The Drum Major .. a sermon by Martin Luther King

This morning I would like to use as a subject from which to preach: "The Drum Major Instinct." "The Drum Major Instinct." And our text for the morning is taken from a very familiar passage in the tenth chapter as recorded by Saint Mark. Beginning with the thirty-fifth verse of that chapter, we read these words:

"And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came unto him saying, ‘Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.’ And he said unto them, ‘What would ye that I should do for you?’ And they said unto him, ‘Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.’ But Jesus said unto them, ‘Ye know not what ye ask: Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?’ And they said unto him, ‘We can.’ And Jesus said unto them, ‘Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of, and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.’" And then Jesus goes on toward the end of that passage to say, "But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your servant: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all."

The setting is clear. James and John are making a specific request of the master. They had dreamed, as most of the Hebrews dreamed, of a coming king of Israel who would set Jerusalem free and establish his kingdom on Mount Zion, and in righteousness rule the world. And they thought of Jesus as this kind of king. And they were thinking of that day when Jesus would reign supreme as this new king of Israel. And they were saying, "Now when you establish your kingdom, let one of us sit on the right hand and the other on the left hand of your throne."

Now very quickly, we would automatically condemn James and John, and we would say they were selfish. Why would they make such a selfish request? But before we condemn them too quickly, let us look calmly and honestly at ourselves, and we will discover that we too have those same basic desires for recognition, for importance. That same desire for attention, that same desire to be first. Of course, the other disciples got mad with James and John, and you could understand why, but we must understand that we have some of the same James and John qualities. And there is deep down within all of us an instinct. It's a kind of drum major instinct—a desire to be out front, a desire to lead the parade, a desire to be first. And it is something that runs the whole gamut of life.

And so before we condemn them, let us see that we all have the drum major instinct. We all want to be important, to surpass others, to achieve distinction, to lead the parade. Alfred Adler, the great psychoanalyst, contends that this is the dominant impulse. Sigmund Freud used to contend that sex was the dominant impulse, and Adler came with a new argument saying that this quest for recognition, this desire for attention, this desire for distinction is the basic impulse, the basic drive of human life, this drum major instinct.

And you know, we begin early to ask life to put us first. Our first cry as a baby was a bid for attention. And all through childhood the drum major impulse or instinct is a major obsession. Children ask life to grant them first place. They are a little bundle of ego. And they have innately the drum major instinct.

Now in adult life, we still have it, and we really never get by it. We like to do something good. And you know, we like to be praised for it. Now if you don't believe that, you just go on living life, and you will discover very soon that you like to be praised. Everybody likes it, as a matter of fact. And somehow this warm glow we feel when we are praised or when our name is in print is something of the vitamin A to our ego. Nobody is unhappy when they are praised, even if they know they don't deserve it and even if they don't believe it. The only unhappy people about praise is when that praise is going too much toward somebody else. But everybody likes to be praised because of this real drum major instinct.

...Do you know that a lot of the race problem grows out of the drum major instinct? A need that some people have to feel superior. A need that some people have to feel that they are first, and to feel that their white skin ordained them to be first. And they have said over and over again in ways that we see with our own eyes. In fact, not too long ago, a man down in Mississippi said that God was a charter member of the White Citizens Council. And so God being the charter member means that everybody who's in that has a kind of divinity, a kind of superiority. And think of what has happened in history as a result of this perverted use of the drum major instinct. It has led to the most tragic prejudice, the most tragic expressions of man's inhumanity to man.

....And not only does this thing go into the racial struggle, it goes into the struggle between nations. And I would submit to you this morning that what is wrong in the world today is that the nations of the world are engaged in a bitter, colossal contest for supremacy. And if something doesn't happen to stop this trend, I'm sorely afraid that we won't be here to talk about Jesus Christ and about God and about brotherhood too many more years. If somebody doesn't bring an end to this suicidal thrust that we see in the world today, none of us are going to be around, because somebody's going to make the mistake through our senseless blunderings of dropping a nuclear bomb somewhere. And then another one is going to drop. And don't let anybody fool you, this can happen within a matter of seconds. They have twenty-megaton bombs in Russia right now that can destroy a city as big as New York in three seconds, with everybody wiped away, and every building. And we can do the same thing to Russia and China.

But this is why we are drifting. And we are drifting there because nations are caught up with the drum major instinct. "I must be first." "I must be supreme." "Our nation must rule the world." And I am sad to say that the nation in which we live is the supreme culprit. And I'm going to continue to say it to America, because I love this country too much to see the drift that it has taken.

God didn't call America to do what she's doing in the world now. God didn't call America to engage in a senseless, unjust war as the war in Vietnam. And we are criminals in that war. We’ve committed more war crimes almost than any nation in the world, and I'm going to continue to say it. And we won't stop it because of our pride and our arrogance as a nation.

But God has a way of even putting nations in their place. The God that I worship has a way of saying, "Don't play with me." He has a way of saying, as the God of the Old Testament used to say to the Hebrews, "Don’t play with me, Israel. Don't play with me, Babylon. Be still and know that I'm God. And if you don't stop your reckless course, I'll rise up and break the backbone of your power." And that can happen to America. Every now and then I go back and read Gibbons' Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. And when I come and look at America, I say to myself, the parallels are frightening. And we have perverted the drum major instinct.

But let me rush on to my conclusion, because I want you to see what Jesus was really saying. What was the answer that Jesus gave these men? It's very interesting. One would have thought that Jesus would have condemned them. One would have thought that Jesus would have said, "You are out of your place. You are selfish. Why would you raise such a question?"

But that isn't what Jesus did; he did something altogether different. He said in substance, "Oh, I see, you want to be first. You want to be great. You want to be important. You want to be significant. Well, you ought to be. If you're going to be my disciple, you must be." But he reordered priorities. And he said, "Yes, don't give up this instinct. It's a good instinct if you use it right. It's a good instinct if you don't distort it and pervert it. Don't give it up. Keep feeling the need for being important. Keep feeling the need for being first. But I want you to be first in love. I want you to be first in moral excellence. I want you to be first in generosity. That is what I want you to do."

And he transformed the situation by giving a new definition of greatness. And you know how he said it? He said, "Now brethren, I can't give you greatness. And really, I can't make you first." This is what Jesus said to James and John. "You must earn it. True greatness comes not by favoritism, but by fitness. And the right hand and the left are not mine to give, they belong to those who are prepared."

And so Jesus gave us a new norm of greatness. If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's a new definition of greatness.

And this morning, the thing that I like about it: by giving that definition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.

......Every now and then I guess we all think realistically about that day when we will be victimized with what is life's final common denominator—that something that we call death. We all think about it. And every now and then I think about my own death and I think about my own funeral. And I don't think of it in a morbid sense. And every now and then I ask myself, "What is it that I would want said?" And I leave the word to you this morning.

If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. (Yes) And every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize—that isn’t important. Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards—that’s not important. Tell them not to mention where I went to school.

I'd like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others.

I'd like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody.

I want you to say that day that I tried to be right on the war question.

I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry.

And I want you to be able to say that day that I did try in my life to clothe those who were naked.

I want you to say on that day that I did try in my life to visit those who were in prison.

I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity.

Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. I won't have any money to leave behind. I won't have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind. And that's all I want to say.

If I can help somebody as I pass along,

If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,

If I can show somebody he's traveling wrong,

Then my living will not be in vain.

If I can do my duty as a Christian ought,

If I can bring salvation to a world once wrought,

If I can spread the message as the master taught,

Then my living will not be in vain.

Yes, Jesus, I want to be on your right or your left side, not for any selfish reason. I want to be on your right or your left side, not in terms of some political kingdom or ambition. But I just want to be there in love and in justice and in truth......

[and in commitment to others, so that we can make of this old world a new world.

Ocean of Mercy

One of my hide-outs in the Philippines is Tablas Island; we were there last week to be immersed in beauty, rowing a banca (small fishing boat) towards blazing sunsets in the evenings and morning prayers floating in the crystal clear Sibuyan Sea as dawn broke.

Standing in the sea up to my waist, a small creature approached encircling my legs eager to take a bite. I let him try and then shooed him away and began to write as I realised it was time to relate this story; one of the sailor Webb Chiles’s survival stories I had logged earlier this year.

His boat sank off the coast of Fort Lauderdale 33 years ago at 3 o’clock in the morning and he was left floating in the ocean, in the darkness, waiting patiently for the sea to take him; all desire of survival spent. As he waited he felt something on his left thigh; it was a small fish taking a nibble. This small and seemingly insignificant creature catalysed an attempt for him to swim for shore.

For several hours then he swam, battling fatigue, thirst and waves, until he saw a light.

An anchored trawler was nearby and he shouted for help and was brought aboard. He had travelled more than a hundred miles north by then to Sebastian inlet, swept along by the gulfstream. An astonishing rescue story in itself but the outcome was far more extraordinary when you think about it.

What a gift! To receive an extension of life beyond that moment; in those 30 plus years since then he met the love of his life, circumnavigated the globe a couple of times, wrote books and had a great many of the joys, sorrows and adventures that make for life that could so easily have been missed or lost.

It’s not the ocean that is benevolent though, but the One who watches over it and us, who knows the day and the hour of our departure and holds the rudder of our life’s journey (gently), continually wooing us with the offer of the ocean of His mercy and the intimacy and union that flows from that to our eternal destiny beyond this mortal coil.

He sent Jonah a whale that taxied him back to shore! The rest of us may have to sail, row or swim!

 Webb Chiles Blog page

 

A quote from St Faustina's Diary 'Divine Mercy in my Soul'

Jesus: Be not afraid of your Savior; O sinful soul. I make the first move to come to you, for I know that by yourself you are unable to lift yourself to me. Child, do not run away from your Father; be willing to talk openly with your God of mercy who wants to speak words of pardon and lavish his graces on you. How dear your soul is to Me! I have inscribed your name upon My hand; you are engraved as a deep wound in My Heart (Diary, 1485).

Our Lady's Message from Medjugorje October 25th 2025

 Latest Medjugorje Message, October 25, 2025

Marija during an apparition

“Dear children! 

The Most High in His goodness gave me to you to lead you on the way of peace. Many have responded and are praying, but there are many creatures who do not have peace and have not come to know the God of love. 

Therefore, little children, pray and love, create prayer groups to encourage each other to the good. I am with you and am praying for your conversion. 

Thank you for having responded to my call. ”

Latest Message from Our Lady (medjugorje)

“Dear children!

May this time for you be a time of prayer for peace.

Thank you for having responded to my call.”

Turn to me with all your heart ... Philippines

 

There is a bible verse which gives a rather wonderful promise to nations who are in trouble as ours is; be it from poor leaders, corrupted beyond our comprehension, (and a Chinese fleet lurking offshore for reasons yet to be revealed.. )

“if then my people, upon whom my name has been pronounced, humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven and pardon their sins and heal their land.” (2 Chron 7:14)

An exorcist, Fr Ripperger, was interviewed recently and asked to talk about the nature of the corruption currently under scrutiny in the Philippines and there was some interesting commentary. Firstly confirming that there is clearly demonic or diabolical influence , not merely greed or dishonesty and that is certainly important in fully identifying the problem and who or what we are up against. His second point is that God uses such things to chasten His people, to call them to repentance, so that they can be worthy of good leaders and the healing of their land.

When we frame it in this way; it becomes clearer as to what will and will not produce the desired result.

For decades the expression “people power” has been used to rouse the crowd, march, campaign, protest, demand, and give vent to understandable anger, nowadays coupled with a good flurry of social media posts. This may briefly give an illusion of power; but it is an illusion and it’s a godless and perhaps even a blasphemous illusion. To explore a little deeper let’s consider the product of the numerous “people power events” over the last few decades:-

Number of Corrupt Senators jailed ?

Amount of Stolen money recovered from them?

Number of Corrupt Congressman Jailed ?

Amount of Stolen money recovered from them?

Number of other government officials jailed ?

Corrupt Businessmen jailed ?

Amount of Stolen money recovered from them ?

Any change what-so-ever ?

The truth is that ‘power exhausts those who don’t have it’. The corrupt (and their diabolical masters) merely laugh at the protests because they are untouchable by those means, they can pretend to investigate, chastise each other with speeches, and then go back to business as usual until the next time, decade after decade, generation after generation, century after century.

If the nation wants change; then it must look to God; firstly by seeking purity of heart (or personal holiness) and a purity of intention. The first part involves repentance especially from those seeking to lead; and especially the church in a Catholic country. Is there anything wrong ? Any reason that the only Catholic country in the world is the most corrupt ? Is there any desire or commitment to depart from its own corruption or sin... any cover-ups within that need to be dealt with? Any ways it is compromised ? or its members are compromised ?

That is the beginning and frankly the only path to change in government is to become worthy of good leaders or a good country is when the church and people want it for themselves too. God listens to hearts that are humbled and are genuine not the noisy or arrogant. We need God’s power and to acknowledge that of ourselves we have none and have a sincere desire to change and surrender it to God. Then the demons will tremble and the nation’s institutions can be exorcised fully. ‘Don’t put your trust in princes.. (Ps 146:3)

Medjugorje International Relief 2025 Report

Link to :- Medjugorje International Relief 2025 Report 

Interview with Fr Carlos Martin (Exorcist) ..

 

Who Dares Wins

 

The recent Ukrainian ‘Operation Spider web’ which targeted airbases and military hardware across Russia in a simultaneous drone attack over several time zones deep behind enemy lines without loss of life was a sharp contrast with how the rest of the war was being waged in the trench warfare in eastern Ukraine aka ‘the meat-grinder’ where every foot of territory gained is measured in lives lost. 

It’s reminiscent of the way in which the allies turned around the desert war in North Africa with the creation of the SAS and its first synchronised raids on German and Italian airbases, a new methodology comprising meticulous attention to detail, covert manoeuvring, split second timing. All the damage was done before the adversary knew what was happening. 

We can certainly draw parallels here too with how humanity handles itself in dealing with the spiritual world around us. If situational awareness of the world we live in is absent then people are essentially walking into machine gun fire, like the trench warfare, being constantly taken out by the enemy of our souls with temptations, weaknesses, and misunderstanding of every kind. This results in helpless victims of an unseen war raging around them. And the world is becoming more broken, damaged and deranged as a consequence. 

There is however another way. Perhaps best demonstrated by our own version of the SAS; the contemplative monks and nuns all over the world and across the centuries know their enemy; their lives and prayer and intercession for us is targeted to do great violence to the enemy camp. They succeed in disrupting his plans and dismantling the apparatus he builds, by applying the power and authority of Jesus. 

Perhaps we are at a stage in human history though, where we cannot leave everything up to the few specialists behind the monastery walls and the heavenly angelic armies. The days we are living in, require something of us too; firstly to be aware of what we are up against or to be more precise who we are up against and to engage in the struggle ourselves too. We need to push in to prayer rather than simply being dismayed by what we see unravelling in our world… to be part of the solution. Put aside the enticing distractions or what gives relief and exchange them for intercessory prayer for what is needed instead. And this will surely tip the balance or move the needle in the right direction. 

Who Prays Wins!

Rescue Shop at he gates of Hell

Poverty, war, and corruption have left many Burmese combating threats from crime syndicates, leaving them in vulnerable conditions as they struggle to secure food for their families.

Shining the Light of Jesus in the Darkness of Asia

From time to time, we receive very sensitive reports from our partners in Asia. We often refrain from sharing such stories to protect the safety of our partners, while striving to create balanced newsletters that don’t overly burden our readers and leave them with broken hearts. Sadly, many of the stories include suffering and reflect some of the worst depravity of mankind.

While we love to encourage readers with stories of revival and Gospel breakthroughs, to only share those would be unbalanced. Asia is also a place of intense spiritual darkness, and sometimes things that are difficult to read are necessary to share so that believers around the world can know how to pray.

Now take a moment to consider William Booth’s quote cited above. Have you ever wondered what it might actually look like to run a rescue shop just outside the boundary of hell? What we are about to share with you in this newsletter is the result of believers doing just that in Myanmar today.

“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.” (Luke 12:49-51)

Last year we were excited to receive a call from one of our dearest ministry partners on the field in Asia. He is seeing God move powerfully among hungry hearts, with thousands of people having been added to the family of God. What he shared that day caused our hearts to grieve and tears to fill our eyes.

You might have enjoyed reading our 2024 reports and watching videos of how the Lord is saving countless beautiful children in Myanmar. Satan does not let any genuine move of God go unchallenged, however, and the story we are about to share is both gripping and heavy, but please read it through to the end, as there is a message of hope at its conclusion.

Eva (not her real name) was just 11 years old when a great darkness visited the slum she calls home. It happened on a sunny day, just like any other. The streets were buzzing with life as schoolchildren were on holiday and were making the most of their young lives in the impoverished neighborhood.

“Follow me for some free candy!” one child shouted to groups of playing children.

Eva’s belly growled at the thought of eating something sweet. She frequently felt hunger pangs at home due to a lack of food, so she welcomed the invitation and hurried over along with other children for some free candy.

Eva had noticed that some of her friends as well as others had disappeared from time to time, never to return. This made many in her village aware of the dangers around them and suspicious of strangers. But the young boy leading them to get candy was a familiar face in the neighborhood, and his parents met the group of children along the way, putting Eva’s heart at ease.

As the group walked quite a distance from the village, the boy's parents excitedly told them about a free medical clinic that would be distributing candy along with a free vaccine for each child.

Coming from destitute families who can’t afford the most basic medical procedures without becoming enslaved by debt to violent gang lenders, the children considered the offer of medical help one less cost for their parents to worry about.

Finally, beyond earshot of the village, the group of now 20 children, along with a pregnant mother, entered the local graveyard. It seemed like an odd place for candy and vaccines to be distributed, but sure enough, there was a table set up with medical instruments operated by staff dressed in white lab coats.

The children formed a line and quickly, one by one, received an injection in the arm, followed by a piece of candy. While they were all enjoying their candy, Eva noticed something very odd beginning to happen to each one of them. A strange fog clouded their judgment and made them dizzy.

And then it happened.

The pregnant mother was suddenly murdered right in front of the children by these criminals dressed as doctors and nurses. With no concern for the sanctity of human life, they proceeded to slash open the deceased mother’s stomach, pulling her precious unborn child from her womb.

Terror of the worst kind gripped every child. Drugged beyond the point of being able to resist and now threatened with death themselves if they did not cooperate, the children were herded into the backs of open-bed trucks and driven through their village to a nearby fishing pier, where they were placed on boats.

Eva inwardly screamed for help, but no words made it to her lips because of the drug-induced state she was in. It was at that horrifying moment that she remembered the words she had heard at a Christian meeting she had attended since she gave her life to Jesus. It was there that she first learned that Jesus cares for everyone and can save people when they call upon His name.

“Jesus,” she cried out in Burmese.

It was all she capable of saying.

The boat that took the children across the river docked on the far side, and each child was whisked through the fish market and hurriedly pushed into cars that drove them away.

Eva watched with crippling fear as she was pushed closer to one of the cars, its door opening for her as she approached.

Then, out of nowhere, two very tall, white angelic beings appeared. They released her from the arms of her captors, brought her back to the pier, and put her on a boat returning to her village on the other side of the river.

Eva made it safely home and has been slowly recovering from the trauma, but sadly, none of the 19 other children have returned to their families since that day.

Please consider helping children like Eva through TCF (The Children's Fund)

Most children who disappear in Myanmar under these circumstances do not live to tell their stories. Asia Harvest has since learned from our partners in the slums that the 19 children were most likely sent to various hospitals, where they were sedated before surgeons removed all their organs, killing them in the process.

The murder of the pregnant mother and the nature of the diabolical events of that day confirm that these children were victims of human organ harvesting. Key organs, such as livers, kidneys, hearts, and lungs, are sold for transplant in wealthier countries.

Ongoing civil war in Myanmar has torn the country apart and resulted in the breakdown of society and the failure of the justice system. As a result, the police do nothing to assist victims, creating an environment in which such monstrous evil can thrive.

While the Church in Myanmar lacks the human ability to get judicial help against these threats, God’s children there have learned that the Lord Jesus is the true source of their rescue. The Scriptures have become very real in their lives, such as Psalm 20:7:

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

Perhaps God moving so mightily in Myanmar today—the likes of which have never been seen before among the Buddhist majority—is heaven’s response to the cries of desperate believers who lack an army of chariots and human forces to rescue them.

With no such resources outside of Christ, they have been discovering the blessing that this “last resort” was all along their only lasting hope. Through this profound discovery, God’s revival fires are burning ever brighter amidst Myanmar’s darkest hours.

Every day our coworkers help precious children like Eva, and multitudes of young children and teenagers have been rescued who would have otherwise been trafficked by gangs into sex work, drug dealing, and many other types of modern-day slavery.

By the power of the Holy Spirit, thousands of at-risk families have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. Not only have many vulnerable individuals come to Christ and been radically transformed, but many traffickers and gang members have also repented and surrendered their lives to the Lord Jesus!

Last year, Asia Harvest leaders visited the very slum where this diabolical incident occurred, and we even crossed on the same boats that took the kidnapped children across the river.

We have personally witnessed the powerful work the Holy Spirit is doing in those poor communities, and we can declare with great conviction that Jesus IS the answer and the only hope for Myanmar and the world.

For over 20 years Asia Harvest has helped reach and disciple more than 231,000 children throughout Asia by ministering to their physical and spiritual needs.

The Children’s Fund specifically helps us reach children like Eva. Not only do they receive food and practical assistance, but they are also introduced to the Lord Jesus Christ and are ultimately discipled and equipped to share the Gospel with other children and adults.

Even in the grimmest of circumstances, thousands of children’s lives have been transformed from darkness and despair to the light and hope that is found only in Christ.

If you would like to support the work in the slums of Myanmar and many other parts of Asia, please prayerfully consider giving to TCF (The Children’s Fund) or to any of our other initiatives through which Asia Harvest furthers the work of the Gospel by providing Bibles, support for evangelists, and relief.

The separated ones

Of all the people Jesus encountered it seems he had a particular dislike for the ways of the Pharisees; the elite or separated ones. Whilst occupying the seat of Moses, guardians of all the doctrines, laws, rules of the faith, meticulous in their rituals and beliefs; sadly they missed the point entirely. 

They have returned and are recruiting! 

I was invited to attend an International leadership meeting; I couldn’t really understand why but the offer seemed genuine, the person was charming, a faithful Catholic, and had all his ‘ducks in a row’ so I dispensed with the usual discernment process and accepted. 

One area of expertise I do have was about to come in handy; I know how cults operate. And so as the meeting began I was unexpectedly prepared and sufficiently detached to watch things unfold from that vantage point. 

Within 30 seconds of meeting the facilitator, a short, bearded man who gave me a similar reception to the one experienced by Zelensky in the ambush in the oval office by Donald Trump’s ill-mannered assistant; the alarm bells were ringing.  I quickly realised that many of the people in the room, although an international event, were very well acquainted, they had their own in-language, and I strongly felt were part of the same organisation. This was a ‘front’ for something else entirely. 

Whilst all were Catholic, it became evident that many were ‘Starbucks Catholics’ meaning not content with the regular Sunday Mass; they customised it to their own taste; some favoured the Latin, others the Byzantium Rites ( I had to google some of them later). 

Many discussed (triumphantly) their ascetic practices, from cold showers, to fasting, (not charity though interestingly) and at this point I regretted not having continued with my studies in music (after mastering 3 blind mice on the recorder) so that I could have announced each new speaker with a few good blasts on the trumpet ! although that would probably have been too subtle to be understood. 

One younger attendee, with wild eyes, and the enthusiasm of a Mormon recruited by ISIS,  tried out his evangelising skills on me; he was clearly in the early stages of being brainwashed himself, something I could only sympathise with silently and pray for later. 

After 3 hours I realised that nothing of any real substance had been discussed, even God hadn’t been mentioned, and certainly none of the invited (non-group members) had said anything at all. The groups behind it were carefully concealed but are Catholic with dubious founders if I am not mistaken and coercive techniques, some of which were clearly displayed. 

These are dark days; the assault on Christianity and all that is good is intense and perhaps extreme orthodoxy is envisioned as a remedy or push-back against it, a worldly attempt to regain the upper hand through earthly power and positioning, influence and perhaps financial muscle but despite the outward appearance of religion, it’s a godless distortion, empty and devoid of any real supernatural power or authority and indeed of any love or compassion that I could see. Sometimes the devil works both sides of the street. The Neo Pharisees are among us!

‘Tumble into our Graves’

 

'Many are the rainbows, the sunbursts, the gentle breezes—and the hailstorms—we are liable to meet before, by the grace of God, we shall be able to tumble into our graves with the confidence of tired children into their places of peaceful slumber.’ Blessed Solanus Casey

I was in the cemetery the other day. It was my mother-in-law’s birthday, she would have been 101 and all her children gathered to pray the Rosary for her on her birthday.

As the car pulled up the GPS said “you have arrived at your destination”. A chilling reminder, but it had a point. After the prayers I had a wander and noticed how many of the graves contained occupants younger than me; some teenagers, others in their prime. What a blessing it is to have a good innings, a length of years.

There is really only one thing we can offer to God as we go along; and we certainly owe it to Him. And that is gratitude. To thank Him for all He has and continues to give us. Life is a gift, each moment, each breath of air, every drop of water, every meal, gifts of faith, mercy and forgiveness, every person we know, all the joys of life. We miss a lot of it by occupying our minds with what we don’t have, have lost or what is not quite as we would like it to be and in doing so, rob Him of the full measure of the gratitude we owe and rob ourselves of much of the joy of life. A grateful heart is a free heart.

I love the quote above; imagine at the end of days, to “tumble into our graves with the confidence of tired children into their places of peaceful slumber” If we live in gratitude I think we will be able to live and die like that.

Experience Jesus Really. (Session 5)

 

Experience Jesus. Really. (Session 4)

 

Experience Jesus. Really. (Session 3)

 

Experience Jesus. Really. (Session 2)

 

Experience Jesus. Really. (Session 1)

 

The Voyage of the Coconut

‘All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.’

We know something is wrong, or missing, in ourselves and the world:- most men will feel the angst and push it down in duty, discipline and conformity and perhaps dull the pain of it with a few beers at the weekend or some other leaning post and stoically carry on. Even with a Christian foundation most feel a bit lost with all the longings of desire fighting to get out. We were made for Eden, for bliss, for eternity and the heart remembers the original design.

What does it look like for the few who make the leap to try to find the destiny we believe is calling us, to a life worth living? It’s dangerous, and it doesn’t always go according to (our) plan.

I came across a video about a prolific sailor and author from the US, Webb Chiles, which told of his life on the world’s oceans; he was the first US citizen to go solo around Cape Horn where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans clash rather violently, putting the best of sailors to the test; he also chalked up many circumnavigations. Out on the fringes of life there will usually be close calls and life threatening situations which will test the mettle and bring them to the end of themselves and I asked him if there were any memorable events like that. Another video he shared showed a couple of examples. There was something in the stories; some small details that reminded me of something. To some they would be barely noticeable, put down to chance or luck but to me; I recognized the Modus Operandi… a trail of breadcrumbs leading to a much deeper reality.

One of the stories described how during a voyage, some 300 miles from shore, he hit something in the water which caused the boat to summersault and threw him out. Afterwards the boat was swamped, still afloat but not sailable; just drifting with the hopeful expectation of reaching land eventually. He rationed his water to a few sips per day and a small amount to eat. And then a timely arrival; a coconut, with its life-giving contents still secure inside, floated casually by the boat. Webb swam to fetch it. It would enable him to survive for another week and so he made it to land alive. Lived to sail another day!

Years ago I read the account of the Voyage of the James Caird (a lifeboat) from Elephant Island to South Georgia. Frank Worsley navigated the small open boat through hurricane conditions 800 miles to find a fly speck of an island using celestial navigation, and saved the lives of his comrades just as surely as Shackleton’s legendary leadership did.

But the more impressive piece of navigation, to say nothing of timing, must be the Voyage of that Coconut. First it had to fall off the tree and land, softly, in the sand without breakage. Then roll gently to the water’s edge, picked up by the tide, and begin its seaward journey. And then, without rudder or sail, chart or GPS it crossed how many miles we don’t know, moved by wind and wave for a high precision rendezvous with an even smaller target in the ocean. As a scientist I can say that the mathematical probability of this confluence of events is approaching zero. Nature is anything but Precise; the Supernatural on the other hand is this precise. 

God honours our efforts, our work and our achievements and only steps in when we are at the end of ourselves if He has purpose. We are trained through adversity, not spared any trial or difficulty but with one aim in mind; union or reunion with Him. We are made for fellowship with Him. He is not a remote being or a mathematical enigma for us to solve but the Father’s sincere love for us manifest in His pursuit of us across the sea roads or mountain tops of the world. The revelation is the invitation or trail head of another journey, another voyage of sorts into the unknown and uncharted waters of the spiritual life and that is where, for me, the real adventure began more than 30 years ago after an intervention on land with a similarly ludicrous probability, but that’s a story for another day!

..even the winds and the sea obey Him!

Webb Chiles website

Fr Blount Homily

 

Fr Blount (Holy Hour) 2025

 

Fr Blount (Dublin) 2025

 

The unveiling of Opus Dei | Upfront with Katie Hannon

Why did you do it?

A few months ago there was a suicide near our home; a young lady jumped from a multi-story building. Her boyfriend quickly rushed to the scene and was overhead shouting “Why did you do it?” a common question to raise following such an incident. The young lady, crushed by the fall, groaned and breathed her last as the paramedics arrived.

It’s not an easy world to live in these days; suicide is one of the leading causes of death in young people and when we look at our world it is not too surprising is it. We have never been more connected to the world or more isolated from each other; never more separated from our true identity as children of God. Being driven to despair may not be a long journey.

The mind and heart can be fragile and we are subjected to a very high degree of trauma every day through news from around the globe as it happens; through pressures in life from every side; and that’s before we factor in the malevolent supernatural beings whose plan is our annihilation. So, quite a lot to contend with on a regular monday morning.

Other pressures are more specific and personal to our lives that can drive people to despair. As Christians we have a way to deal with these things from deliverance prayer, where there is demonic oppression, to counselling and healing prayer. And I believe the key to prevention of suicides; is prayer for one another; especially from or for your loved ones as the primary means of intervention; other things can also be helpful of course, but only God can make the difference in our lives; only He can deal with our invisible wounds. Like in Isaiah where it says about Jesus ‘The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners’ And He will do it if we call on Him.

Its an ill wind that blows no one any good

Many years ago, when the Church of England (C of E) made the decision to allow women clergy, there was an article in a satirical magazine which, having noted that many people left the C of E, as a result, it reported that God had also left. On asking the Archbishop of Canterbury for a comment on this latest news, he answered “it’s a bit of a blow, but we’ll manage”.   

Many believed that the C of E (and the many other churches that followed suit) had opened Pandora's box. Even so, it is hard to believe that only a few decades later, they would have gay and lesbian priests and bishops and the growing madness of acceptance of gender ideology to contend with. 

As to the effects in the pews I know very little; only a recent observation at an Episcopalian church in a remote corner of Kalinga Province in the Northern Philippines. During the American occupation missionaries penetrated the region and some towns became Catholic, others Episcopalian and one Sunday I was stranded in the latter. Whilst I could not participate in their service, as a Catholic, I decided to visit the church for my own morning prayers and stayed as an observer. 

The first thing I noticed was that they had a woman priest.  All the altar servers were girls. All the choir were girls. And the vast majority of the congregation were also women and girls. A few boys (under 10 years old) and 3 elderly men at the back waiting for their ticket to eternity were the only local males present. What happened to all the men? 

A few days later back in Tabuk (the regional capital) I met with people at the Catholic Cathedral and there was one chap who was from that town. He had been born Episcopalian but converted  and is now a Catholic priest serving in another town in the province. Perhaps the rest of the flock will likewise migrate!

Fr Blount .. Spend time in Adoration

 

Prophetic Warning from Our Lady

 

Fr Blount Video:-  link below

Prophetic Warning from Our Lady (Youtube)

Surrounded by Fools

 

The Flame of Love

 

Before anything bad happens

Just before Christmas we took a trip to one of the Islands in Romblon to have a few days of prayer. The place we stayed in was a garden resort up in the hills with cabins and a good  restaurant, very peaceful and conducive to ‘rest and relaxation’. Often when we travel, there are Divine Appointments made and this was no exception. Our host, a successful businessman shared his testimony with us as a storm rolled in which would lengthen our stay by 2 days as ships would no longer be able to dock at the port due to the size of the waves. 

His story began with another storm, in Manila some years before, where he became captive to the weather and floods and was unable to go to work. It was during this time that he reflected on his life. Although hard working, healthy and materially successful, he had no time for God. He hadn't been to church since his wedding, decades earlier and it occurred to him that he ought to get himself in good standing with God, as he put it “before anything bad happens”. A pragmatic businessman indeed! He followed through and as the floods permitted, he went to church with a shopping list of sins and made his peace through the sacrament of reconciliation.

Soon after, a crisis did indeed present itself. His son had an accident wake boarding; an ill fitting helmet left him with a skull fracture. A simple operation was needed and whilst in recovery they noticed an infection in the bone had developed which made things more serious. A second operation was conducted to replace that area of the skull. After this, his son was becoming forgetful and it was clear that something was still wrong. A friend suggested that he seek St (Padre) Pio’s intercession. He googled Padre Pio to find out who he was and also identified a shrine dedicated to him near the hospital and began a series of visits to pray for his son. 

After one of those visits he returned to the hospital and found his son’s bed gone:- he had gone in for a third surgery. At that moment he noticed a strong smell of flowers in the room aka the odour of sanctity (often noticed by devotees of Padre Pio during his bilocations). The operation was a success and his son regained all his faculties on recovery. 

Whilst God is relentless in His pursuit of each and every lost soul, it is only when he opened his heart to God and turned his life around that he was able to tap into the new and true life in God. In this case, it also enabled him to handle the crisis in his son’s life as a man of faith rather than relying on his own strength. This became a precursor to another miracle for his son’s healing. It was a wonderful introduction to the might of the intercession of the saints in heaven and God’s provision in our lives when we pray in faith.

‘Do you have a difficult work colleague or boss ?’

In my early career I was very blessed in having good Supervisors and Managers. They were good mentors and I benefited greatly from their experiences and the knowledge they passed on, as well as their friendship. So years later, when I joined a new company, it was something of a challenge to deal with a particularly difficult boss who was shaped in a rather different mould.

Of course we are all under authority of some sort and firstly I had to acknowledge that reality and accept his direction as legitimate and suffer in silence,but not passively. I sought a higher authority.

I noticed a nearby church which held Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament during lunchtime on Wednesdays and I decided that I would use part of my lunch hour each week to pray for him. And so week after week, month after month I went to the Holy Hour and prayed for my boss. Frankly his ways did not improve; but after a few months he was offered a good job in another company and left. I rejoiced and thanked God !

By now I was already in the habit of my Wednesday lunchtime prayer and decided to continue. This time I decided to pray for my immediate supervisor, who I got along with very well, and so again I prayed week after week, month after month and after a few months, he was promoted and I inherited the stapler, his desk, and his Job Title!

I was on a roll and quite fascinated at how God was bringing about the structural changes in our company. What next? I was running out of Bosses but there was one left, also a good chap, so I started to pray for him. Week after week , month after month I made my Wednesday pilgrimage for my colleague and a few months later, I left! Another opportunity opened up for me overseas.

Really there is no formula that we can apply with how God works. Especially if we have no fixed agenda in our prayer for others, we can simply watch Him work things out for us and for those around us.

We cannot get along with everyone, nor usurp legitimate authority but, we can change the world with prayer!