Category: Spreading the Word

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The Litany of the Armor of God

Since the Rosary Congress Family Night Mass in 2018, which my family was asked to represent St. Joan of Arc Parish, I have begun to delve deeper into the prayers, litanies, and devotions of our faith.  The literature and prayer handouts that were made available were an invaluable tool and provided a wealth of knowledge.  Since then, I started a journal/prayer book to compile these prayers, as opposed to having numerous flyers, papers, and prayer cards to carry around or cluttering up my desk.  It was during this process, copying over the prayers and litanies that I was moved to compose the Litany of the Armor of God that I am sharing with you now.  I feel that this litany will be beneficial to all who pray it, both young and old.  Like the Armor of God Septet, it was inspired by and derived from Ephesians 6:10-20.  It can be prayed as a stand-alone litany, or used as a follow up to the septet.  It touches upon each aspect of the Armor of God passage, imploring the strength, help, and wisdom of God our Father, as we face the daily battles we must go through.  There are more dangers and evil in the world than today than ever before, and the need for increase in prayer has never been greater.  I also feel that this is something that the youth of today would benefit from greatly, not that there is anything wrong with traditional prayers, but this would be something new, a rejuvenation into the joy and love of being a soldier of Christ.  I am hoping it would stir up their interest in turning up their prayer life, be an aid in their defense of our faith, and create a willingness to share their faith with others. As with the Septet, this is also part of my way of continuing to honor my son, Evan, by doing what I know he would have done were he still here with us on earth.  I have tried to take on his mission of spreading the word of God and our faith with others, which by doing so, also aids in my grieving and healing process.

I have again been blessed and graced to be granted permission to share this publicly by Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans, who has been a tremendous source of help and inspiration to me since Evan’s passing. After reading the original draft of the litany, Archbishop Aymond provided me with the corrections needed before making it official. Below is the Rescript granting permission to publish.

Below, I offer to you, The Litany of the Armor of God, with the hopes that as you pray it you may feel the power of God’s love and protection, appreciate the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, and be inspired by the Holy Spirit during your daily battles against the evils and temptations that continually bombard from all directions. May this serve as another weapon in your arsenal to fight the good fight as you travel the path to your eternal home with Our Lord above.


Litany of the Armor of God
 
Lord, have mercy.   Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.   Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.   Lord, have mercy.
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.
 
Armor of God, strength in the Lord,   Protect us O Lord.
Armor of God, strength of Your power,   Protect us O Lord.
Armor of God, resistance of evil,   Protect us O Lord.
Armor of God, assistance in our struggles,   Protect us O Lord.
Armor of God, the light above the darkness,   Protect us O Lord.
Armor of God, defense against wickedness,   Protect us O Lord.
Armor of God, hold our ground in battle,  Protect us O Lord.
 
Belt of Truth, hold fast around our waist,   Protect us O Lord.
Belt of Truth, gird our loins,  Protect us O Lord.
Belt of Truth, secure our armor in place,   Protect us O Lord.
Belt of Truth, secure the sheath of our sword,   Protect us O Lord.
Belt of Truth, encompass our body and heart,   Protect us O Lord.
Belt of Truth, encompass our mind and soul,   Protect us O Lord.
Belt of Truth, Thy Word is Truth Lord,   Protect us O Lord.
 
Breastplate of Righteousness, honesty, goodness and humbleness,   Protect us O Lord.
Breastplate of Righteousness, fairness to others,   Protect us O Lord.
Breastplate of Righteousness, defense of the weak,   Protect us O Lord.
Breastplate of Righteousness, deliver us from death,   Protect us O Lord.
Breastplate of Righteousness, peace, quietness and love forever,   Protect us O Lord.
Breastplate of Righteousness, Thy commandments are righteousness,   Protect us O Lord.
Breastplate of Righteousness, the Lord, our righteousness,   Protect us O Lord.
 
Shoes of Readiness, the Gospel of Peace,   Protect us O Lord.
Shoes of Readiness, protection on uneven ground,   Protect us O Lord.
Shoes of Readiness, sureness in troubled times,   Protect us O Lord.
Shoes of Readiness, eagerness to spread Thy Word,   Protect us O Lord.
Shoes of Readiness, testify to Thy Love and Grace,   Protect us O Lord.
Shoes of Readiness, walk the path of Thy Son,   Protect us O Lord.
Shoes of Readiness, finish the race set before us,   Protect us O Lord.
 
Shield of Faith, quench the burning arrows of Satan,   Protect us O Lord.
Shield of Faith, first line of defense,   Protect us O Lord.
Shield of Faith, guard against temptation,   Protect us O Lord.
Shield of Faith, defend against fear and worry,   Protect us O Lord.
Shield of Faith, block against trouble and doubt,   Protect us O Lord.
Shield of Faith, push back the attacks of evil,   Protect us O Lord.
Shield of Faith, joined with others, an unstoppable force,   Protect us O Lord.
 
Helmet of Salvation, headgear for the Soldiers of Christ,   Protect us O Lord.
Helmet of Salvation, protect us from cares of this world,   Protect us O Lord.
Helmet of Salvation, whom shall we fear,   Protect us O Lord.
Helmet of Salvation, Thy blessing to all,   Protect us O Lord.
Helmet of Salvation, the sacrifice of Christ to save us,   Protect us O Lord.
Helmet of Salvation, the Power of God over evil and death,   Protect us O Lord.
Helmet of Salvation, help us endure to the end,   Protect us O Lord.
 
Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God,   Protect us O Lord.
Sword of the Spirit, the Holy Bible,   Protect us O Lord.
Sword of the Spirit, lamp to our feet,   Protect us O Lord.
Sword of the Spirit, light to our path,   Protect us O Lord.
Sword of the Spirit, guidance through darkness,   Protect us O Lord.
Sword of the Spirit, the strength of our offense,   Protect us O Lord.
Sword of the Spirit, knowledge of God to share with others,   Protect us O Lord.
 
Power of Prayer, communicating with God,   Protect us O Lord.
Power of Prayer, our training for battle,   Protect us O Lord.
Power of Prayer, testament to our faith,   Protect us O Lord.
Power of Prayer, in times of need or distress,   Protect us O Lord.
Power of Prayer, do not lose heart,   Protect us O Lord.
Power of Prayer, be anxious of nothing,   Protect us O Lord.
Power of Prayer, all thanks and praise to our Lord,   Protect us O Lord.
 
Supplication of the Spirit, help in times of weakness,   Protect us O Lord.
Supplication of the Spirit, intercede on our behalf,   Protect us O Lord.
Supplication of the Spirit, guard our hearts and minds,   Protect us O Lord.
Supplication of the Spirit, aid us in our spiritual battle,   Protect us O Lord.
Supplication of the Spirit, keep us ever vigilant,   Protect us O Lord.
Supplication of the Spirit, dwell within us always,   Protect us O Lord.
Supplication of the Spirit, Your will be done Lord,   Protect us O Lord.
 
Armor of God, let us not grow weary in our fight,   Protect us O Lord.
Armor of God, grant us opportunities to share,   Protect us O Lord.
Armor of God, open our mouths to speak fearlessly,   Protect us O Lord.
Armor of God, make known to us the mystery of the Gospel,   Protect us O Lord.
Armor of God, grant peace, love, and faith to all who seek You,   Protect us O Lord.
Armor of God, provide grace to all who love our Lord,   Protect us O Lord.
Armor of God, our strength until the end,   Protect us O Lord.
 
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 O Lord.
 
You are the Way, the Truth, and the Light,   With Your Armor, we shall not lose the fight.
 
Let us Pray.  Father, through the sacrifice of Your Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, by His Death and Resurrection from the dead, you have mercifully granted us Salvation.  By sending down Your Holy Spirit to dwell within us, You have strengthened our faith.  By your words, You have given us the Truth.  Keep strong our Armor during this fight and grant that we do not fail in our daily battles against the army of evil that threatens to harm us.  Fill our hearts and souls with the courage to spread the Gospel to others, bringing forth more followers of Your Son, and adding to the number of Soldiers of Christ.  In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, we pray.  AMEN.
 

Within the next few weeks, I hope to have the pamphlets prepared and made available to hand out. As always, thank you for taking the time to read and share in my journey as I navigate the waters of grief while seeking the grace of God through prayer and reflection.

You are in my prayers,

Scott

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In His Words…

“Precisely because we cannot predict the moment, we must be ready at all moments.”—C. S. Lewis

The 2nd day of the New Year, 2019, and 21 months since Evan’s passing. A new year always brings around the resolutions that we try to live up to. We have all heard the usual ones that come up all the time. Lose weight, exercise, quit smoking, etc. I could fill half a page with them. I just wanted to share with you, words written by Evan in December of 2014, that I may continue to share his faith with others and spread the word and love of God.

Written by Evan Simoneaux 12/2014

I know it is not the typical New Year’s Resolution, but it seems like a good thing to try to put into practice for the New Year. I wish all of you a Blessed and Happy New Year.

You are in my Prayers,

Scott

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“Feux de Joie” (Fire of Joy)

“You go to pray: to become a bonfire, a living flame, giving light and heat.” —St. Josemaria Escriva

As Christmas Eve draws ever closer, and being born and raised in the River Parishes, this quote caught my eye and birthed inspiration.  For those of you who don’t know, or may not be from the area, the tradition of building bonfires along the levee of the Mississippi River to light on Christmas Eve has been going on since the late 1800’s.  Generally starting around the week of thanksgiving, friends get together to begin the cutting and hauling of wood to the levee in order to start construction of the bonfires.  As the weeks lead up to Christmas, the hard work and fun continues until the completion of the pyre to be lit that night.  

On Christmas Eve, family and friends gather together along the river.  It is a festive time of sharing food and drink with others, opening up and welcoming visitors from neighboring parishes.  Once darkness overtakes the light of the sun completely, the bonfires are lit with much celebration, fireworks, and cheer.  In French, the term for bonfire is, “feux de joie” or “fire of joy“.  A joyous occasion continues into the wee hours of the morning until the fires die out, celebrating Christmas, spending time together, reminiscing about old times, and enjoying the warmth of the fire.  (If we are lucky enough, the heat is welcomed and not a cause of excessive sweating.  South Louisiana Christmas Eve temperatures can range from the 80’s to the 20’s.) 

This sharing with family and friends, the building and lighting of the bonfires, and the celebration that follows, works hand in hand with our faith.  We begin around Thanksgiving with increased prayer and awareness of the coming of the celebration of Christ’s Birth.  We begin the Advent Season preparing ourselves for the joyous time, building our spiritual bonfires so they will be ready to light.  We share that light and warmth that we have been working on throughout Advent with friends, loved ones, and strangers during the Holiday Season, culminating on Christmas.  

The bonfires eventually die out.  The light fades as the warmth turns cold until nothing remains but the ashy, charred remnants of the once beautiful structure.  The Challenge: How can we keep our spiritual bonfire lit so that we may be living flames, sources of light and warmth to others year round and not just burn out and fade away until next year?

Let us pray.  Father, as we prepare for the upcoming birth of Your Son, Jesus, help us to be “feux de joie”, fires of joy for our love and faith in You through our daily prayers, devotions, and acts of kindness.  We implore You to send Your Holy Spirit to help us make the time we need to get away from our every day activities and give You thanks and praise for all You have given us, and  the strength to persevere throughout the year to maintain our relationship with you.  Let Your Spirit aid and assist us in keeping our living flame lit, being a source of light and heat to those around us, all for Your Greater Glory.  In Your Name we pray. AMEN.

God Bless You All,

You are in my prayers,

Scott