibility * Courtesy * Tranquility * Contemplation * Guidance * Reliability * Clear- sightedness * Dispassion * Spiritual Joy * Sureness * Tears of Understanding * Tears of Soul * A Loving Desire for God * Pity * Mercy * Compassion * Purity of Soul * Purity of Intellect * Prescience * Pure Prayer * Passion-Free Thoughts * Steadfastness * Fitness of Soul and Body * Illumination * the Recovery of one’s Soul * Hatred of Life * Proper Teaching * a Healthy Longing for Death * Childlikeness in Christ * Rootedness * Admonition and Encouragement both Moderate and Forcible * a Praiseworthy ability to change * Ecstasy towards God * Perfection in Christ * True Enlightenment * an Intense longing for God * Rapture of the Intellect * the indwelling of God * Love of God * Love of Inner Wisdom * Theology * a True Confession of Faith * Disdain of Death * Saintliness * Successful Accomplishment * Perfect Health of Soul * Virtue * Praise of God * Grace * Kingship * Adoption to Sonship – Altogether 228 Virtues. To acquire all of them is possible only through the grace of Him who grants us victory over the passions.

A List of 298 Passions Found In Sacred Scripture

By S. Peter of Damascus from the Philokalia.

Harshness, trickery, malice, perversity, mindlessness, licentiousness, enticement, dullness, lack of understanding, idleness, sluggishness, stupidity, flattery, silliness, idiocy, madness, derangement, coarseness, rashness, cowardice, lethargy, dearth of good actions, moral errors, greed, over-frugality, ignorance, folly, spurious knowledge, forgetfulness, lack of discrimination, obduracy, injustice, evil intention, a conscienceless soul, slothfulness, idle chatter, breaking of faith, wrongdoing, sinfulness, lawlessness, criminality, passion, seduction, assent to evil, mindless coupling, demonic provocation, dallying, bodily comfort beyond what is required, vice, stumbling, sickness of soul, enervation, weakness of intellect, negligence, laziness, a reprehensible despondency, disdain of God, aberration, transgression, unbelief, lack of faith, wrong belief, poverty of faith, heresy, fellowship in heresy, polytheism, idolatry, ignorance of God, impiety, magic, astrology, divination, sorcery, denial of God, the love of idols, dissipation, profligacy, loquacity, indolence, self-love, inattentiveness, lack of progress, deceit, delusion, audacity, witchcraft, defilement, the eating of unclean food, soft living, dissoluteness, voracity, unchastity, avarice, anger, dejection, listlessness, self-esteem, pride, presumption, self-elation, boastfulness, infatuation, foulness, satiety, doltishness, torpor, sensuality, over-eating, gluttony, insatiability, secret eating, hoggishness, solitary eating, indifference, fickleness, self-will, thoughtlessness, self-satisfaction, love of popularity, ignorance of beauty, uncouthness, gaucherie, light-mindedness, boorishness, rudeness, contentiousness, quarrelsomeness, abusiveness, shouting, brawling, fighting, rage, mindless desire, gall, exasperation, giving offence, enmity, meddlesomeness, chicanery, asperity, slander, censure, calumny, condemnation, accusation, hatred, railing, insolence, dishonor, ferocity, frenzy, severity, aggressiveness, forswearing oneself, oath-taking, lack of compassion, hatred of one's brothers, partiality, patricide, matricide, breaking fasts, laxity, acceptance of bribes, theft, rapine, jealousy, strife, envy, indecency, jesting, vilification, mockery, derision, exploitation, oppression, disdain of one's neighbor, flogging, making sport of others, hanging, throttling, heartlessness, implacability, covenant-breaking, bewitchment, harshness, shamelessness, impudence, obfuscation of thoughts, obtuseness, mental blindness, attraction to what is fleeting, impassionedness, frivolity, disobedience, dull-wittedness, drowsiness of soul, excessive sleep, fantasy, heavy drinking, drunkenness, uselessness, slackness, mindless enjoyment, self-indulgence, venery, using foul language, effeminacy, unbridled desire, burning lust, masturbation, pimping, adultery, sodomy, bestiality, defilement, wantonness, a stained soul, incest, uncleanliness, pollution, sordidness, feigned affection, laughter, jokes, immodest dancing, clapping, improper songs, revelry, flute playing, license of tongue, excessive love of order, insubordination, disorderliness, reprehensible collusion, conspiracy, warfare, killing, brigandry, sacrilege, illicit gains, usury, wiliness, grave-robbing, hardness of heart, obloquy, complaining, blasphemy, fault-finding, ingratitude, malevolence, contemptuousness, pettiness, confusion, lying, verbosity, empty words, mindless joy, daydreaming, mindless friendship, bad habits, nonsensicality, silly talk, garrulity, niggardliness, depravity, intolerance, irritability, affluence, rancor, misuse, ill-temper, clinging to life, ostentation, affectation, pusillanimity, satanic love, curiosity, contumely, lack of the fear of God, unteachability, senselessness, haughtiness, self-vaunting, self-inflation, scorn for one's neighbor, mercilessness, insensitivity, hopelessness, spiritual paralysis, hatred of God, despair, suicide, a falling away from God in all things, utter destruction -- altogether 298 passions.

St. Peter of Damascus (750 AD) On What Is Bad...

•Not food—but gluttony..
•Not money—but attachment to it…
•Not speech—but idle talk…
•Not the world’s delights—but dissipation…
•Not love of family—but neglect of God which such love produces
•Not clothes worn for cold and heat—but those excessive & costly
•Not houses that shield from cold, heat, people or animals—but those large and expensive
•Not owning something—but owning it when it has no vital use
•Not possession of books—but books that are not spiritual
•Not friendship—but having friends that do not benefit the soul
•Not relationships—but unchastity
•Not wealth—but avarice
•Not wine—but drunkenness
•Not anger used naturally for chastisement of sin—but it’s use against a fellow person

The Hierarchy of Angels

Taken from the Pseudo-Dionysius' "Angelic Hierarchy... "

The First Order of Angels, (Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones) in the Heavenly Hierarchy are said to be ever around God and permanently united with Him ahead of any others and with no intermediary. They are in a proximity enjoyed by no other. This threefold group is said to form a single heierarchy where its members share equal status. No other is more like the divine or receives more directly the first enlightenments from the Deity. The Angels of the First Order are truly superior beings as they are God's immediate neighbor being grounded directly aroung God and receive primal theophanies and perfections. Their names indicate what God is. They are "utterly pure" because they transcend all weakness and all the lesser grades of the sacred. They are contemplative because they are filled with a superior light beyond any knowledge. They enter into communion with Jesus by participation in the divine lights working out of Him. To be like God is their special gift to the extent it is allowed them. They share, with primordial power, in His divine activities and loving virtues. They share in God's work. They are 'perfect' because of a primary and supreme deification, a transcendent and angelic understanding og God's work. They are initiated into the understandable explanations of the divine works by the very source of perfection. The First Order is said to perfect, illuminate and purify the Second and Third Orders.

- Seraphim have six wings and are Angels of Love – Seraphim means " firemaker" or "carrier of warmth" in Hebrew. Seraphim are a penetrating warmth; the overflowing heat of a movement which never falters and never fails. They purify by means of lightning flash and flame.
- Cherubim have many eyes. Cherubim means "fullness of knowledge" or "outpouring of wisdom" in Hebrew. The name means to know or see God, to receive the greatest gifts of His light, to contemplate the divine splendor in primordial power, to be filled with the gifts that bring wisdom and to share these generously with subordinates as part of the beneficient outpouring of wisdom.
- Thrones possess transcendance over every earthly defect. Their bearing is toward the ultimate heights and they are forever separated from what is inferior. They are completely intent on remaining in the presence of Him who is truly the most High. They are free of all passion and material concern and are utterly available to receive his divine visitation. They bear God and are ever open, like servants, to welcome God.

The Second Order of Angels (Authorities, Dominions, Powers ) are said to have eyes that look beyond the world. Each are far superior to us in ways that God is imitated and conformed to. This middle rank of the heavenly intelligences manifests its conformity to God which is how it achieves purification, illumination and perfection at second hand from the divine enlightenments by way of angels of the First Order and passed on secondarily through that mediating rank. The Second Order receives enlightenment from the Godhead through the beings of the First Order.

- Dominions forever strive mightily toward the true dominion and the true source of all dominion. The receive, as do their subordinates, the semblance of that domination. They signify a lifting up which is free and are unfettered by earthly tendencies of tyrrany and harsh dominion.
- Powers refer to a kind of masculine and unshakeable courage in all its Godlike activities; the type of courage which abandons laziness and softness during the reception of the divine enlightenments granted it, and it is powerfully uplifted to imitate God. It looks, without deviation, to the trtancendent power which is the source of all power. This courage becomes, as far as it is possible, the very image of that power to which it shapes itself, being powerfully returned to it because it is the source of all power. It transmits to its inferiors its dynamic and divinizing power.
- Authorities have an equal order with dominions and powers. They receive God in a harmonious and unconfused way and indicate the ordered nature of the celestial and intellectual authority. They do not employ their authoritive power to do tyrranous harm upon inferior ranks; they are uplifted harmoniously and unfailing toward the things of God and, in their goodness, lift up the inferior ranks with them. They are likened, insofar as they can be, to that authority which is the source of all authority and creates all authority; they make that authority evident, to the extent angels can, in their harmonious orders of authoritive power.

The Third Order of Angels (Principalities, Archangels and Angels) the final ranks have no share in the attributes to those superior

- Principalities refer to those who possess a godlike and princely hegemony, with a sacred order most suited to princely powers, the ability to be returned completely toward that principle which is above all principles and to lead others to Him like a prince, the power to receive to the full the mark of Principle of principles and by their harmonious exercise of princely powers, to make manifest this transcendent principle of all order.
- Archangels have the same order as Principalities and join with Angels to form a single hierarchy and rank. Every Hierarchy has first, middle and last powers, and the holy order of Archangels has something of both the others by virtue of being a mean between extremes. Archangels commune with the most holy Principalities and with the holy Angels. Like a principality, it is returned to its transcendent principle (source), that it receives upon itself as far as possible the mark of this principle and it brings about the unity of the angels due to their shared order as interpreters of those divine enlightenments mediated by the first powers. It generously announces these to the angels and through them to us insofar as we are capable of being sacredly enlightened.
- Angels complete the entire ranking of heavenly intelligences and they possess the final quality of being an Angel. Being closer to us, their hierarchy is more concerned with revelation and is closer to the world. The angels are said to take care of our own hierarchy, or so the Word of God tells us. Michael is called the ruler of the Jewish people, and other angels are described as rulers of other nations for "the Most High has established the boundaries of the nations by the number of his angels." (Dn 10:13).

*** Within all divine beings, there is a threefold distinction of "being, power and activity." Heavenly beings are called "heavenly powers" in common because each Order possesses specific powers from the Godhead and so there can be no confusion of the attributes peculiar to each rank.

The Lorica - St. Patrick's Breastplate

I arise today

Through a mighty strength:

The invocation of the Trinity!

Through the belief in the threeness -

Through confession of the oneness -

Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today

Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism -

Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial -

Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension -

Through the strength of his descent for the judgment of Doom.

I arise today

Through the strength of the love of Cherubim -

In obedience of angels -

In the service of archangels -

In hope of resurrection to meet with reward -

In prayers of patriarchs -

In predictions of prophets -

In preaching of apostles -

In faith of confessors -

In innocence of holy virgins -

In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today

Through the strength of heaven:

Light of sun -

Radiance of moon -

Splendor of fire -

Speed of lightning -

Swiftness of wind -

Depth of sea -

Stability of earth -

Firmness of rock.

I arise today

Through God's strength to pilot me:

God's might to uphold me -

God's wisdom to guide me -

God's eye to look before me -

God's ear to hear me -

God's word to speak for me -

God's hand to guard me -

God's way to lie before me -

God's shield to protect me -

God's host to save me -

From snares of devils -

From temptations of vices -

From everyone who shall wish me ill;

Afar and anear -

Alone and in multitude.

I summon today

All these powers between me and those evils:

Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul

Against incantations of false prophets

Against black laws of pagandom

Against false laws of heretics

Against craft of idolatry

Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards

Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.

Christ to shield me today

Against poison -

Against burning -

Against drowning -

Against wounding -

So that there may come to me abundance of reward.

Christ with me

Christ before me

Christ behind me

Christ in me

Christ beneath me

Christ above me

Christ on my right

Christ on my left

Christ when I lie down

Christ when I sit down

Christ when I arise

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me

Christ in every eye that sees me

Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today through a mighty strength:

The invocation of the Trinity!

Through belief in the threeness -

Through confession of the oneness -

Of the Creator of Creation.

Prayer Against Sins of the Flesh

This prayer was developed from the dialogue that occured between St. Mary of Egypt and St. Zosimus the priest. Their dialogue was so prayerful and powerful that I think it is something one may find useful for those who struggle with adultery, fornication, homosexuality, masturbation, pornography and other sins of the flesh. It is for use before an Icon of Our Lady and a Crucufix. May the Holy Trinity protect us from all temptation and sin and may the Mother of God guide and protect us on our way through the mantle of her prayer.

In the Name of the Father + and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Amen.

"Blessed is God + who cares for the salvation of men. O Lady Virgin, who gave birth in the flesh to God the Word! I know that I am unworthy to look upon your icon. I rightly inspire hatred and disgust before your purity, but I know also that God became Man in order to call sinners to repentance. Help me, O All-Pure One. Glory be to God + who accepts the repentance of sinners. Let me enter the church and partake in the Mystical Supper. Allow me to behold the Wood upon which the Lord was crucified in the flesh, shedding His Blood for the redemption of sinners, and also for me. Be my witness before Your Son that through His Grace and the mantle of your protective prayer that I will never defile my body again with the impurity of fornication or any other sin. When I behold the Cross of your Son, I will renounce the world, and go wherever you lead me. My Lady, do not reject my prayer as unworthy. Truly God did not lie when he promised that those who purify themselves will be like Him.

Recite the Creed and Our Father. Then raise your hands to the heavens and say: "

Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation. Sweet Mother, make it possible for me to follow you and always see your holy face! For the Lord's sake, pray for me and remember my wretchedness. Pray to the Lord for me that I may I leave this world in the unity of the one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and when I return to dust what is dust, that He may grant my soul repose. Glory be to You + O Christ, our God, our Hope, Glory be to You for showing me through your holy servants, Mary of Egypt and Zosimus the Priest, how far I am from perfection.

Exalt the Holy Cross:
It is time for me to fulfill my vow, which you witnessed. May God protect us from the Evil One and his schemes, for fierce is his struggle against us. Most Holy, Pure, Immaculate Mother of God and Ever Virgin, Mary; I renounce the world and all that is in it. Guide me on the path of prayer and repentance. Give the command, Mother, and I will go where you lead and will do whatever He says."

Ishtar's Gate

This is a poem written while in Iraq in 2005. Although it is a meager attempt to describe the war, it does honor Christ as the means through which to end it. May the protective prayer of the Mother of God, our Lady of Fatima, save us.


Ishtar’s Gate
Copyright © 2007

Boom sounds the terror war
Boots and bombs shake Babylon’s door
Where drums heard thousand years before
Her gardens hung in wonder –

Convoy in and convoy out
With faith obscured beyond all doubt
No knowledge of what war's about
Save casualties who suffer –

Mounted up with guns we go
Through cities, towns, the pace so slow
An ambush sits in wait to blow
Our warrior flesh asunder –

Mujahedin and Soldiers meet
Burning lead in Baghdad Streets
Clotting blood stains hospital sheets
No talk of spoils - just blunder –

Lightning flash and blind eyes glaze
Obscuring light till end of days
Bound in mind our wounded lays
In state, no words to utter –

Salvo’s burst and body dies
Our friends we cannot recognize
Though body armor petrifies
This test of faith is tougher –

Rockets, mortars, day and night
Breach our walls with aimless flight
Then impact burning flames ignite
To suck the air - we smother –

Phantom death, Iraq's road rage
Detonates - our youthful age
Their triggerman does not assuage -
Suppress their fire! Recover!

Explosions shred patrol and tent
Shrapnel hits then letters sent
To families grieving loved ones spent
In combat – still we linger –

Assassins smoke - the dust filled air
Steals our breath and in their stare
We glimpse the devil and despair
Though he has been tread under –

The sudden blast, the punctured ground
The ringing pain, then not a sound
Proceed through kill zone; honor bound
To make it back together –

The Prince of War spews fiery ice
His legions lust the sacrifice
The mounds of flesh do not suffice
To sate their voracious hunger –

Medals for our wounds they say
Are recompense for what we pay –
For standing fast in perils’ way
For Liberty our lover –

Death is life but in disguise
A life of peace to war is lies
Know death of soul is feast for flies
We pray to our sweet Mother –

Transfigured we unsanctified
Suffer wounds though Jesus died
Upon the cross of sin and cried
“Forsaken!” Still we shudder –

Freedom sappers castigate
While Lion's sentry Ishtar's gate
As dead ones share their common fate
A roar is heard like thunder!

So what is the truth of this great sin?
If one life dies then no one wins
Unless one's soul's been purged within
So contemplate and mutter –

Yet all our hope on earth relies
In resurrection, paradise
As Angel Warriors storm the skies
Before our God and Brother –

In God’s own peace our souls remain
His Mercy, cleanse us free of stain
We pray our struggle’s not in vain
For we love one another –

Copyright © 2007